Today is Genocide Day, which is also known as Mass Killing Day. One of most barbaric and cowardly attacks in history was launched by Pakistani military on unarmed Bengalis on the black night of March 25 in 1971. The Pakistani military junta resorted to mass killing in Dhaka to execute their blueprint to stop the movement of the freedom-loving people and thwart Awami League’s assumption of office following the election mandate of 1970.
Refraining themselves from any sort of mass gathering like political and socio-cultural programmes, people with heavy heart and due respect across the country will recall those martyred on the Genocide Day. Most major programmes marking the ‘Genocide Day’ have been curtailed due to the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak.
In the attack dubbed 'Operation Searchlight', the Pakistani forces mercilessly killed Bengali members of the East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers and common people. They killed people indiscriminately, set fire to houses and property, and looted business establishments, leaving a trail of destruction.
The genocide carried out by the Pakistani occupation forces on March 25 is a black chapter not only in the history of Bangladesh but also in the history of world humanity. Carrying out ‘Operation Searchlight’, the Pakistani occupation forces just wanted to stop the movement of the freedom-loving people.
Then Pakistani President Yahya Khan assembled troops in East Pakistan and left for Pakistan secretly on March 25, 1971 after giving order for carrying out genocide. From the night of March 25, Pakistani occupation forces along with their local collaborators including Rajakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams killed at least 3 million people in the next nine months and violated 200,000 women.
