PAKUR1A. Naogaon. Dec 11: Trampling all pleas of the elderly villagers. Pakistan occupation forces conducted heinous massacre, killing 128 villagers, all Muslims, at the premises of Pakuria United High School under Manda upazlla at noon on August 28. 1971.
The occupation forces also injured 27 people seriously, torched 92 houses and plundered all resources the villagers had in the remote village. Only four out of seven people apprehended by the occupation forces managed to flee from their custody. Soldiers dumped bodies of three In the waters of the nearby Atral river after shooting them on the riverbank.
Mohammad Momtazuddin. then a school student, one of the fortunate to escape death In 1971. said the occupation forces started rounding up the able bodied villagers from around 8 am to 10 pm before the deliberate extermination. One Pakistani major, killed three persons by flring indiscriminately, he told with tearful eyes.
Momtazuddin, now a teacher In Pakuria United High School, lost many near and dear ones including his father Jharu Mondal. uncles Paban Mondal. Mobarak Pramanik and Arab All In the massacre.
"It was a big assembly of horrified individuals who were begging for life In a humble way from the Pakistani sol-
diers." he said, adding the soldiers were smoking and drinking alcohol and sharing laughter while taking prepa rations to exterminate the Innocent Muslim villagers in the name of protecting Islam and Integrity of Pakistan.
Sensing the brutal motives of the occupation forces, the villagers took mentally prepared to embrace death. Villager Mohammad Shamsher All requested them (soldiers) to allow them some time for saying their last prayers before they were shot to death. At once the barbarian soldiers rejected Iheir appeal and one of them kicked him (All) to the ground with his boot.
The sadist Major (Pakistani) opened fire from his automatic weapon. The soldiers Joined their officer In shower Ing bullets on them and most of the able-bodied men of this remote village were killed. The troops left the area after making a final check using bayonet that all are dead.
While departing, the Pakistani soldiers apprehended seven villagers who could escape the brutal massacre. A few villagers at this stage look initiative and courage to approach amid engulfing silence.
One old lady rushed to the scene of killing ground with water for some injured villagers, strong enough to sustain bullet wounds and bayonet charges. Al night, a group of young men buried 81 bodies.
The villagers still recall the humanitarian services rendered by a Medical Assistant Mohammad Abdul Gafur Mandal and a Homeopath Hurmatullah. They provided Medicare at nights braving revenge of the occupation forces. At least 23 seriously injured villagers were given surgical and other necessary treatment and most of them survived. Of them. Mohammad Hedayetullah still scars and he now carries a vulnerable Identity, individual with disability."
After the gruesome massacre Pakuria village emerged in the map of Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) as one of the stronghold of the Mukti Bahtnl (Freedom Fighter). The Pakistani forces participated in three major offensives Including Bakapur campaign'. But the occupation forces lost three soldiers while many had to retreat with wounds following strong resistance. Freedom Fighter Miratul and his comrades played Important role In raising resistance in the locality and extending medicare for the wounded.
People of this remote village have urged the authorities to establish a mini-museum and a monument to help them preserve the evidences of the glorious struggles during the turbulent days of the Liberation War.
•BSS Feature