Kaliganj Massacre Day Today

Memorial bears all signs of neglect

26 April 2009, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Nilphamari

Memorial for the victims of April 27, 1971 massacre at Kaliganj village in Jaldhaka upazila under Nilphamari district lies in dire neglect as some people, disrespectful to the martyrs, block the memorial entrance to use it for business purpose. Photo: STAR

Local people will observe 'Kaliganj massacre day' today in memory of the 300 innocent people killed by the Pakistani occupation army on this day during the Liberation War. But the memorial, built by locals several years ago at Kaliganj village in Jaldhaka upazila under the district, shows all signs of neglect and dishonour as unscrupulous people have occupied entrance of the main gate. Visiting the place yesterday, this correspondent saw that grocery shops, bus ticket counters and butchers' tables were set in front of the main gate and boundary wall. The area is covered with dense grass and dry leaves of trees were scattered there. On April 27 in 1971, about 1,500 people including men, women, children and elderly ones from Kathali, Balagram, Golna, Jaldhaka and adjoining villages were walking towards the Indian border to save themselves from the Pakistani army. When they reached Kaliganj village, Pakistani troops on board several vehicles appeared there and ordered them to stop. The troops then separated around 300 young men and shot them. The barbaric troops picked up some young girls and left the spot. Amar Krishna, now a schoolteacher, who lost his father and two brothers on that day, said, “I was then a young man of 19. The Pakistani soldiers' bullets failed to hit me but I fell down on the ground unconscious. After regaining sense, I saw many dead bodies around me.” “The governments did not do anything to keep the memory alive for the future generation. Even the local units of different political parties do not observe the day,” said former union parishad member Manshed Ali of Kaliganj village, who helped rescue of the survivors on that fateful day. Some local youths arranged whitewashing the memorial as martyrs' relatives and local people will place flowers at the altar today.