THOSE SISTERS OF OUR’S

Megbarta October issue, 2000

Fatemolla

This article reminisces our sisters whom we couldn't protect from the evil design of Pakistani army. The sad part is that we could hardly mourn for them then when they were hurt. What hurts the most is that we have all but forgotten them. What a shame!

Some of the narratives included in this write-up contain gruesome description, which some kind readers may find too disgusting. I apologize for that at the very beginning. Please use discretion as you read this torture chamber tale because I don't want to take blame for any mental anguish and associated health hazard, mental of course, which may result from reading this article. Therefore, readers be aware!

"I was in the S.F. Canteen of Razarbag Police Line when the Pak-Army attacked on 25th March 1971..... Our brave Police force could not stand in front of their mortars on the 26th morning. In the morning, they put fire around the S.F line and brought the Bangalee Polices out with bayonet, baton and kicking. They brought me also on gunpoint, kicked me on the ground and burst into laughter like dogs while raping me one after another. When I was almost dyeing I cried and pleaded to them not to kill me because I was a sweeper, if I was killed there would be nobody to clean the toilet and drains.... Then they said I would be spared but I had to be always present there and would not go out.........While I was cleaning the drain I saw many girls and women were brought in the barrack. Many were taken upstairs; some were kept in the balcony. Some of them had books in their hands, some were with some ornaments and they were weeping........ the Punjabi soldiers entered in groups and kicked them on the ground, took their cloths off and started raping them. Some started raping in standing condition. I was seeing.........they not only raped them, they were biting their breasts, chicks..... flesh was coming out, blood flew throughout their breasts, shoulders, back.... whoever tried to resist them, they dragged them by their hair, cut off their breasts and inserted the gun in their bodies from the front and the back and tore their bodies into pieces. Some, after rape, tore the blood-stained bodies of some girls in two pieces by pulling their legs in opposite direction......I saw it all.......not only the common soldiers, but also the officers were busy raping them one after another after being drunk. No girl, no woman was spared for a moment. Many young girls breathed their last in deep cry of pain..... next day they cut their bodies in small pieces right in front of other women/girls and took out in bags. They became more scared and did not resist anything.........Some women co-operated with them just to keep alive but even then they were not spared.... officers used to gang-rape them and cut off their breasts, backs, and insert sharp knives in their bodies from front and back, thus killing them in their burst of laughter. After that these women/girls were kicked and whipped like animals and kept standing naked in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of the barrack. Many were kept hanging with their hairs tied with the iron rods. Everyday the Punjabis used to pass them by, biting them with baton like a hysteric, some used to cut their breasts off, some used to laugh while inserting rods in their bodies, some used to enjoy cutting their back very slowly, some used to stand on chairs and bite-off their breasts and laugh loud.......if anyone tried to scream, she was immediately killed by pushing rods in her body. All the women/girls had their hands tied back....... many a times the soldiers used to bit those naked hanging women/girls continuously.

Due to such non-stop biting everyday, their bodies were flooded with blood, none of them had any teeth left in the front, their lips were torn by biting, all their fingers, palms were broken to mince........ they were never untied even to go to toilets......I used to clean their stool and urine.........Many women died due to non-stop rape in hanging condition in front of my eyes........ I was there day and night for cleaning those blood and dirt....... from the upper floors they used to remove the distorted dead bodies of women/girls ........ used to bring new ones, hang them and start raping them immediately....... Always there was armed guard and no Bangalee, even no other sweeper was allowed to go there....... I could not save them in spite of their heart-rending cry.

When in December the Freedom Fighters and Indian soldiers entered Dhaka, the Punjabis killed all the women/girls with bayonet in front of our eyes. ....... In all the rooms of upstairs of Razarbag Police Line, there was so much clotted blood of these women/girls.........."

Thumb-signature: - Rabeya Khatun
18-2-74.
Taken from: - Pages 53-56, "Muktijudher Itihash" vol-8.

My dear readers, this is the price our sisters paid for our independence. Thousands of us pass by Razarbag Police Line every day. Free, happy. No more Pak (Napak) army. What a relief!

Did anybody ever hear a distant cry of pain? Did a dying sister ever expect her brothers to rescue her from that hell? Who was supposed to be the first to stand strongly against these Satans? Who was supposed to be the first hero against this demon army? None but the followers of our Prophet (swa). But, Alas! ...I have their photographs published in the newspapers of that time. Weren't they sitting like servile dogs and eating with the mighty powerful highest leaders of this vile army? With their 'Noorani' faces, melting smiles, long beards, caps,'alkhalla's? Mind you, they were the followers of our Prophet (swa), caretakers of Islam.

In support of those sisters, millions and billions of their brothers are coming up slowly, very slowly around the corners of the globe, embracing them with oceans of tears and standing strong with bloody eyes. May be it will take a hundred years. But I am hearing their footsteps, faintly, though.