The 1971 Files-2

The second in a series of posts on massacres by the Pakistan Army during 1971 in East Pakistan. Most of these massacres were carried out by "Peace Comitees" basically Razakar outfits, created by the Army to crush the revolt in East Pakistan. These groups were among the most brutal.

You can check out the first part here.

On March 27, 28, 17 Army officers and 953 soldiers were executed at Comila Cantonment by the Pakistan Army, most of the victims were Bengali Muslims.

May 3, 1971- 300 Hindus in Muzaffarabad village of Patiya Upazilla, Chittagong dt, massacred. The victims included a 5 year old child and an 80 year old man. Around 500 homes were burnt, the culprit was Rameez Ahmed Choudhary. During the Army crackdown, many from Chittagong had taken refuge in Muzaffarabad. The Army bombed Patiya on April 16, captured the town and set up a camp where villagers were tortured to death, their bodies burried.

Muzaffarabad was surrounded by the Pakistani Army and Razakars on May 3, early morning at 5:20. Villagers were dragged out of their homes and shot dead. The victims included 70 year old Rajani Sen who was reading the Ramayana when he was shot dead. Nabin Sadhu, a 75 year old ascetic, who was reciting the Gita too was shot dead. Priests of the local temple were rounded up, forced to break the deities and then shot to death. Social activist Nirmal Sen was dragged to a nearby paddy field along with his father Upendralal Sen and shot dead. Raimohan a teacher, was tied with a fishing net along with his son and shot. The attackers used to ask the Hindu villagers to recite the Kalma, and on failing to do so were killed. The massacre at Muzaffarabad went on till 2 PM, and the victims buried in mass graves.

September 14- Pakistan army attacked Pomara in Chittagong dt, 18 villagers were tied, taken to reserve forest, and burried alive. Women, children and the elderly were assaulted in most barbaric manner.

May 13- Razakars attacked the Hindu dominated part of Bakchar village, and shot dead 9 Hindus, dragging them out of their homes. The culprit here was Ali Ahsan Mohd Mojaheed, who later become MP, and was hanged to death in 2015 for his crimes.

May 14- 200 Hindus massacred at Baria, under Joydebpur sub division of Dhaka dt, by Pakistani army with the help of local Razakar collaborators. Homes were looted, as the fleeing Hindus were shot at randomly, and only a heavy downpour stopped it.

In mid May, Ali Ahsan Mojaheed once again led another attack on the Hindu dominated villages of Char Bhadrasan region, in Faridpur subdivision. Around 60 were massacred, while the rest fled to India. 300-350 Hindu homes were looted and set on fire, their properties were seized by the Razakars, in the 3 villages of Baidyadangi, Majhidangi and Baladangi on the Padma river. The victims were mostly peasants, fishermen.

May 16- Around 33 Hindus massacred at Hasamdia and nearby villages, in Faridpur dt. The local market was set on fire. The culprit was Abul Kalam Azad of the Jamaat-E-Islami who later became a TV preacher too. Was hanged for his crimes in 2013.

May 2, Ishangopalpur- The home of Ishan Sarkar,a prominent landlord, was attacked by the Army and Razakars, 29 residents were rounded up, taken to the village pond, beaten, punched and then killed with bayonets.

May 2, Jandi, Faridpur dt-Pakistani army along with Razakars rounded up the village, to prevent any one from fleeing. Men were killed with machine gun fire, women were raped and killed.

The Jinjira massacre by the Pakistan army, at Keraniganj upazilla on April 1. It was used as an ammunition dump by the rebels, and the Pakistan Army marked out this area, after having secured Dhaka by March 25.

The Army moved into Jinjira and began firing, throwing flares on the people from a mosque. The massacre continued for nearly 9 hours. Around 60 people were lined up and shot dead near a pond. Close to 1000 died.

Again this is not an exhaustive list, will cover the other massacres during 1971, including the Dhaka University one, that deserves a separate thread by itself. Keep following for more such updates.