Thread by @eOrganiser

Do you know about MAKALKANDI MASSACRE that happened in the year 1971?

Unarmed Hindus of Makalkandi Village Baniachang Upazila of Habiganj District

They raped women and girls and killed them. They didn't even spare children.

Makalkandi, nestled in the Baniachang Upazila of Habiganj District, was an idyllic Hindu village of around 1,500 people. With its literacy rate soaring at 35%, doctors, engineers, and professors were its proud residents. Economic prosperity flowed, and not a thatched hut was in sight.

As the Liberation War ignited, Makalkandi’s natural fortifications provided a sense of security. Residents, including local M.P.A. Gopal Krishna Maharatna, thought they were safe, urging families to stay put. Refugees from neighboring villages also flocked there. Yet, darkness was lurking.

Collaboration between Syed Fazlul Haque and the Pakistani army took a devastating turn. On August 17, 1971, a meeting sealed Makalkandi’s fate. Haque urged an attack on the village, leading to one of the darkest chapters in history

On August 18, 1971, dawn broke to a tranquil Makalkandi. Vishahari Puja, a celebration, was underway. Little did the villagers know, a storm was brewing.

As morning rays kissed the village, the Pakistani army’s contingent, led by Major Durrani, approached Makalkandi by boats. The air turned hostile. At 9 a.m., chaos erupted.

Innocence was shattered. Bullets ripped through the air, finding their mark in unsuspecting bodies. The Chandi mandap, a sacred site, turned into a battlefield. Devotees preparing for the puja were caught in the crossfire.

Pakistani soldiers, led by Major Durrani, lined up villagers in front of the Chandi mandap. The bullets sang a deadly song, leaving eleven souls lifeless. Kangsa Mohan Das miraculously survived with four bullet wounds. But the village was far from spared.

Rampant violence ensued. Villagers fled to the Suta river, some escaping with injuries, only to succumb later. Women faced unimaginable horrors, as the Razakars spared nothing. The village, once a beacon of life, was transformed into a nightmare.

In a heart-wrenching turn, Makalkandi was set ablaze, its flames a symbol of the horrors that had unfolded. The echoes of that fateful day still reverberate. The Makalkandi Massacre, a stark reminder of the price paid by Hindus, must never be forgotten.