Month of Victory
<i>Razakars yet to be wiped out</i>
Though the freedom fighters covered up the names of two razakars on the victory memorial plaque at Bhaina Square in Magura town with black paint in 2007, the authorities concerned are yet to erase the names of the two collaborators of Pakistani occupation forces from the memorial plaque.Photo: STAR
This year's Victory Day has also passed off but the names of two razakers (collaborators of Pakistani occupation forces) and a few fake freedom fighters still remain engraved on the victory memorial plaque in the district town. Aggrieved freedom fighters, who boycotted several Victory Day and Independence Day programmes in last nine years, in their own initiatives covered up the names of razakars on the plaque with the help of black paint in 2007. The liberation war affairs ministry, however, is yet to take any step to erase the names officially despite submission of applications by the district unit of Muktijoddha Sangsad, sources said. "In the last nine years we submitted several petitions to the ministry concerned through the deputy commissioner (DC) in Magura, requesting to erase the names from the plaque, but unfortunately all our efforts went in vein," commander of district unit Muktijoddha Sangsad Molla Nabuat Ali told this correspondent. "The freedom fighters in Magura were compelled to attend the Independence Day and Victory Day programmes with heavy hearts," said valiant freedom fighter Zahidul Islam. "The spirit of liberation war cannot be upheld keeping the names of razakars or any anti-liberation people on any victory memorial plaque in the country," Zahidul observed. The memorial was built by the Zila Parishad at Bhaina Square in Magura town at a cost of Tk 14.10 lakh and was formally opened by then BNP lawmaker of Magura-2 Quazi Salemul Haque Kamal in 2003, official sources said. Former commander of Magura district unit Muktjoddha Sangsad Khan Ali Reza Raja, on behalf of freedom fighters, submitted a petition to the secretary of the liberation war affairs ministry on January 1, 2004, for erasing the names of controversial people from the plaque. But no initiatives were taken in this regard in the last nine years, local freedom fighters told this correspondent. "It is a matter of great regret that names of razakars Aminuddin and Khater Ali still remain inscribed on the victory memorial," freedom fighter Dulal Chandra Biswas said. "The two were killed during a gun battle between the freedom fighters and Pakistani occupation army at Kamanna village in Jhenidah district. At that time they (Aminuddin and Khater Ali) were caught and tied to a tree by the freedom fighters," he said. "The supreme sacrifices of the freedom fighters have been disregarded by putting the names of razakars on the victory memorial plaque. The ministry should take immediate initiatives to remove the names from there," Dulal said. "Apart from the names of razakars, there are names of a few other people on the memorial who had no contribution to the liberation war," he added.
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