S D Subrata

25th March is recognized as a black chapter in the history of Bangladesh. On this day in 1971, Pakistan Army carried out one of the worst massacres in Bangladesh. Since 2017, this day has been celebrated as Genocide Day in our country.

On March 1, 1971, Yahya Khan announced that the session of the Jatiya Sangsad was adjourned on March 3. The people of Apamar erupted in revolt and anger that day. On March 2, the flag was hoisted in a student assembly at Dhaka University. On March 3, the declaration of independence was announced at Paltan Maidan, the national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla, I love you'. Then came Bengali's much awaited March 7. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered Ashiq speech at Suhrawardy Udyan for one paise. In that speech he called for independenceFather of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's speech, 'This time's struggle is our liberation struggle, this time's struggle is freedom's struggle'. Non-cooperation movement started, preparation for war all over Bangladesh including Dhaka University.

March 25 Preparation of resistance from evening. The memories of those troubled times become clear: fire burning in Palashi slums, riots in EPR and Rajarbagh police lines, various institutions and establishments burning. The roar of cannons in the last hours of the night. Flames are all around. A terrible situation.

Under the command of military ruler Yahya, the worst massacre in history took place in the military operation called 'Operation Search Light' led by General Tikka Khan. The definition of 'genocide' given in the United Nations declaration was fully implemented on Bengalis on that day. They carried out massive massacres in the entire Dhaka city including Rajarbagh Police Lines, the then EPR Camp of Pilkhana, Dhaka University Jagannath Hall, Rokeya Hall, Zahurul Haque Hall. Foreign journalists were expelled from Dhaka on the morning of March 26; So that no one can report any news of genocide. According to Archer Blood's book The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh, Rokeya Hall of Dhaka University was set on fire that night and the students were killed by machine gun fire as they ran out of the hall. According to the records of the conversation between the army control room and 88 units in the morning of March 26, innumerable students were killed in the campus of Dhaka University. University of Engineering teacher Dr. In the video captured by Nurulla, it is seen that holes are being dug in the ground of Jagannath Hall by the students, and the dead bodies of the students are being buried in the same hole.

Many houses and newspaper offices, press clubs were set on fire and destroyed by artillery and mortar attacks. Numerous houses in Shankharipatti and Tantibazar were set on fire. In Oligli, Dhaka, many houses were also set on fire. In the first three days of the massacre, millions of men, women and children lost their lives in Dhaka, Chittagong, Jessore, Mymensingh, Kushtia and other cities. About 1 million frightened people of Dhaka took refuge in villages. The massacre of 25 March was only the beginning of the worst massacre. In the next 9 months, the Pakistani invasion forces and their accomplices created by killing 3 million innocent women, men and children, the Jewish genocide in terms of brutal history, cruelty and numbers has surpassed the Rwandan genocide. In the 'Guinness Book of World Records', the massacre in Bangladesh is mentioned as one of the five worst genocides of the 20th century. In 2002, George Washington University's 'Security Archives' released their declassified documents. It identifies the hellish killings in Bangladesh as selective genocide or genocide. Dan Coggin, an eyewitness to the liberation war, quoted a Pakistani captain in an article in Time magazine: 'We can kill anyone and anything. We don't have to be accountable to anyone.'

Pakistani general Rao Farman Ali wrote in his diary that he would turn the green fields of Bengal crimson. In view of the long-standing demands of Workers' Workers' Freedom Fighters' Coordinating Council, International War Crimes Public Justice Movement, Khatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, various political-social-cultural groups, students-youth-women, on March 11, Speaker of Jatiya Sangsad Shirin Sharmin chaired the 13th session of the 10th Jatiya SangsadTo commemorate the massacre committed by the barbaric Pakistani army on the night of 25th March, 25th March should be declared as Genocide Day and necessary activities should be taken for the international recognition of this day. Hon'ble Prime Minister took the matter seriously and showed special video footage and still images related to the massacre. 56 MPs and Ministers including opposition leaders participated in the discussion for 7 hours in support of this proposal. The proposal to observe March 25 as 'Genocide Day' was unanimously passed.

Not only for Bangladesh, but also for the sake of the progress of the world humanity, at least one day should be set aside for protesting against the monstrosity of genocide, so that such genocide never happens anywhere else in the world. Hence the decision to observe 'Genocide Day' on March 25 will be a milestone in history. Major General Khadim Hussain Raza was then GOC of 14th Division in East Pakistan. He was one of the planners of the military operation called 'Operation Searchlight'.

The writer is a, Poet, essayist and columnist, Sunamganj.