Rahman Ra’ad
The gentleman’s name is Mujibur Rahman Mangal. He is a tall, bearded man, a resident of Barogharia Union, Karimganj Upazila of Kishoreganj District, the village name is Vidyanagar. In 1971 he was between six and seven. He was the youngest among three brothers and three sisters. Mangal can remember going to school, studying in class one or two. Father was a farmer, the eldest of three brothers, his name was Shaheed Abdul Barik.
The time was just before winter, the month of Kartika. Ramadan month. Although Mangal was young, he kept fast that day. Suddenly a group of Razakars entered their house, led by two notorious Razaka brothers, Nasiruddin and Shamsuddin. Mangal still vividly remembers that they entered the do-chala house in front of their house, handed his mother a copy of the Quran and asked, “Tell me, where is your son?”
Mangal’s elder brother was a freedom fighter. He joined the war long ago, naturally Mother of Mars is not supposed to know anything about him. But Nasiruddin-Shamsuddin came today with information. Mother said, she does not know about her son. They threatened and said that if you don’t tell about your son, they will burn the houses and houses. Mangal was able to remember the name of the match they had in hand, Ghora Marka Match. In such a situation Mangal was suddenly caught in their hands. They are desperately looking for the freedom fighter boy, to find him, they tied little Mangal to the nearby betel nut tree. Purpose, if the elder son is not found, then the younger son Mangal will be persecuted. Abdul Barik has already rushed to get the news. Nasiruddin’s house was next to Barik’s maternal house, so he knew Nasiruddin from that source. The news of his kingship is also well known. Seeing his son tied to a betel nut tree, Barik asked Nasiruddin, “Why did you tie my son?”
In response, the Razakars pounced on Abdul Barik. Barik fell down after being beaten, after a while Rajakarera shot his father in front of Mangal’s eyes. While they were busy on the other side, another brother of Mangal rushed out from nowhere and freed the brother tied to the betel tree, unfortunate Mangal did not even get a chance to cry over Baba’s dead body. The two brothers ran for their lives as far as they could.
The sound of gunshots is coming from behind. The Razakars have already attacked other family members as well, killing them indiscriminately. The Rajakarera shot dead her father-in-law and husband in front of Kamala Khatun, the eldest son of the family, the wife of Mangal’s uncle. Then she dragged her little baby from Kamala’s lap, Kamala somehow escaped from the hands of the Rajakars like the rest for her life, she had little chance or luck to look back at the baby or cry out. The child was never found again, the Rajakars killed the rest of the children by throwing them into the canal or cutting them to death, perhaps the fate of her child was similar.
That day, Mangal spent the night at a distant cousin’s house. But the next day he did not agree and returned to his village. He left his father’s body like that, he has to bury it. He went and found no one at first, an empty house.
Everyone fled after yesterday’s attack. Slowly find everyone and then it’s time to find the father’s body. Although the bodies of the grandfather and some other family members were found, even after searching for a long time, the body of Mangal’s father could not be found, finally he found the body of his father from the canal behind. Bullet-scarred corpses, fish or jackals have eaten various parts. The bodies of some others were found in another room.
There are no people to bury, but those who were found were cremated and brought to the cemetery for burial. But unfortunately, Mars’ perils were not over yet. The Rajakars attacked again, leaving the corpses in the graveyard to save their lives in the indiscriminate shelling, all fled again. Mangal’s uncle said, “I have come to give land to my brother, if I have to die for him, I will die.” I’m not afraid anymore.”
Even after all these years, Mangal wept while talking about his father, who was shot in front of his eyes. Seeing her husband, father-in-law getting shot dead in front of her eyes, Kamala Khatun’s eyes are dry and her voice is emotionless. The ravages of time have probably stunned the man. How many Kamala Khatun who have been stoned forever by the grief of the loss of relatives, where is the time to keep the account of this ungrateful nation?
Bereaved witnesses: Mujibur Rahman Mangal, Kamala Khatun
Interviewee: Researcher and writer Hasan Murshed (1971 Archive)
Source of original interview: https://bit.ly/3GHk0jF
Sarabangla/SBDE
