The 51st anniversary of the “Chuknagar Genocide” has been observed in Dhaka and Khulna with activists calling for a proper inquiry and trial of the perpetrators of the country’s largest massacre on May 20, 1971.
In Dhaka, Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad (HBCOP) held a discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday.
Supreme Court lawyer and HBCOP General Secretary Rana Dasgupta and former chairman of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission Dr Mizanur Rahman spoke at the meeting among others. Oikya National Awami Party President Pankaj Bhattacharya demanded that the Chuknagar Genocide be included in textbooks in memory of the victims.
They deplored that subsequent governments had failed to recognize the atrocities of Chuknagar and try the masterminds, reports Bangla Tribune.
The Pakistani Army and their local collaborators in Peace Committee and Razakar force launched the attack around 10:30am on May 20 as nearly 30,000 civilians from nearby areas, mostly Hindus, took refuge in Chuknagar Bazar and on the riverbank on their way to India.
They sprayed bullets on the people, and at one point, used bayonets to butcher the men, women and children. According to local estimates, some 10,000 to 12,000 people were killed in the span of several hours.
Former chairman of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission Dr Mizanur Rahman speaks at a discussion, organized to mark the 51st anniversary of Chuknagar Genocide, at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Saturday Focus BanglaThe Bhadra River turned red and there were not enough people in the locality to recover all the bodies and cremate them.
The following day, a similar massacre took place in Dakra area of Rampal in Bagerhat. The local Razakar members led by its founder AKM Yousuf killed around 700-2,000 unarmed people, who were heading towards the border.
On Friday, the Khulna district administration and different socio-cultural organizations placed wreaths at the monument, built near the Bhadra River.
The day’s programs began by hoisting the national flag at Chuknagar Dumuria Upazila, reports BSS.
Later, different organizations including Khulna district administration, Chuknagar Ganohattya-71 Smrity Rakkha Parishad, Amra-71-Dhaka, Chief Investigator of International Crime Tribunal and former inspector general of police (IGP) M Sanaul Haque, Khulna Mahanagar Bangabandhu Parishad, Dumuria Upazila Muktijodha Command, Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee, and Jessore Udichi placed wreaths at 11 points of the Bhadra River.
A discussion was held in the evening at the genocide memorial. President of Chuknagar Ganohattya-71 Smrity Rakkha Parishad ABM Shafiqul Islam presided over the meeting while acting principal of Chuknagar College Monirul Islam conducted the discussion.
Among others, ex-IGP Sanaul, organizer of Amra-71 Mahbub Zaman, journalists Bibhu Ranjan Sarkar, Joyanti Roy and Mahfuza Jesmin, president of Jessore Udichi Mahbubur Rahman Maznu and General Secretary Sazzatur Rahman Biplob addressed the meeting.
They urged the government to declare May 20 as a National Mourning Day to pay respect to the victims of the Chuknagar massacre and to try the perpetrators.
They demanded to produce the evidence of the Chuknagar Genocide before the Geneva Convention for justice.