The nation will observe Genocide Day today (March 25), commemorating one of the most heinous genocides in human history. On this day in 1971, the Pakistan Army launched a barbaric attack on unarmed Bengalis to stop a mass people’s movement demanding justice for the killings and the handover of power to the elected representatives.
It was the darkest night that showed the world that how West Pakistan establishment wanted to deal with the legitimate demands of Bengalis conducting infamous “Operation Searchlight” and helped mass people of this country realise that they have no option left except turning around declaring independence and defending that by taking arms.
The black night of March 25 was a part of the Pakistani military junta’s plan for implementing the blueprint to thwart Bengalis’ assumption of office following the Awami League’s election mandate of 1970.
During the operation, the Pakistani forces mercilessly killed the Bengali members of the East Pakistan Rifles and police, students, teachers and common people. They killed people indiscriminately, set fire to houses and property and looted business establishments, leaving a trail of destruction.
The Interim Government, political parties, and different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out various programmes to recall the martyrs who sacrificed their lives at the dawn of independence on this day.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has taken various programmes to observe the Genocide Day at state level with due respect. As part of the programmes, one-minute symbolic “blackout” will be observed from 10:30 pm to 10:31 pm today throughout the country.
However, establishments of emergency services will remain out of the purview of the programme. Besides, under no circumstances will lighting be permitted in important government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings and establishments on the night.
Exhibitions of rare photographs and documentaries on the genocide will be organised in all city corporations, including Dhaka, and the programmes will be broadcast by Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar.
A seminar focusing on the genocide and the Liberation War will take place at the Liberation War Museum at 10 am.
In addition, special prayers will be held in all mosques and other places of worship after Zuhr or at convenient times in memory of those killed on the night of March 25, 1971.
On the occasion, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus issued a message highlighting the importance of Genocide Day.
In his message, the Chief Advisor said, “Today, March 25, is the ‘Genocide Day.’ On this day in 1971, the Pakistani invading forces carried out the world’s most barbaric crackdown across the country, including Dhaka. I remember, with a heavy heart, all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on that most terrible night.”
Prof Yunus said the nation is still grieving over this infernal carnage.
“The Bangladesh we wanted after the independence, there people did not have any fundamental rights during the dictatorship that fell upon the country,” he said.
In the July Uprising, the nation was unshackled from the “tyranny of dictatorship” through the valour of the students and the masses, Dr Yunus said.
The Interim Government, he said, aspires to move forward by embracing the spirit of the great War of Independence and the July Uprising to build a just society and establish the rule of law.
“I pray for the salvation of the souls of all martyrs on the night of March 25th,” Prof Yunus said.
Genocide Day will be officially observed for the ninth time in the country, as Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution on March 11, 2017, to observe March 25 as Genocide Day (Gonohotya Dibos).
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
