Delwar Kabir, Jhenaidah
Members of martyr’s families, residents of Jhaudia Majhipara, a village of the fishermen community in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah have been leading an inhuman life as they neither received any government facilities, nor any recognition.
In addition, the spot where eight innocent villagers were killed brutally by the occupying forces and their collaborators during the Independence War was not identified and preserved even after 50 years of the Independence War of 1971.
Although the locals had raised voice about the matter when minister for Liberation War Mozammel Haque had addressed a gathering at Shailkupa Upazila Parishad Auditorium in presence of MP from Jhenaidah-1 constituency (Shailkupa) Abdul Hyee last year, the minister avoided the issue.
The martyrs who were gunned down by brutal forces were schoolboy Nirapada Biswas, his two younger brothers Chittaranjan Biswas and Nani Gopal Biswas, Dulal Biswas, Harendra Nath Biswas, Jiten Biswas, Moni Roy and Manindra Nath Roy of the village. Two other young men Narayan Chandra Biswas and Bistupada Biswas escaped the bullets that time somehow.
Devi Rani Biswas, the wife of Nirapada Biswas said, her husband, a fisherman in profession while entered the house in the early hours after catching fish in nearest Kumar River, suddenly a gang of Pakistani Army with fire arms entered the house and caught Nirapada and two of his younger brothers Chittaranjan and Nani Gopal. Pakistani men along with their collaborators also caught Dulal, Harendra and Jiten from the village.
Septuagenarian Khagendra Biswas said, “Earlier the occupying forces brought Moni Roy and Village Chowkider Manindra Nath Roy from Jhaudia Sarderpara. They tied up all the ten men with same rope together and took them on the bank of nearby Kumar River”.
The brutal killers placing them in a line, opened fire targeting the innocent and threw them into the river thinking that they were killed. However, Narayan Chandra and Bistupada escaped the bullets and fled away.
Bodies of the eight martyrs were washed away due to heavy current in the river. No one of the locals and their relatives could show the courage to recover the bodies for funeral activities.
After the independence war the then MP late Dr. Kazi Khademul Islam (Shishu Dakter), gave Tk 1,000 to four or five families out of the eight families of the martyrs of the village in 1972. Since then they had received neither any assistance, nor had anyone from the government or any political parties asked about their wellbeing in past 45 years.
Villagers said the matter was notified to the minster for Liberation War Affairs Mozammel Haque when he was addressing a gathering at Shailkupa upazila parishad auditorium last year, but he ignored the matter.
Ex commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Sailkupa upazila unit command Rahmat Ali Mantu when contacted admitted the massacre by the occupying forces in 1971 at Jhaudia Majhipara.
He added, “It was really a matter of sorrow as the martyrs could not be recognized even in past 50 years of the Independence War. The families of said martyred should be brought under government’s allowance and other relevant activities to recognize their contribution”.
The distressed family members of the eight martyrs were out of reach of any financial or humanitarian assistance from any corner, although the government led by Prime Minister Seikh Hasina has been doing anything and everything for the wellbeing of the martyr’s family, freedom fighters and others involved in the Liberation War, Rahmat Ali said.
