Md Nazmul, Morelganj (Bagerhat)

In 1971, Rajakars shot and slaughtered 180 people in Sevashram of Sridham Gopalchad Sadhu Thakur in Lakshmikhali village of Jiudhara Union of Morelganj Upazila of BagerhatBut even after 54 years of the country's independence, no contemporary steps have been taken to protect the memory of these martyrs.

Locals claimed that it is very necessary to preserve this slaughtering ground of Lakshmikhali to tell the history and tradition of freedom fighters to the next generation. Nani Gopal Sadhu, a descendant of Gopal Sadhu Tagore, who participated in the frontal battle with Razakar in Lakshmikhali village in 1971, said, "In 1971, we could not save the lives of more than 150 people, including the entire village, even after fighting for 2 hours against Rajakar.

Dulal Shikder, who participated in the liberation war of the same village, said that 100 to 150 Razakars, under the leadership of Razjabali, the head of the peace committee of Bagerhat district's Razaka army, had already taken a position in Saheber field area of Mongla upazila. On March 24, 1971, at dawn, these Rajakars entered Lakshmikhali village and attacked from all sides. In defense, we tried to resist the Razakars with shields, surkis and 7 guns. Being outnumbered and heavily armed, they fought with them for an hour and a half and retreated.

Within a short period of time, 400 houses were set on fire, looted, assaulted, hacked and later shot and killed 180 people. Then the body was left in the forest field in front of Thakurbari. He also said that devotees Hiraman Ghoshai, Mano Ghoshai, Dhona Ghoshai were hacked and shot dead in Gopal Tagore's then residence. At this time, the Rajakars also killed Mukund Shikdar, Manowar Shikdar, Nishikant Mandal, Jaganath Dhali, Donacharya Mandal of Lakshmikhali village. Apart from this, Surend Dhali, Atul Bairagi, Dulal Bairagi, Ganesh Shikadar, Yakub Ali of Kakratali village were killed by the Razakars when they tried to prevent looting and arson in the Hindu home.

In this way, more than 150 people who took refuge in Thakurbari from different upazilas were killed indiscriminately that dayLocal residents Biswajit Halder, heroic freedom fighter former UP Chairman Habibur Rahman Howlader, Parimal Mandal, Dulal Shikder, Anil Krishna Mandal, Bidhan Basu, brave freedom fighter Razzak Sheikh and many others said with anger that every year when this day comes, they give black clothes and flowers to the martyrs on a temporary basis. respect twas informed.It is strongly demanded to the upazila administration that all measures should be taken to preserve the modernized slaughterhouse and construct the monument here.

Sagar Sadhu Thakur, the current General Secretary of Sevashram Bangladesh Matua Mahasanghe, said that the demand for preservation of the slaughter ground in the memory of the martyrs of Lakshmikhali massacre has been for a long time. For this, a written application was also made to the responsible high level officials of the government.

I have heard that there will be conservation work on the slaughterhouse. But the locals cannot see the light. It should be noted that the monuments of Teligati, Tentulbaria, areas of this upazila are getting lost due to careless neglect and lack of renovation.