RAJSHAHI, Nov 25, 2019 (BSS) – Freedom Fighters , members of the martyred
family and civil society at a discussion held here today made a clarion call
for conservation of the mass grave site at Babla Bon in the city’s Shrirampur
area.
They urged concerned authorities to come forward to this end as the grave
site has remained neglected for years for lack of proper demarcation of the
site.
Jononeta Ataur Rahman Smrity Parishad and Rajshahi Press Club jointly
organized the discussion held at press club premises to commemorate the
genocide, carried out by Pakistan occupation forces that left 17 people
including intellectuals and politicians were brutally killed on this day in
1971 .
The participants demanded of the government for taking steps to preserve the
mass grave site so that people can pay homage to the great sons of the soil,
who were buried there.
The Pakistani army with the help of their local collaborators picked up 17
people including intellectuals and politicians from their houses on the night
of November 25 in 1971.
After mass killing the bodies were dumped and later locals and Freedom
Fighters unearthed the mass grave near Boalia Club in the city on December
30.
After killing bodies of the 17 martyred including Professor Mir Abdul Quayyum
of Rajshahi University, Nawrose-ud-Doula Khan, Taslim Uddin, Abul Hossain,
Alauddin, Taiyab Ali, Mirja Sultan, Azizul Haque Chowdhury and Aminul Haque
Chowdhury were dumped at the site.
“I can still recollect the day when I went to the grave site riding a bicycle
in the morning of December 30, 1971.
I could identify my father’s body by seeing the ring on his finger,” said
Omor Faruque Chowdhury, MP, son of Azizul Haque Chowdhury, while addressing
the discussion as chief guest.
He said the genocide committed by the Pakistani occupation forces with the
help of their collaborators at different areas of the city in 1971 still
reminds of heinous atrocities and crime against humanity.
He also said there are more mass-graves in the city including Upashahar and
Tallaimari but unfortunately all those remained in uncared condition.
Masudur Rahman Rinku, nephew of the martyred businessman Altaf Hossain, said
he identified his uncle’s body after seeing his sweater and even thirteen of
the bodies were found tied up with ropes.
Chaired by Rajshahi Press Club President Saidur Rahman, the discussion
meeting was addressed, among others, by city unit president of Sectors
Commanders Forum Shahjahan Ali Barjahan, columnist Proshanta Kumar Shaha and
the press club general secretary Aslam-Ud-Dowla.