Barisal Correspondent :
‘Barisal Liberation Day’ is going to be observed today (Friday) with a call to preserve the memorials connected with Liberation War.
On this day in 1971 ‘Mukti Bahini’ (freedom fighters) took control of Barisal town, the then district headquarter and second largest river port of the country, defeating Pakistan occupation army in several pitched encounters.
Only a memorial at adjacent to WAPDA complex, memorial board of martyrs ( Shahid Sriti Falok) near deputy commissioner’s office, ‘Bijoy Bihango’ (the bird of victory) at Amtala crossing of the city in memory of the liberating Barisal, were constructed in 2004, 2006 and 2009 respectively.
However the mass killing ground of Barisal WAPDA cantonment near Kirtankhola River, one of the major spots where a huge number of freedom fighters were detained, tortured at the torture cell and bodies floated on the river after shot on the river bank by Pakistani occupation army, has not only remained in a bad shape, but verges on total destruction, said Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, organizing commander of district Muktijoddha Sangsad.
The Pakistani army after an air raid on 17 April, occupied the then Barisal district town on 25 April, 1971, said witnesses of the day.
The occupation army opened its regional headquarters and cantonment at the complex of the Water and Power Development Authority on the bank of the River Kirtankhola.
At the ending part of liberation war, Pakistan-controlled local 5administration had announced an indefinite curfew on the night of December 7.
After about 9 months of occupation, the occupying army, numbering about 400, and some of their collaborators left Barisal at morning of December 8 through waterway as the freedom fighters had surrounded the town and disrupted road communications.
Four fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force had sped in immediately and destroyed all water transports killing most of the Pakistan army personnel and their collaborators on the day.
At about 10.30 am December 8, 1971, a group of freedom fighters, led by base commander Sultan Master, entered from southern and western parts and captured Barisal Kotwali police station.
As base commanders Nizamuddin and Mazid Khan, and sub-sector commander Shahjahan Omar, entered the city, Barisal came under the control of Mukti Bahini by the afternoon of December 8.
The collaborators, who took shelter inside WAPDA, occupation army regional headquarter, surrendered to Nurul Islam Manjur, the then district Awami League secretary and organiser of liberation movement in Barisal, and Mahfuz Alam Beg, sub-sector commander, without any bloodshed on December 18.
Barisal district command of Muktijoddha Sangsad as part of marking the 47th anniversary of liberating Barisal from the clutch of Pakistani occupation, will organize a rally at its office from Barisal Government Girls School, the first secretariat of liberation war in southern region declared on March 26, 1971.
‘Barisal Liberation Day’ is going to be observed today (Friday) with a call to preserve the memorials connected with Liberation War.
On this day in 1971 ‘Mukti Bahini’ (freedom fighters) took control of Barisal town, the then district headquarter and second largest river port of the country, defeating Pakistan occupation army in several pitched encounters.
Only a memorial at adjacent to WAPDA complex, memorial board of martyrs ( Shahid Sriti Falok) near deputy commissioner’s office, ‘Bijoy Bihango’ (the bird of victory) at Amtala crossing of the city in memory of the liberating Barisal, were constructed in 2004, 2006 and 2009 respectively.
However the mass killing ground of Barisal WAPDA cantonment near Kirtankhola River, one of the major spots where a huge number of freedom fighters were detained, tortured at the torture cell and bodies floated on the river after shot on the river bank by Pakistani occupation army, has not only remained in a bad shape, but verges on total destruction, said Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, organizing commander of district Muktijoddha Sangsad.
The Pakistani army after an air raid on 17 April, occupied the then Barisal district town on 25 April, 1971, said witnesses of the day.
The occupation army opened its regional headquarters and cantonment at the complex of the Water and Power Development Authority on the bank of the River Kirtankhola.
At the ending part of liberation war, Pakistan-controlled local 5administration had announced an indefinite curfew on the night of December 7.
After about 9 months of occupation, the occupying army, numbering about 400, and some of their collaborators left Barisal at morning of December 8 through waterway as the freedom fighters had surrounded the town and disrupted road communications.
Four fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force had sped in immediately and destroyed all water transports killing most of the Pakistan army personnel and their collaborators on the day.
At about 10.30 am December 8, 1971, a group of freedom fighters, led by base commander Sultan Master, entered from southern and western parts and captured Barisal Kotwali police station.
As base commanders Nizamuddin and Mazid Khan, and sub-sector commander Shahjahan Omar, entered the city, Barisal came under the control of Mukti Bahini by the afternoon of December 8.
The collaborators, who took shelter inside WAPDA, occupation army regional headquarter, surrendered to Nurul Islam Manjur, the then district Awami League secretary and organiser of liberation movement in Barisal, and Mahfuz Alam Beg, sub-sector commander, without any bloodshed on December 18.
Barisal district command of Muktijoddha Sangsad as part of marking the 47th anniversary of liberating Barisal from the clutch of Pakistani occupation, will organize a rally at its office from Barisal Government Girls School, the first secretariat of liberation war in southern region declared on March 26, 1971.
