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.