WWII soldiers at the Chattogram war cemetery

It was 1940. World War II was at its peak. The 18-year-old Thanda Miah joined the Indian Army. He studied up till Class IX then went to the war front after training as a soldier. He fought for the British-led allied forces.

Thanda Miah was shot in his chest in the war against the Japanese along the Burmese border towards the end of the war. He was admitted to the Chandragona Christian hospital in Rangamati. He later died at the hospital.

Thanda Miah was buried at the Chattogram war cemetery on 2 September 1945. He was resident of Syed Bari village of Rangunia uapzila of Chattogram. A total of 20 martyrs like Thanda Miah of Chattogram were buried along with the foreign soldiers in the war cemetery. All of them were aged between 18 and 33. They were from different places of Chattogram, Rangamati, Lakshmipur, and Noakhali districts. The martyrs succumbed to their injuries after they were admitted in Chattogram general hospital, Chandraghona Christian hospital of Rangamati and in Cumilla hospital with injuries during war.

Chattogram war cemetery. Photo: Sowrav Das
Chattogram war cemetery. Photo: Sowrav Das

Chattogram is one of the places in the Indian subcontinent where the war of World War II took place in full swing.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission built two cemeteries in Chattogram and Mainamati after World War II in remembrance of the soldiers of the allied forces killed in the war. The cemeteries are still under their maintenance.

According to the list of the Commonwealth War Cemetery Commission, 13 soldiers from Chattogram are buried in Chattogram war cemetery. Among them, six are from Chattogroam district—Abdul Sattar of Shakpura in Boalkhali, Aziz Ur Rahman of Uttar Madarsha in Hathazari, Khair Ul Bashar of Dakkhin Patenga of Chattogram city, Obaidur Rahman of Kanchana in Satkania, Raja Miah of Janahabad in Sitakunda and Thanda Miah of Syed Bari in Rangunia upazila. Seven are from Noakhali—Abdul Malik of Harani in Hatiya, Ali Akbar of Uttar Shafipur of Begumganj, Akkas Miah of Shakpura, Fazal Rahman and Jainal Abedin of Binodpur of Sadar, Mohammad Mostafa of Char Kankra of Companiganj, and Shams Ul Haque of Chaipati.

There are seven Bangladeshis buried in Mainamati cemetery of Cumilla. Among them, two are from Chattogram. They are—Abdul Rahman of Telparoi of Fatikchhari, and Fazal Kabir of Rupkania in Satkania. Two are from Noakhali—Abdul Haque of Lamchhi in Kabirhat, and Dalilur Rahman of Shornabad. Two are from Lakshmipur (then Noakhali)—Fazal Rahman of Karpara of Ramganj and Abdul Khalek of Paschim Lakshmipur of Sadar upazila. And Mokhlesur Rahman is from Rangamati.

A book named ‘Commonwealth War Graves in Bangladesh’, written by Bangla Academy co-director Ahmed Momtaz and folk culture researcher Raihan Nasreen, also mention a list of martyrs of Chattogram buried in Chattogram war cemetery. A lot of information about Mainamati war cemetery is also there in the book. Ahmed Momtaz said there is a good scope of working on Chattogram’s context in World War II as no major work has been done in this regard.

According to the data from Commonwealth War Grave Commission and the information from the book stated that Chattogram at that time was one of the major military base and noted medical facility or hospital of Arakan. The cemetery was built mainly from the dead of the hospital. Both the cemeteries however were expanded to provide space for the bodies arriving from different places. A total of 758 people are buried in the cemetery including three woman soldiers, four civilians and 751 officers of the Air Force. There are 737 people buried in Mainamati cemetery including one civilian. All of them died in the Chattogram region during World War II.

In Search of Thanda Miah

Syed Bari village is 27 kilometers away from Chattogram city. Thanda Miah’s residence is on the eastern side of the village. He was the only son with five sisters. He was unmarried. Currently only sons of his sisters are alive. All his sisters passed away.

Mohammad Musa Tayebi, son of Thanda Miah’s younger sister stays in that house now. He told Prothom Alo, he heard about his uncle’s bravery from his mother and grandmother. Thanda Miah was a daring from his childhood. He studied till Class IX at Rangunia Adarsha Bahumukhi High School. He joined army in 1940. They heard he was shot in the chest during the war. Thanda Miah’s mother got the pension till her death in 1967.

Musa Tayebi only has a trunk as memory of his uncle which was sent to them after Thanda Miah died.

The Commonwealth War Grave Commission data has the information of Thanda Miah’s address, name of his mother and father, and date of his burial. It however does not indicate how he was injured. It also happened with rest of the dead soldiers—it only provides name and address and the date of his burial.

A day at Chattogram war cemetery

The row of epitaphs can be seen through the green grass. The stones bear the names of the dead, the names of the regiments or units and the dates of death. Graves of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians are all in the same row. All have the mention—martyred in the war. The graves are of soldiers from England, Australia, Canada, United India, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan. Some were army officers, some soldiers, and some of engineering corps.

The war cemetery is situated on the edge of Gol Pahar in the city in 7acres of land. There is a flower garden and the environment of cemetery is clean and beautiful. There is the gate of the graveyard. The white cross indicates the sanctity of the cemetery. There are flower plants with every grave. Thanda Miah’s grave is at the south corner of the cemetery.

A room at the cemetery has various information of Chattogram during the World War II from 1939 to 1945.

Bangladesh country manager Abu Sayeed of Commonwealth War Grave Commission said, a number of confrontations took in different places of Burma and Arakan during World War II. The injured in the fights were admitted different makeshift hospitals along with Chattogram general hospital and Chandraghona Christian hospital. The dead were buried in Chattogram and Mainamati cemetery. There is a grave of a brigadier in Chattogram cemetery, he added.

Two graves side by side can be seen at the southern corner of the cemetery. They are of Nur Ullah Khan and J Laraiya. One is Muslim and another is Christian. Both are from different countries. They might have also fought the war alongside each other. They have the same identity now—martyred soldiers.