The nation today (Thursday) recalls the horror of the March 25, 1971 black night marking the Genocide Day.
Fifty years back after the midnight of 25th March in 1971, Pakistani military soldiers launched sudden cowardly massive crackdown on the unarmed sleeping people of the then East-Pakistan’s capital Dhaka and other parts of the country.
This year’s observance of Genocide Day bears a special significance as nation is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence and National Day- 2021 alongside celebration of the Birth Centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
As part of their blueprint, in the attack called ‘Operation Searchlight’, the Pakistani army murdered the Bangalee members of the East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers and unarmed common people.
We hope, there will be no repetition of such
heinous and barbaric incident at anywhere of
this civilised world
The Pakistani military junta unleashed a reign of terror throughout the capital killing innocent people indiscriminately, burnt down houses, properties and looted shops, business establishments and carried out destruction.
And it was the most horrific incidents of violence committed against unarmed civilians in the world's history with the roar of tanks that broke the silence of the midnight.
Thousands of people living different cities especially Dhaka woke up to the thudding sounds of bombs and bullets.
Capital Dhaka’s air and sky had become heavier with the groaning and screams of the people as a festival of mass killing was going on. The history’s heinous, barbaric and coward attack launched on sleeping people left 10,000 civil people including women and children killed on this night.
Immediately before the military crackdown and moments before Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested by the Pakistan Army, prompting him to declare the independence of Bangladesh the very next day -- March 26, 1971. Marking the day, the nation observes one-minute symbolic ‘blackout’ at night on March 25 throughout the country.
Operation Searchlight was one of very few military operations after World War-II that ultimately had been planned against civilians, just to kill a large amount of people to scare the survivors. We hope, there will be no repetition of such heinous and barbaric incident at anywhere in this civilised world.