Emran Emon

December 6 is the Feni Free Day. During the Liberation War, the entire Bangladesh was jointly freed from the Pakistani invaders on 16 December, but Feni was freed on 6 December. That is why, 'Feni Free Day' is celebrated on 6th December. On December 6, 1971, the freedom fighters of Feni defeated the Pakistani forces and hoisted the flag of independent Bangladesh in Feni for the first time. That is, on December 6, the flag of independent Bangladesh flew for the first time in Feni.

Feni was under Sector-2 during the Liberation War of Bangladesh. Due to its geographical location, Feni was an important zone of the Liberation War. From 25th March, the horrors of war began across the country. Pakistani forces spread across the country and committed atrocities. As part of this, in early April, the Pakistani forces attacked Feni. Due to its geographical location, the entry of Pakistani forces into Feni was quick and easy. Meanwhile, the news of the entry of Pakistani forces spread to the freedom fighters. The turmoil of war begins in this region.

Feni has borders with neighboring country India on three sides. As a result, the Pakistani forces carried out massive atrocities in Feni. But since the beginning of the war, the freedom fighters of Feni region were well-organized. It has been observed by a foreign journalist.

In mid-May 1971, President Yahya Khan claimed in a press conference in Pindi, Pakistan that no territory of Bangladesh was occupied by freedom fighters. At that moment, a foreign journalist questioned Yahya Khan saying that I had visited Bilonia Free Zone in Feni just a few days ago. There I saw three upazilas: Fulgazi, Parshuram and Chhagalnaiya, completely occupied by the freedom fighters. Pakistan has no influence or dominance in the region. The foreign journalist also said, I have heard more. These three free upazilas, surrounded on three sides by the border with India, about 8 to 13 miles wide and about 19 miles long, will be the temporary capital/headquarter of the government of independent Bangladesh if this region remains as a free zone.

Several battles of the Liberation War took place on the Feni border. Battle of Shuvopur and Battle of Bilonia are among them. The freedom fighters of Feni under the leadership of Awami League leader Late Abdul Malek (president of BLF during the war) and Late Khawaja Ahmed participated in the Liberation War after training in Dehradun and Chottakhola. Initially military training started at Feni PTI school grounds with a force of 300 freedom fighters. As the Feni district commander of BLF, Professor Joynal Abedin VP contributed significantly to the Liberation War in the western part of Feni.

The captain of the freedom fighters of Feni region Lt Colonel (retd) Jafar Imam, Bir Bikram, led the operation from Bilonia and adjoining areas in India for the 10th East Bengal Regiment. When the Mukti Bahini fought and advanced through Bilonia, Parshuram, Munsirhat, Fulgazi—a part of the Pakistani forces fled through Sonaimuri of Noakhali on the Cumilla Cantonment road and the other part fled towards Chittagong over the Shuvopur bridge. The Battle of Bilonia led by Jafar Imam (Bir Bikram) has gone down in history as a unique bloody battle.

On the other hand, the freedom fighters led by Mujib's Force (BLF) Feni Divisional Commander Professor Joynal Abedin VP advanced towards the town via Daganbhuiyan, Rajapur, Sindurpur. Disoriented by the fierce attack of the freedom fighters, the Pakistani invaders fled towards Cumilla on the night of December 5, and Feni was declared free of invaders on December 6. The people of Feni celebrated victory with red and green signs in Feni town and villages.

Abdul Motaleb, a freedom fighter who fought on the battlefield, said that in the face of intense attack by the freedom fighters and the allied forces, the Pakistani invaders got disoriented and wrapped themselves up from all the border areas of Feni and fled towards Chittagong on the night of December 5. After hearing this news, thousands of freedom fighters and freedom seekers started gathering in front of the Press Club building on Trunk Road and Circuit House on Rajajhir Dighi bank of Feni, chanting "Joy Bangla" and clapping. On that morning, the freedom fighters came from Bandua in Fulgazi and first hoisted the flag of Bangladesh at Feni Circuit House (currently LGED Rest House) led by Lt Colonel Jafar Imam, Bir Bikram.

In 1971, 31 freedom fighters of Feni were awarded the national titled for their heroic contribution in the great Liberation War. Among the awarded freedom fighters, 4 were awarded the Bir Uttam, 7 Bir Bikram and 20 Bir Protik titles. Among them, Abdul Wahed Chowdhury (A W Chowdhury), a martyred freedom fighter of North Sreepur village of Fulgazi upazila, was simultaneously awarded the titled of Bir Uttam and Bir Bikram for his outstanding contribution in the Liberation War.

