<i>Moulvibazar to recall tragic death of over 25 war heroes today</i>
Memorial plaque beside the burial ground of freedom fighters who met tragic death in accidental mine blasts at their transit camp set up at Moulvibazar Government High School on December 20 in 1971.Photo: STAR
Today is December 20, a reminder of a painful memory for the people of Moulvibazar. On this day in 1971, only a few days after the final victory over the Pakistan occupation forces, more than 25 freedom fighters met tragic death in a series of explosions caused by an accidental mine blast at the transit camp established at century-old Moulvibazar Government High School. After December 16, local freedom fighters in batches started joining the transit camp and arms, ammunition, mines and other explosives carried by the freedom fighters were being kept there. On December 20 morning, a mine from the hand of a freedom fighter accidentally fell on the floor of the school building and exploded with a big bang. It caused blasting of several other mines. Hearing the sound of explosions, local people and Indian allied army rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies of over 25 freedom fighters. The were buried with due honour in the south-eastern corner of the playground of Moulvibazar Government High school. A martyrs' memorial, built in front of the burial ground, came to be known as the Central Shaheed Minar of Moulvibazar district. Beside the Central Shaheed Minar, another monument was later built with inscriptions of a list of 25 freedom fighters who died in the tragic incident. Martyred freedom fighters mentioned in the list at the monument are -- Suleman Miah (Fenchganj, Sylhet), Rahim Bakhs Khuka (Moulvibazar town), Yanur Ali (Kulaura, Moulvibazar), Askar Ali (address not known), Jahir Miah (Kulaura, Moulvibazar), Nandalal Baroi (address not known), Abdul Ali (address not known), Sanatan Singha (address not known), Abdul Aziz (Shamsernagar, Moulvibazar), Ashutosh Deb (Srimongal, Moulvibazar), Unidentified (thana and district Mymensingh), Prodip Das (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar), Arona Deb (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar), Sattyendra Kumar Das (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar), Shishir Deb (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar), Dilip Kumar Deb (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar), Makhon Lal Deb (Thana and district Moulvibazar), Jitesh Deb (address not known), Kumud Ranjan Dey (upazila and district Moulvibazar), Kajol pal (Sylhet town), Rabindra Bhattacharya (address not known), Abdul Malik (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar), Unidentified (upazila and district Mymensingh) and Abdul Jabber (Rajnagar, Moulvibazar). The number of the victims would be much more as several bodies got burnt and destroyed beyond recognition, said a few senior politicians of the area.
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