Preservation of mass graveyards, making monuments: Only 12pc completed

Although the liberation war affairs ministry undertook a project to conserve the mass graveyards or killing fields (boddho bhumi) of the liberation war, and construct monuments at those places five years ago, it could not completed in time.

Under the project, some 281 mass graves used by the Pakistani occupying forces during the liberation war in 1971 were supposed to be preserved and monuments were to be constructed at the sites.

The project was approved at the ECNEC meeting on 11 September 2018. A total of Tk 4.42 billion was allocated to implement the project. The cost of each of the killing fields and construction of each of the monuments was estimated at Tk 80,92,000.

The project was scheduled to be completed in June 2021. However, only 12 per cent of the work has been completed.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, liberation affairs minister AKM Mozammel Huq said the implementation of the project has been delayed as land was not available from the very beginning.

There is also a manpower crisis and the project director does the work in addition to his regular work.

Only 35 killings fields were preserved and monuments were constructed improperly.

At the different meetings of the liberation affairs ministry, angers were expressed over the delay in the implementation of the project. But there was no progress.

In addition to his regular duties, an official at the ministry does the work as project director. Those who worked as project directors earlier also had additional duties.

The ministry officials also said this project has no dedicated project director and there is also manpower crisis.

As a result, only when the Martyred Intellectual Day comes, all become active

Earlier, from the state level, it was said at different occasions 'boddho bhumi' have to be preserved to inform the next generation about the liberation war. But in reality, strong steps have not been taken to preserve the mass graveyards in 52 years. The High Court also gave orders to preserve these.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, current project director Md Jahangir Alam (part time and additional duties) said this project has no director.

"I am in charge of other sections of the ministry. I have been given the additional charge of the project," he added.

Jahangir Alam said the way the project was designed it is not possible to implement it in that way.

Moreover, the land is not available. On the contrary, there are graves and temples in some places.

The liberation war affairs ministry sources said various departments including the public works were supposed to extend cooperation to implement the project. But they didn't.

The places, which have been identified as killing fields to preserve boddho bhumi and construct monuments, most of those lands are owned individually.

As per the design for constructing monuments, 19 decimals of land is required but this amount of land is not available. So the amount of land was decreased to 6 decimals from 19 decimals.

An amendment has to be carried out in the development project proposal (DPP). Besides, there is no schedule, mouza, khatian of land designated as boddho bhumi.

Sources said there are discrepancies with schedules of some mas graves with the designated locations.

The land which has been mentioned in the DPP is fallow land, but price of land has been estimated as personal land.

Moreover, the price of some fallow land and personal land has not been estimated. There is a complexity as to who will work in this project.

If the boddho bhumi is in the government's fallow land, the land has to be taken from the land ministry by paying a symbolic price of Tk 1000. If the boddo bhumi is in the land under private ownership, the land has to be acquired in accordance with traditional rule.

Earlier, a project was taken up by the BNP government in 2004 to construct monuments in 35 killing fields. A total of Tk 600 million was spent under the project till 2008. But monuments were not constructed in most of the boddho bhumi. The condition of the sites where monuments were built is very bad.

In 2010, the ruling Awami League undertook a project to preserve the boddho bhumi. But there was no progress. From the very beginning, the liberation affairs ministry was in charge of implementing the project.

Prothom Alo correspondents visited three areas out of 35 killing fields that were part of the preservation project.

As per the longstanding demands of the freedom fighters and people in Rangpur region, the authorities preserved the killing filed near Damdama bridge beside Rangpur-Dhaka highway and erected a monument there. The killing field is situated around 10 kilometers away from Rangpur city. Many people including four teachers of Carmichael College and wife of a teacher were slain at this place during the liberation war in 1971.

In a visit to site on Tuesday, the monument was seen encircled by pipes. The unpaved road that leads to the monument from the highway is in dilapidated state. The locals demand the road be paved.

Executive engineer of public works Rangpur office Arifuzzaman Khandkar told Prothom Alo that the construction work of the Damdama killing field monument was completed in December 2021 at a cost of Tk 6.76 million.

In Barishal’s Banaripara upazila, a monument was constructed at Dakkhin Gaa Norerkathi area killing field in 2020. Freedom fighter and witness to the mass killing Beni Lal Dasgupta said, “We could identify 73 bodies after the mass killing on 2 May (1971). But I think at least 150 people were killed here that day.”

There are two monuments at Kamanna area of Bogura union and Abaipur Bazar of Abaipur union in Jhenaidah. A monument was erected near Kamnna secondary school ground commemorating 27 freedom fighters.

Many freedom fighters were killed by Pakistani army on the night of 18 October in 1971 at Abaipur Bazar. The locals recovered 18 bodies and buried them there. The memorial has the names of 10 martyrs inscribed.
Jhenaidah public works department’s sub-divisional engineer Faruque Hossain said Kamanna monument was constructed on around 10 decimal land at a cost of Tk 7.11 million and Abaipur monument on around 12 decimal land at Tk 7.1 million. The construction work began in April 2021 and was completed in June 2022.

Freedom fighter Sobdul Mia, a resident of Abaipur village, said the site of mass grave was neglected for 51 long years. The young generation was about to forget the contribution of valiant freedom fighters of the area but the construction of the monument has changed the situation.

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee president Shahriar Kabir told Prothom Alo it is unfortunate that killing fields of 1971 could not be preserved although Awami League is in power for 15 years.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam and Galib Ashraf.