President, PM describe ‘Genocide Day’ as protest against Pakistani atrocities

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 DHAKA, March 24, 2018 – President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today described the “Genocide Day” as a strong protest against the genocide carried out by the Pakistani occupation forces on unarmed Bangalees in 1971 Liberation War.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the “Genocide Day”.

In his message, the President said the genocide carried out by Pakistani occupation forces on March 25 is a brutal and grievous incident in the history of Bengali nation.

He said the genocide in 1971 is a black chapter in the history of mankind. “None can forget the horrors of the genocide,” he added.

Terming the black night as a brutal genocide in the twentieth century, the President said they (Pakistani occupation forces) just wanted to stop the movement of Bangalee police, EPR, students and the people in the name of ‘Operation Searchlight’.

Hamid urged all irrespective of caste and creed to establish a non communal and democratic country imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the Pakistani occupation forces swooped on unarmed Bangalees on March 25 night and they along with their local collaborators including Rajakar, Al Badr and Al Shams carried out atrocities.

The atrocities that started on the black night on March 25 continued for nine months, she said. The Prime Minister said as many as 30 lakh people were killed and two lakh women were raped.

The incidents of killing of a large number of people in the short span of time are rare in the world, the premier said.

She said the decision of observing “Genocide Day” is a manifestation of paying tributes to the 30 lakh martyrs, who made supreme sacrifices to liberate the nation.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu declared the independence in the first hour of March 26 just before his arrest through the then EPR wireless, telegraph and tele-printer.

The nation got victory after a nine month of bloody Liberation War on December 16 in 1971, she added.

“The decision of observing the day as ‘Genocide Day’ is a milestone in the history of the country and nation,” she said.

The Premier said, “On this day, I recall with respect the greatest Bangalee, Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman…I also remember the four national leaders, 30 lakh martyrs and two lakh repressed women.”

The Jatiya Sangsad unanimously adopted a resolution to observe the March 25 as the “Gonohotya Dibos” (Day of Genocide) on March 11, 2017. Subsequently the cabinet division at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair unanimously endorsed the decision on March 20.