22 killing grounds in Satkhira lie neglected
This memorial of Liberation War martyrs who were buried at Sreepatipur mass grave in Kalaroa upazila of Satkhira district remains in utter neglect, bearing testimony to the authorities' callousness about preserving the memory of the heroic sons of the soil.Photo: STAR
At least 22 killing grounds (Bodhyabhumi), where hundreds of Bangalees were massacred by the Pakistan occupation forces during the War of Liberation in 1971 here are lying neglected even after 40 years of independence of the country. No government or non government initiatives were taken to preserve or renovate these killing grounds. Not only that, many of the killing grounds have already been grabbed by local influential people. Local administration and Muktijoddha Sangsad have so far identified 22 killing grounds in the district which have almost vanished or lost area mark. Being a bordering district headquarters and a safer place, thousands of people fleeing from different areas of the country came to Satkhira town for shelter and gathered at Town High School premises and other areas. One of the main killing grounds of the district is 'Katia Bodhyabhumi' in the town. On April 20 Pakistan Army attacked and killed about 1500 people who took shelter in Town High School building. They were buried at the residence of Dinesh Karmakar near the school at Katia. Over 400 skeletons, bone and skulls were recovered from the mass graves in this area soon after the independence. Jhhaudanga mass grave has almost been grabbed and a number of houses have already been built there. Over 2000 people who were fleeing to India met the tragic end of their lives on April 26, 1971 as the Pakistan army opened fire indiscriminately on them near Jhhaudanga Bazaar. There is no sign of any mass grave at Sreepatipur Palpara where nine innocent potters were brutally killed and buried on April 28, 1971 by Pakistani forces, said Moslem Uddin of Kalaroa upazila. The Sreepur mass grave in Debhata upazila has also turned into a grabbed land. At least 59 Pakistani soldiers were killed while eight freedom fighters including Samsuzzoha Kajal, Narayan Dhar and Abul Kalam Azad lost their lives in a dreadful fight on June 12, 1971 at Town Sreepur in the upazila. On July 27, 1971 twelve freedom fighters were killed in Narayanpur of Kaliganj upazila. Zobeda Begum, 70, of Narayanpur village told this correspondent that her sister-in-law Ayesha Khatun buried the bodies in a bush near their house at Narayanpur. The other mass graves at Keargati, Kalaroa football ground, Sonabaria, Panchnal, Bamankhali, Bhadiali, Chandanpur, Khordo and Madra in Kalaroa upazila are also lying uncared for. The occupation forces and their collaborators killed over 200 innocent people and buried them at the aforesaid places during the War of Liberation in 1971. Satkhira Sadar upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad Commander Abu Bakar Siddique demanded memorials at the mass graves of the martyred freedom fighters. “The memories of the heroic sons of the soils must be kept alive in the mind of future generations”, he said.
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