Batiaghata Upazila Muktijoddha Command Council on Tuesday recalled the heroic memories of two Liberation War heroes of the area in a befitting manner.
Jyotish Mondal of Sundarmahal village under Surkhali Union of the upazila and Abdul Aziz of Moukhali village under Chandkhali Union of Paikgachha Upazila of the district joined the Liberation War at the very beginning of the war and embraced martyrdom during a fierce battle at Baroaria Bazaar of the area on November 29 in 1971.
Marking the 52nd martyrdom anniversary of the two valiant freedom fighters, the local Muktijoddha Command Council chalked out different programmes.
The programmes began through paying homage at the monument at Baroaria Bazar, built in memory of the two freedom fighters.
Awami League District Unit President Sheikh Harun-ur-Rashid, Batiaghata Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sheikh Nurul Alam, local freedom fighters, among others, attended it.
Later, a reminiscence meeting was held on the Baroaria Bazar premises with the then Commander of Mujib Bahini (BLF) of Batiaghata Upazila Binoy Krisna Sarker in the chair.
Sheikh Harun-ur-Rashid, also the Chairman of Khulna Zila Parishad addressed the meeting as the chief guest. Among others, co-fighters of the martyrs addressed the memorial meeting.
The chief guest recalled the contributions of Joytish and Aziz during the War of Liberation.
While talking to BSS, Commander of the then Mujib Bahini (BLF), Batiaghata Upazila Binoy Krishna Sarker, 73, gave an elaborate description of the fights against the razakar force in Baroaria Bazar area.
"It was two weeks left from the Victory Day and we killed many Pakistani soldiers and razakars and destroyed their camps one after another at the southern part of Khulna," he said.
"On November 27, we received a message that Razakar Bahini chief of Batiaghata Mony Golder and his men gang-raped a young housewife Gurudasi at his residence in Baroaria Bazar where he set up a camp for the Razakar Bahini," he said.
"Earlier, Mony Golder and his men killed her husband Gurupada Mondal, elder daughter and a class ten student Anjali, younger daughter Parul and minor boy Khokon, and looted their valuable and torched their house," he further said.
"It was the midnight on November 28, 1971, when as many as 150 freedom fighters led by me attacked the razakar camp two-storied building of Mony Golder at Baroaria Bazar from three directions except the north. One freedom fighter group led by me fired at the razakar camp. Joytish Mondal, Abdul Aziz, Mukul Biswas, Ram Krismna Biswas, Nurul Islam, Anwar Hossain, Amar, Subodh, Haripada, Chandra Kanta, Tapan, Didar, Alauddin, Mobarak, Omar Ali, among others, were with us," he also said. While giving the description of the night, Binoy Sarker in grieved voice said another group led by Joytish and several freedom fighters went close to the razakar camp.
"Our brave hero Joytish was trying hard to block several razakars advancing towards the camp. Ultimately, he fought with utmost courage near the camp area killing several razakars and destroyed their den until embracing martyrdom. Another co-fighter Abdul Aziz of my team also embraced martyrdom while the sun was peeping out of the horizon spreading its glow in the sky. The freedom fighters’ group continued battle for more one and a half hours, and at one stage the remaining razakars left the scene," he added.
The brave son of the soil Joytish was cremated at Sundarmahal village while Aziz was buried at his family graveyard in Paikgachha Upazila, he said.
Freedom fighters of Batiaghata were very upset with the martyrdom of Joytish and Aziz but did not lose their courage. They met again in their headquarters at Naihati High School under Rupsha Upazila and took oath for more battles until they achieve their cherished independence under the leadership of MA Zalil, Commander of Sector-Nine and Kamruzzaman Tuku, chief of the Mujib Bahini of Greater Khulna region.
"The battle at Baroaria Bazaar remains as a glorious chapter in our history of the great Liberation War," Sarker added.
