On May 20, 1971, in Chuknagar, located in Atlia union under Dumuria upazila, Khulna, the Pakistani occupation forces carried out one of the largest massacres in Bangladesh’s Liberation War.
The waters of the nearby Ghangrail River turned red with blood, marking a day when thousands lost their lives.
Despite the devastating scale of the atrocity, which claimed over 10,000 lives in a single day, the site has yet to be commemorated with a complete memorial.
In 2006, the Public Works Department constructed a Chuknagar massacre memorial at a cost of Tk7 lakh.
However, even after 18 years, the structure remains incomplete and neglected, lacking proper maintenance or permanent caretakers. Over time, significant parts of the boundary wall have collapsed, symbolizing the broader neglect of this historical site.
Blood-soaked Chuknagar
About 32km west of Khulna city, on the banks of the Bhadra River near the Indian border, lies the region called Chuknagar.
Early in the Liberation War, the Pakistani military resorted to horrific massacres. The genocide that began with Operation Searchlight on March 25, 1971, left the nation stunned.
People fled in terror, witnessing relentless acts of killing, looting, and rape.
In April and May, the persecution and genocide of Hindus in the southern region by Pakistani invaders reached its peak. The lives of Hindu men and women at that time felt like living on a burning volcano.
As a result, millions of refugees gathered in border areas. Due to its geographical location, Chuknagar Bazaar became a transit hub for refugees, mostly Hindus, seeking safety.
Surrounded by rivers on three sides, Chuknagar was only 25km away from the Indian border. Being the confluence of Jessore, Khulna and Satkhira, the area quickly gained prominence.
According to accounts from locals and eyewitnesses, thousands from regions such as Bagerhat, Rampal, Morrelganj, Kachua, Sarankhola, Mongla, Dakop, Botiaghata, Chalna, Faridpur and Barisal gathered in Chuknagar by boat on May 18 and 19. Their goal was to cross into India.
Until May 20, 1971, many people fled to India through this border. However, local collaborators informed the Pakistani military about the escape routes.
On that day, tragedy struck. It was a Thursday. That morning, many people were on their way to India, while others were making preparations.
At around 11am, a group of 14-15 Pakistani soldiers suddenly arrived in a truck and a jeep via the Satkhira-Khulna road, stopping at Jhautala, on the western side of Chuknagar Bazaar. At the time, the Patkhola field was teeming with people. Without warning, the soldiers opened fire, turning the field into a bloodbath.
The truck headed toward Chuknagar Bazaar, unleashing a similar barrage of gunfire. Blood soaked the temple premises and nearby areas. Many who had taken shelter near the Bhadra River also fell victim to the indiscriminate violence. The massacre continued until 3pm.
Most of those killed were men, but the Pakistani soldiers also brutally murdered many women and children.
Fazlur Rahman Morol, who was about 14 or 15 years old at the time, was caught in the crossfire but managed to survive by jumping into the water.
Fazlur said the tides of the Ghangrail and Bhadra rivers had carried away countless corpses. “For the next six to seven days, some locals would place the bodies into the river during high tide. During low tide, they would tie the bodies together and secure them to trees further downstream to prevent them from floating back with the tide. Many of the bodies were pushed even further down the river.”
According to Fazlur’s estimate, approximately 10,000–12,000 people were killed in the massacre.
This devastating event remained largely unknown until the 1990s, as it was not documented in the official records of the Liberation War.
The Chuknagar Genocide 71 Memorial Preservation Committee was formed in 1993. In 2004, the government acquired 78 decimals of land in the village for a memorial. The Public Works Department later built the Chuknagar massacre memorial on a portion of the land in 2006, at a cost of Tk7 lakh.
Shafiqul Islam, president of the memorial preservation committee and former principal of Chuknagar College, said while there was a memorial to commemorate the tragedy, it remained neglected.
A comprehensive memorial complex at the massacre site had yet to be constructed, he lamented.
"Chuknagar is the site of the largest massacre in the Liberation War,” said Md Nurul Islam Manik, the freedom fighter commander of Dumuria upazila.
He said although a memorial had been built, it had not been given its due significance, which was deeply disheartening.
