১৯৭২ এর ৩ রা জানুয়ারিতেই প্রাভদার প্রকাশিত নিবন্ধে প্রথম বিশ্ববাসী বাংলাদেশের গণহত্যার সংখ্যা জানতে পারে। প্রাভদার সেই সংখ্যার কপিটি বাংলাদেশে আমি অনেক চেষ্টা করেও কোথাও খুজে পাইনি। শেষ পর্যন্ত আমার বন্ধু রাশেদুজ্জামান শাহ (পাপ্পু) এই কপিটি জোগাড় করে দিয়েছে। শুধু তাই নয় মুল রাশান থেকে অনুবাদটিও করিয়ে দিয়েছে। নিবন্ধটির শিরোনাম ছিল “দে কুড নট হাইড ইট”, তারা এটা লুকাতে পারেনি।
এই সেই ঐতিহাসিক পত্রিকা।
They could not hide it
The real scale of Pakistani government terror in East Bengal becomes evident
After East Bengal is freed by Mukti Bahini, Indian armed and detached forces, the scale of the crime committed by the Pakistani military, Razakar and Al-Badr gangs, members of which were recruited from the conservative fanatically religious organizations, becomes evident. Exactly as a result of such massive repressions and persecution up to 10 million residents had to escape to neighboring India. The terror was abysmal in the very Eastern part of Bengal, and from newspapers information revealed that, more than 3 million people were killed, injured, disabled and imprisoned. While talking to me, Gulam Rasul a director of the information agency in Dhaka could not hide his anger.
– They captured my brother at night, few hours before capitulation – he says. Razakars – professional killers skilled in carnage – came to my brother and gave him a letter. Such letters were distributed to those who were in the black list of people who were sentenced to death. The letter said: “You are devil. You are a dog and one of the Indian secret agents who want to destroy Pakistan. We are well aware of your deeds and conduct. Be ready for deaths right after receiving this letter”.
– The next day, when Pakistani army was capitulated, – continues Gulam Rasul, – with friends we gathered at the university where reactionary-fanatics were conducting their criminal acts. Auditorium was filled up with blood. Disfigured bodies, which were impossible to identify, were lying on the floor. We went to one of the channels of the ancient BuriGanga River. It is very difficult to describe what we saw there. We found body of tortured professor Abdul Kalam Azad, and next to him a body of Dr. Rabbi, our best specialist of heart diseases. They had torn out heart of Dr. Rabbi.
During the night just before the capitulation – added Rasul – Razakars killed more than 800 teachers, doctors, journalists, and public figures – the top of Bengal intelligentsia. Immediate executors of atrocities were members of military semi-fascist secret organization Al-Badr and other similar organizations, which had been formed under the patronage of reactive religious party Jamaat-e-Islami. They were paid in cash for the dirty work. The chiefs of the Al-Badr were paid 350 Rupees per month. Now tribunals are being formed for investigating cases of those participating in massive shooting (execution) and extermination of civilians. Governmental agencies intend to make everyone who is guilty in massive executions of innocent people accountable and place them on trial.
One of the leaders of Al-Badr – Abdul Kader during the investigation confirmed all accusations and named his entire accomplice who led these massive shootings. He confirmed that Al-Badr received a list of all victims sentenced to liquidation from the top. The Pakistan intelligence and the head of the Jamaat-e-Islam party led all their activities. Even a special ritual of execution had been worked out. Executors came twice: once with a letter and then for the victim.
A few days ago, in East Bengal in the bedroom of the head of one of the West Pakistan agency, were found letters with a list of 3000 names of Bengal intelligentsia that were chosen for extermination. This horrible document is 90 pages long!
Now, here in Dhaka, during the investigation it became clear that this massive genocide had been planned since last spring. So, already in May, thugs from Al-Badr gang received an instructive letter and explanation: “Kill any person who uses the word Bangladesh” – to deserve Allah’s blessing. The first black list, which included several thousand names, was prepared in June. And in November emergency instructions were given, which stated: “exterminate all individuals selected for liquidation and go to the underground”.
All criminals will be judged according to the law and following all judicial norms. Somewhere out there, western press and organs of imperialistic propaganda are trying to present these lawful sanctions of East Bengal as “vengeance” and “acts of revenge”. This of course is a lie. So in this regard, we should remember that the same western propagandistic organs did not show any disturbance for the fate of East Bengal when here from March through December massive repressions of civilians had taken place.
Local press and well-known public figures admit that some nations even encouraged criminal activities of Pakistani military forces. For example, the newspaper Kalantar published in Dhaka in Bengali language wrote: “Information about the fact that Washington gave an order to the 7th fleet to transfer their base in the Bay of Bengal to support Pakistani armed forces, led to the immediate execution of the plan of liquidating three thousand members of Bengal intelligentsia by the Razakars.
Now purposefully keep silence about this those who will have to appear before the public tribunal, they poured crocodile tears for criminals and not for the victims, millions of innocent civilians. The whole country mourns for those victims today.
I. Shedrov (special correspondent “Pravda”). Dhaka. January 3, 1972. Pravda, issue 3 (19511).
Translated by: Nino Paichadze
