Move to snap DU-Pakistan ties
A proposal to have Dhaka University sever its ties with Pakistani educational institutions is being moved in the university Syndicate.
The vice-chancellor said, “We think the time has come to snap relations with Pakistan because its army committed the mass killings in ’71 and yet Pakistan has denied the truth.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique said the proposal would be placed at a Syndicate meeting on Monday afternoon to mark the Martyred Intellectuals Day.
He told bdnews24.com: “A decision will be made following discussions on the memoranda of understanding between Dhaka University and different Pakistani universities and DU’s relations with them.”
Prof Siddique, who is the chairman of the Syndicate, made it clear that Bengalees would never forget the devilish murders of the country’s intellectuals committed at the fag end of the 1971 Liberation War.
He said, “The demand for the trial of those involved in these murders is a demand of the people of the country, the demand of the Dhaka University family and of the families of the martyrs.”
The nation is observing Martyred Intellectuals Day on Monday in memory of the intellectuals who had fallen victims to the brutal Pakistani military regime and its local quislings on the eve of victory in 1971.
On December 14, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces and their accomplices, in a pre-meditated orgy of violence, killed university teachers, doctors, artists, writers, journalists and other eminent Bengalis after picking them up from their homes in Dhaka.
“In such a situation, we don’t want to maintain any relations with Pakistan. We’re thinking of severing all ties between Dhaka University and Pakistan.”
Earlier on Dec 1, Siddique had announced at a function in the capital that Dhaka University would not maintain any ties with Pakistan. “No more students of the (Dhaka) university will go to Pakistan,” he said.
Proposal to snap DU ties with Pakistan to be moved in Syndicate -
bdnews24.com
1971 Dhaka University massacre
Black night of 25 March 1971
The Pakistani army convoy that attacked
Dhaka University on 25 March 1971 included 18 Panjabi, 22 Pashtun, 32 Panjabi regiment and several battalions. Armed with heavy weapons such as tanks, automatic
rifles,
rocket launchers,
heavy mortar, light machine gun, they encircled
Dhaka University from east (unit 41), from south (unit 88) and from north (unit 26).
[1]
Massacre of teachers
Martyred Intellectuals' Memorial at Rayerbazar, Dhaka.
At the beginning of
Operation Searchlight 10 teachers of
Dhaka University were killed.
[2]
Professor Fajllur Rahman and his two relatives were killed at building 23 situated at Nilkhet. Professor Rahman’s wife escaped because she was not in the country. Pakistani army also attacked the house of Professor
Anwar Pasha and Professor Rashidul Hassan (English Department). Both of them survived by hiding under beds, but were killed later on the verge of war by
Al-Badar militia.
[3] Professor Rafiqul Islam of Bangla literature department was at building 24. Two wounded women with their children stayed in the entrance of the building for some time. When the army came they found blood on the stairs and, surmising that other groups had done the
massacre, left. This way Professor Rafiqul escaped. Later he stated that there had been one East Pakistani professor at that building, who left home before 25 March. All other non-Bengali families did the same without informing others.
[4]
At Number 12 Fuller Road, the army called on Sayed Ali Noki (Professor Social Science). They allowed him to go but killed Professor Abdul Muktadir (Geology) who was a resident of the same building. His body was found at Jahurul Huq Hall (then Iqbal Hall). He was buried at Paltan by his relatives. Professor K. M. Munim (English Literature), the house tutor of Salimullah Student Hall, was injured at Salimullah Hall. Professors A R Khan Khadim and Sharafat Ali of Mathematics department were killed in Dhaka Hall. At
Jagannath Hall they attacked teachers' residence and harassed Professor Mirja Huda (Economics) and Professor Mofijullah Kabir (History).
When Jagannath Hall, a student dormitory for minority
Hindu students, was attacked, university staff quarters were also affected. The army killed Ex-Provost and famous professor of philosophy Dr
Gobindra Chandra Dev with his
Muslim adopted daughter’s husband. They attacked and killed Dr. A.N.M. Manirujjaman, Professor of Statistics, along with his son and two relatives. Professor
Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta the provost of Jagannath Hall was severely injured by army attack and died in the hospital later.
[5] Dormitory electrician Chitrabali and eye witness Rajkumari Devi state that the doctors of
Dhaka Medical College Hospital recognized Dr. Guhathakurta and buried him under a tree near Dhaka Medical College morgue.
Assistant house tutor Anudoipayon Bhattacharja was also killed at that dorm.
[6] This information was taken from the novel “Riffel Roti Awrat” (Rifle, Bread, Women) by Professor
Anwar Pasha who was later killed in December. Professor Pasha wrote this famous Bengali novel during the nine-month war period of 1971.
Killing of students
The Non-cooperation movement was organized under the banner of “Independent Bangladesh Students Movement Council” from Jahrul Hoque hall of
Dhaka University. The first target of Operation Searchlight was this student hall. By 25 March all leaders of
Chhatra League had left the hall. According to Professor Dr. K.M. Munim around 200 students were killed at this dorm.
After 12 o’clock the army entered Jagannath Hall and initially attacked the hall with mortar and began non-stop firing. They entered through north and south gate and killed students non-selectively from each room. Around 34 students were killed at that time. Some students of Jagannath Hall were resident of Ramna Kali Bari. So, around 5-6 were killed there. Among them only the name of Ramonimohon Bhattacharjee is known. Many guests of students who were at those dorms were also killed. Including Helal of Bhairab college
, Babul Paul of Bajitpur College, Baddruddojha of Jagannath Hall, Jibon Sarkar, Mostaq, Bacchu and Amar of Netrokona.
[3] Archer Blood, the then consul general of US at Dhaka, wrote in his book
The Cruel Birth of Bangladesh, "Fire was started at Rokeya Hall (girls' dormitory) and, when the students tried to escape, the military started firing. From the conversation of military control room and army unit 88, a total of 300 students death was estimated."
[7]
1971 Dhaka University massacre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
