Blood and Tears by Qutubuddin Aziz
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Blood And Tears Qutubuddin Aziz Reproduced By: Sani H. Panhwar Dedication THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THOSE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO WERE KILLED OR MAIMED IN THE AWAMI LEAGUE’S REBELLION AND GENOCIDE AND THE MUKTI BAHINI’S REIGN OF TERROR IN EAST PAKISTAN IN 1971. 170 eye-witness accounts of the atrocities committed on West Pakistanis, Biharis and other non-Bengalis and pro Pakistan Bengalis in 55 towns of East Pakistan by Awami League militants and other rebels in March-April, 1971. FIRST EDITION 1974 (Reprint 2015) REVIEW For the first time, the pathetic, grisly and untold story of the massacre of more than half a million non-Bengalis and pro-Pakistan Bengalis by the Awami League-led insurgents in East Pakistan (breakaway Bangladesh) in March-April, 1971, is bared in “BLOOD AND TEARS “. The details of the genocide waged by the rebels in those murderous months were concealed from the people of West Pakistan by the then federal government to prevent reprisals against the local Bengalis and also not to wreck the prospects of a negotiated settlement with the Awami League. The danger of such a reprisal has now been eliminated by the repatriation to Bangladesh from Pakistan of all the Bengalis who wished to go there. The 170 eye-witnesses, whose tragic accounts of their splintered and trauma-stricken lives are contained in this book, were picked from amongst nearly 5000 families repatriated to Pakistan from Bangladesh between the autumn of 1973 and the spring of 1974. Although they hail from 55 towns of East Pakistan, their narratives and the published dispatches of foreign newsmen quoted in this book, cover 110 places where the slaughter of the innocents took place. The majority of eyewitnesses consist of the parents who saw their children slam, the wives who were forced by the rebels to witness the murder of their husbands, the girls who were ravished and the rare escapees from the rebel- operated human slaughterhouses. While the focus in “Blood and Tears “ is on the rebels’ atrocities in the infernal March-April, 1971, period, the brutality of the Indian-trained Bengali guerrilla force, the Mukti Bahini, after India’s armed grab of East Pakistan on December 17th 1971, is also recounted, though in less detail. The book highlights the courage and heroism of many Bengalis who saved their non-Bengali friends from the fire and fury of the bloodthirsty insurgents. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Why the slaughter of non- Bengalis was not reported in March 1971? — Refugees from Awami League terror flee to West Pakistan — Bengali militants manhandle New York Times woman reporter in Dacca — Indian-inspired smear campaign against Pakistan in Western Europe and USA. .. .. .. .. 1 CHAPTER ONE: Ides of March in Dacca General Yahya’s National Assembly postponement broadcast — Awami League’s rebellion and parallel government in East Pakistan — Non-Bengalis kidnapped for ransom — London’s Sunday Times says 100,000 non-Bengalis massacred — hostage escapes death in Jagannath Hall abattoir — journalist’s wife describes husband’s murder. 14 CHAPTER TWO: Terror in Narayanganj Killer gangs on the loose — slaughter in Fabric Factory — two non-Bengali captive girls raped in a bus — rebels march 500 wailing Bihari women and children. .. .. .. .. 39 CHAPTER THREE: Human Abattoirs in Chittagong Massacre of non-Bengalis in Wireless and Ferozeshah Colonies, Raufabad. Halishahar, Pahartali, Kalurghat and Dotala — M. R. Siddiki, the “Butcher of Chittagong “ — corpses flung into Karnaphuli river or burnt — slaughterhouses in Ispahani Jute Mills and Awami League HQ — mass sex assault chambers for ravishing non-Bengali captive girls — foreign press reports on Chittagong killings — Pro-Pakistan Bengali murdered at Port—rescue of incarcerated Bihari women from dungeon. .. 43 CHAPTER FOUR: Massacres in Chandraghona, RangamatiWidow tells of husband’s kidnapping — burning and looting of non-Bengali houses — captive women and children, herded in Camp for slaughter, rescued by Pakistan Army — killings in Paper and Rayon Mill. .. .. .. .. .. 69 CHAPTER FIVE: Fire and Death in Khulna Telephone Exchange wrecked by rebels — non-Bengali hotel burnt — March 23 massacre in non-Bengali settlements — foreign press reports — slayings in Daulatpur and Khalispur — Riverside slaughter-houses and human abattoir in jute mill — torture methods such as eye-gouging —killings in Pholtala, Bagerhat. .. .. 72 CHAPTER SIX: Satkhira Aflame Indian help to rebels — armed infiltrators — captive, bleeding Sub-Divisional Officer dragged through streets — killer gang hurls non-Bengalis into blazing jute godown — rebels carve “Joi Bangla “ on foreheads of captive women — rebels flee to India. .. .. .. 81 CHAPTER SEVEN: Hell in Dinajpur Mob burns non-Bengalis in bus — postal van ambushed — gruesome murder of 250 Pathans by rebels of East Pakistan Rifles — killings in Neelmati—rebels parade 400 naked, captive Bihari women — Army rescues girl survivors — slayings in Paharpur— slaughter-house on bank of Kanchan River — fiendish torture methods— Hindu militants in killer gags— Rebels torture Bengalis who protected non-Bengali friends — killings in other towns. