Toilets on martyrs’ grave in Narsingdi

Freedom fighters and family members of several Liberation War martyrs demanded steps for protection and proper maintenance of the killing ground site so that new generation could pay homage to the great sons of the soil. According to Muktijoddha Sangsad, a number of killing fields located in Monohardi, Pachndona Bridge in Sadar upazila, Machimpur Bil, Ghashirdia, Boribari, Methikanda had been turned into abandoned places due to lack of proper maintenance and awarness of authorities concerned. They also alleged that Pakistani Army with the help of their local collaborators picked up people, including intellectuals and politicians, from their houses and later on killed them during the Liberation War. Later, they all were buried in different areas in the district. Many of the spots have been occupied by local influential.Toilets at Monohardi killing fieldThe Pakistani army had set up a camp at Monohardi Model Primary School, Pilot High School and Sub-registry office during the war. Then, Pakistani military forces with the help of locals picked up people from the town and killed them on the bank of Brahmaputra River, adjacent to the camp. Later, the army forced local people to bury the deceased on the bank of the river. Though it is a well-known mass graveyard, authorities are not aware of it.  Now the mass graveyard has been turned as abandoned place. Not only that the authorities of Upazila Research Centre and Model School have also built toilet at the graveyard. Local freedom fighter Moniruzzaman Manik and Mohammad Ali expressed their sorrows after knowing about the present situation of mass graves in the district especially about the Monohardi mass graveyard. They urged authorities concerned to take immediate actions to save the grave from urinating. Syed Ashraful Islam, deputy commander of Monohardi upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad, requested authorities concerned to build monument in the area so that new generation can pay homage to Liberation War martyrs. Mohammad Shohidullah, upazila nirbahi officer, said: “We will take proper steps after knowing details about the mass grave.”Belabo mass graveOn July, 1971, Pakistani army killed 68 people, including five freedom fighters. Later, Pakistani army members threw the corpses in the Arial Kha River where some of them were buried in Boribari area, Belabo upazila. After Liberation War, local administration built a monument at Boribari. But the monument had been turned into heap of ruin due to lack of proper maintenance. Not only these, few other mass graves in the district situated in Methikanda Railway Station area in Raipur upazila, Pachndona Loharpul mass grave, are lay uncared for long time. On December 12, 1971, freedom fighters occupied Narsingdi from Pakistani army. To mark freedom fighters contribution Deputy Commissioner of Narsingdi built a monument in 2005.