We recall with heavy heart today (Monday) the brutal genocide carried out 53 years back by the Pakistani occupation forces on the unarmed Bangalis on the black night of March 25, 1971. We also recall with profound respects the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.
On this day in 1971, one of the most horrific and brutal genocide of world history took place in Bangladesh. What we witnessed was absolute horror. And none can forget the horrors of the genocide.
The genocide carried out by Pakistani occupation forces on March 25 is a brutal and grievous incident in the history of Bengali nation. The genocide in 1971 is a black chapter in the history of mankind.
In remembrance of the brutality, country’s people imbued with the spirit of Liberation War are also set to observe the ‘Genocide Day’ today with befitting manner. On the dark night of march 25 in 1971, Pakistani military soldiers launched sudden cowardly massive attack on the unarmed sleeping nation of Bengalis as part of their blueprint to thwart the Awami League’s assumption of office following the victory in the 1970 elections.
By carrying out ‘Operation Searchlight’, they (Pakistani occupation forces) just wanted to stop the movement of the freedom-loving people. So, the March 25 is the most dreadful day in the life of the Bangali nation. Thousands of people living in different cities especially Dhaka woke up to the thudding sounds of bombs and bullets. Capital Dhaka’s air and sky had become heavier with the groaning and screams of people as a mass killing was going on.
The history’s heinous, barbaric and cowardly attack launched on sleeping people left 10,000 civil people including women and children killed on this night.
The genocide in 1971 is
a black
chapter in the history
of mankind
During the attack dubbed “Operation Searchlight”, the Pakistani forces mercilessly killed Bangali members of the then East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers, and common people. They killed people indiscriminately, set houses and properties on fire, and looted business establishments, leaving a trail of destruction.
The March 25 genocide was not just mere a night rather it was the beginning of one of the most heinous genocides of the world civilisation.
From that black night Pakistani occupation forces along with their local collaborators including Rajakar, and Al Shams killed 30 lakh people in the next nine months and outraged the modesty of two lakh women. Immediately before the military crackdown and moments before Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested by the Pakistan Army, prompting him to declare the independence of Bangladesh -- March 26, 1971.
After a bloody nine-month war, on December 16 in 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu at the cost of supreme sacrifice of three million people and the honour of nearly half a million women. The “Operation Searchlight” was one of very few military operations after World War-II that ultimately had been planned against civilians, just to kill a large number of people to scare the survivors.
We hope, there would be no repetition of such heinous and barbaric incident anywhere in this civilised world. All must remain alert as anti-liberation forces, war criminals, defeated forces and the August 15 killers along with their accomplices are still active to dent the image of Bangladesh. As the anti-liberation forces and their descendants are still trying to obstruct the consolidation of Bangladesh’s victory in the Liberation War, the country is likely to face some big challenges in the coming days. These forces want to turn Bangladesh into a terrorist country.
All including the young generation will have to strengthen the hands of Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for smoth running of democracy in the country.