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 84 CHAPTER EIGHT: Carnage in Parbatipur Non-Bengali Railway employees and families butchered — killings in train from Ishurdi — mass slaughter of non- Bengalis early in April — Mukti Bahini slayings in December — terrorised women flee to Saidpur. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 98 CHAPTER NINE: Slayings in Thakurgaon, Hilli Massacre of non-Bengalis in Rahmatganj — killing in Mosque — Bengali saves non-Bengali friend — murders in Hilli, Phulbari, Ponchagarh and Chaur Kai — April 6 London Times reports on Hilli murders. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 101 CHAPTER TEN: Slaughter in Laksham, Rajbari Butchery in non-Bengali settlements in Laksham — Killing of non-Bengali Railway employees — killer gang kidnaps non-Bengali girls in Rajbari —terrorised non-Bengali women flee to Goal undo — terror in Faridpur. .. .. .. .. .. 105 CHAPTER ELEVEN: Brutality in Kushtia Genocide against non-Bengalis — mass murders in Harding Bridge Colony — corpses thrown in Ganges River — dramatic breakthrough of captive Bihari women and children, herded in school building — slaughter in Arwapara and Thanapara — massacre of non-Bengali men in Kushtia jail — sadists singe skin of non-Bengali victims with burning cigarettes — wombs of pregnant women ripped open. .. .. 108 CHAPTER TWELVE: Butchery in Chuadanga Slayings in Murghi Patti colony — rebel attack on Railway station and slaughter of non-Bengali staff — assault on captive non Bengali girls in school building — torture of West Pakistani Officer. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 112 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Killer gangs in Meherpur, Zafarkandi. Slaughter of non- Bengalis in Jute Mill in Meherpur —killer gangs machine-gun victims escaping from blazing houses non-Bengali girls kidnapped, raped and shot —non Bengali population liquidated in Zafarkandi. .. .. .. .. .. 115 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Mass Murder in Ishurdi Very few survived carnage of non-Bengalis — anti-Bihari slogans on placards atop mounds of non-Bengali corpses — slaughter in Pachchum Tengri Colony. .. .. .. 117 CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Persecution in Paksey Agony of wailing non-Bengali widows and orphans herded in mosque — year-old boy escapes massacre with little sister — adult male non-Bengalis killed. .. .. .. .. 119 CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Terror Rule in Noakhali Operation loot, burn and kill against non-Bengalis — butchery in apartment house — Bengali shelters non- Bengali from rebels. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 122 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: Sorrows of Sylhet Awami Leaguers incite tea garden labour to kill non-Bengalis — rebels butcher non-Bengali couple but Bengali maid servant shields their children. .. .. .. .. .. 124 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Shootings in Molvi Bazar, Bheramara Rebels force victims to dig graves be:ore liquidation — nonBengalis herded at riverbank and gunned — young widow tells of husband’s murder and her rape by killers — butchery in Narkuldanga. .. .. .. .. .. .. 127 CHAPTER NINETEEN: Death Stalks Rangpur Carnage in Alamnagar Colony — Bihari settlements wiped out — non-Bengali women survivors herded in Iqbal High School, some raped and many shot by rebels. .. .. .. 131 CHAPTER TWENTY: Gunfire Ravages Nilphamari, Saidpur Brutal killings of non-Bengalis — horror in Kopilmoni — bodies of ravished, dead girls float in tanks — non-Bengali railway employees in Saidpur massacred. .. 134 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Killings In Lalmonirhat Killer gangs stage bloodbath in non-Bengali settlements — Bengali neighbours plead for non- Bengali friends — murders in trains— Mukti Bahini terror reign. .. 138 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: Inferno in Jessore Slaughter of non-Bengalis in derailed train — carnage in Jhumjhumpur Colony, Taraganj, Hamidpur, Ambagaon. Bachachar and Puratan Qasba — Pogrom against non-Bengalis in Mobarkganj, Kaliganj. Kotchandpur and Tafsidanga — foreign press reports on Jessore genocide — East Bengal Regiment rebels murder West Pakistani officers — Hindus and armed Indian infiltrators abet murder of non-Bengalis— blockade of Army cantonment —Bengali rebels kill Italian Priest Rev. Mario Veronesi. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 140 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: Suffering in Narail Hindus helped rebels in slaughtering non-Bengalis - alloying in Molvipara — Islam-loving Bengalis butchered by rebels — non-Bengalis liquidated in Mujgunni and Sonadanga — very few non-Bengalis survived massacres. .. .. .. .. 148 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Decimation in Bejardanga, Jhenidah