The contribution of women in Feni Liberation War is not less. There are three female freedom fighters in Feni. The brave freedom fighters are: Rahima Begum, Shahadat Ara Begum and Kawsar Begum. Among these three, Rahima Begum is recognised as the 'Birangana'.

Among the many battlefields of Feni in the Liberation War, Bilonia, Muktarbari, Bandua and resistance battles of Munshirhat are famous in the history. Frontal combat tactics in these battlefields have been included as part of the curriculum in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan military academies, which is the pride of the freedom fighters of this battlefield.

Feni's Bilonia battlefield is very significant in the Liberation War. The Bilonia strategy of the freedom fighters is recognized as a model strategy worldwide. Immediately after the beginning of the Liberation War, there was a resistance war, which was continued by the liberation forces until June 21. Later the region was liberated in the second phase of the November war. On November 10, Bilonia was liberated from Pakistani invaders. The Battle of Bilonia is taught in military colleges of various countries under the name 'Battle of Bilonia'. About the Battle of Bilonia General A.A.K Niazi admitted in his book “THE BETRAYAL OF EAST PAKISTAN" (Page 209) by saying: "A Brigade action which launched at Belonia was repulsed".

During the liberation war, the invading forces and their local allies brutally tortured and killed the innocent Bengalis who wanted freedom in some places including Feni Government College and the then CO office. Their dead bodies are dumped in ponds, canals, rivers, ponds and deep forests. Feni Government College Slaughtering Ground, Feni Polytechnic Institute Slaughtering Ground, Rajapur Slaughtering Ground, Feni Railway Station Slaughtering Ground, Daudpur Bridge Slaughtering Ground, Kalidah-Pahalia Bridge Slaughtering Ground, Daganbhuiyan Bridge Slaughtering Ground, Kutirhat Bridge Slaughtering Ground, Jammura Village Slaughtering Ground of Fulgazi, Malipathar Slaughtering Ground of Parshuram and Solia Slaughtering Ground of the same upazila have been identified. But apart from these, even after 53 years of independence, there are many more mass graves which are still unmarked.

Feni Government College Ground was the torture cell of Pakistani invaders. Inhumane torture was carried out by arresting freedom-seeking people from different places. After the torture, they were killed and buried. On December 6, 1971, when Feni was liberated from the Pakistani invaders, thousands of people rushed to the college grounds in search of their relatives. A lot of people were killed there. At present there is a Slaughtering Ground inside the college at that place.

In order to preserve the memory of the martyred freedom fighters of Feni, the Liberation War Monument was built in the Feni government college ground and the Liberation War Monument with the list of brave martyrs along the jail road and the Liberation War Monument in Bilonia. But more work remains to be done.

In 1971, to liberate the country from the enemy in the Great War of Liberation, I pay my humble respect to the sons of Feni, who forgot the value of life and jointed into the war, and took away the freedom of the country by shedding their fresh blood. In recognition of the great sacrifice of those freedom fighters, the concern authorities should build infrastructures, roads, culverts, bridges, educational institutions, social institutions in their name in different upazilas and regions.

Research has revealed that the graves of many martyred freedom fighters with the titled of Feni have not been properly protected yet. Many martyred freedom fighters do not even have a grave marker. Those who had the last trace of existence, that too has now disappeared due to carelessness and neglect. However, there is a project to 'preserve the graves of the brave soldiers of the nation', and there is an allocation for it, but what has been done? Many titled martyred freedom fighters do not even have roads to enter their homes, many of their families are living in inhumane conditions. This was not desirable at all. Such an incident is very shameful for us.

On "Feni Free Day", one thing that comes to mind is whether the real freedom fighters in other districts of the country, including Feni, are being properly evaluated! We often get news of fake freedom fighters in the media, these fake freedom fighters get allowances and other facilities provided by the government, but the real freedom fighters are deprived of these things. It can be seen that even though 53 years have passed since the independence of the country, many bonafide freedom fighters have not been included in the official list and have not been evaluated.

Such an incident is an absolute shame for a country that got its independence through a Liberation War and crossed the golden jubilee of independence. Therefore, the relevant ministries and concern authorities must take effective steps in this regard. Bonafide freedom fighters should be identified and properly evaluated. Infrastructures, roads, educational institutions, social institutions and libraries should be built in the name of the great freedom fighters of each district in recognition of their great sacrifice. Above all, appropriate initiatives should be taken to spread the spirit of the Great Liberation War among the generations.

The writer is a, researcher, journalist and columnist.