Pratap Shankar Hazra was not involved in any political activities but the renowned former footballer and hockey player could not save his house just because he was a Hindu Bangali.
His house in Armanitola in Old Dhaka was burnt into ashes by Pakistani military forces on the night of March 26, 1971 when the war for independence began.
Hazra’s family comprising around 16-17 people, including a child, ran away from the one-storied house and took shelter in the graveyard of nearby Armenian Church to save their lives on the horrific night.
The previous night, on the 25th of March, Hazra received a call from a staff of his motor workshop in Farmgate and learned about Pakistan’s occupation in the city.
“The workshop in which I had a share was located just beside Anondo cinema hall. The staff informed me that numerous army officials broke into the city with tanks, cannons and guns,” Hazra told Dhaka Tribune during an exclusive interview at his new house.
“I advised him to switch off all the lights and sit inside. I was in my house. I couldn’t sleep well as there was sound of firing coming from long distance.”
The next morning, Hazra and his teammate, family friend Nurunnobi went out to explore the city. First, they went to Mitford area to find lots of dead bodies of Bangali policemen.
“Everywhere we visited, we found dead policemen. We came back home with a devastated mind,” he said.
Mitford hospital was close to his house located on the west of Armanitola field. His ears were following closely as cars passed by one after another.
“I told everyone in the house how and where to escape if army attacked. I went to the roof and saw a man coming off a military jeep and flash light on us,” he said.
“I got back inside the house and shouted to run away. It was around 9:30pm. The Armenian Church was nearby. We took shelter in the graveyard of the church. The next morning when we returned home it was burnt into ashes.”
Hazra was living in a joint family.
A Muslim family lived beside their house. He said the women of the Muslim family were among others who took shelter in the church.
The Swadhin Bangla Football Team’s vice-captain said it was only their house in the locality that was destroyed on that night.
“In the Tatibazar mor, two Army men were on guard. A boy fired both of them to death. The Army burnt the nearby wood market at Nayabazar. They got around the area and learnt that a Hindu family lived in Armanitola. It was us. They only attacked our house,” he said.
Hazra went on to describe how they escaped to safety. The first target was to reach a pharmacy shop located between their house and the church.
There was a wall which was six-seven feet long. Hazra climbed on it and used saree to take others up. A total of 25-26 people passed through this way.
It was more difficult to overcome the church’s boundary. The shed was slippery. Two sarees were tied together to help everyone pass it.
He said an Armenian gentleman used to live in the church along with two-three clerks. They did not know about their presence until the morning.
“There was no feeling but only consciousness on that night to guard the whole family safely,” said Hazra.
The family could not recover any money or gold ornaments from the house and left without a single penny.
Being a player of the Combined Sporting Club, a now-defunct Old Dhaka club, two of Hazra’s teammates took him in their house in Dhanmondi where they stayed for two days before crossing Buriganga river to take shelter in Jinjira.
Then they went to their village in Sreenagar, Munshiganj and stayed there for a month.
After that they headed towards the border and moved to Agartola, India.
Hazra later went to Kolkata and played a vital role in organizing the Swadhin Bangla Football Team that featured in exhibition matches in different places of India during the liberation war to raise fund and awareness.
