6 metal objects unearthed by shovel lead to discovery of 96 landmines

Workers were digging soil to build a house. At that time they discovered six metal objects, found in the ground after hitting one of those with a shovel. Two days later, an army bomb-disposal team excavated the site and recovered 96 landmines.

The incident took place in Betbaria village of Gangni upazila in Meherpur.

The bomb-disposal team from Jashore Cantonment arrived at the site at around 1:30 pm today, Monday. Army personnel first examined the entire area with metal detectors before beginning excavation. Over nearly two hours, they recovered 96 mines, one after another.

Police and a team from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) cordoned off the area during the operation.

Gangni police station’s Inspector (Investigation) Shimul Kumar Das told Prothom Alo from the scene that the army bomb-disposal team arrived in Betbaria at noon and began excavating the site. Seventeen anti-tank mines and 79 anti-personnel mines were recovered. Most parts of the area were excavated.

After being recovered, the mines were taken to the nearby Madhugari field for disposal. The army was working to neutralise them there at the time of filing of this report.

Several police officials said an anti-personnel mine detonates when an object weighing 64 kgs is placed on it, while an anti-tank mine detonates under pressure from a heavier object.

The discovery of such a large stockpile of mines during excavation has caused considerable alarm in the area.

According to the army and police, the mines may have been buried by the Pakistan Army during the 1971 Liberation War for strategic purposes amid the wartime situation.

Mashiur Rahman, a local elder and former headteacher of a secondary school, said a Pakistani military camp had been located at Bengari field, about 10 kilometres from Betbaria village. Pakistani forces and freedom fighters fought a pitched battle there in 1971. The Pakistani forces were eventually forced to leave the area following a fierce attack by the freedom fighters.

The mines may have been left behind when the Pakistani forces withdrew, he said.

Several local elders and freedom fighters said Bengari field in Dharmadah village of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia district lies about 2.5 kilometres from the site where the mines were discovered.

On 11–12 November 1971, freedom fighters fought a pitched battle with Pakistani forces at the field. Several freedom fighters and members of the allied forces, including Bir Protik recipient Waliul Hossain, were martyred in the bloody battle.

At one point, the Pakistani forces, overwhelmed by sustained attacks from the freedom fighters, fled towards Kushtia town through Betbaria village.

The mines may have been buried in an abandoned area of the village as they withdrew, the local elders and freedom fighters said.

Freedom fighter Golam Mostofa of Kajipur village in Kajipur union of Gangni upazila, who took part in the Bengari battle, told Prothom Alo by phone, “When we attacked the Pakistani force’s camp at Bengari in Daulatpur, the sun had not yet risen. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the Pakistani forces fled towards Kushtia with their vehicles and tanks. We later captured the camp.

“The road where the mines were found in Betbaria was the route used by the Pakistani forces to flee with their weapons and equipment. They were attacked again in the Khalishakundi area on their way to Kushtia. Later, we blew up a bridge with explosives.”

Earlier, last Saturday, workers were digging soil on seven decimals of land owned by expatriate Bangladeshi Nuruzzaman Kalu in Betbaria village to construct a house. They noticed six metal objects while digging.

The objects were inscribed with the words: “PDFGL 63, Lot 37, Mine 1967.”

After being informed, police arrived at the site, cordoned off the area and strengthened security. Police contacted the army’s bomb-disposal team to arrange for the objects to be recovered.

Zaminur Rahman Khan, additional superintendent of police (Crime and Operations) in the district, told Prothom Alo that after the mine-like objects were discovered, the army bomb-disposal team was contacted. The site was also placed under police protection.

The army has recovered the mines and taken them into its custody. The process of neutralising them is under way, he added.