People walk miles to reach National Memorial in Savar

With an aim to turn grief into strength, cultural and educational organisations and youth groups have taken out a procession in Dhaka to mark the 47th Independence Day.

People from different walks of life headed toward the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar after starting from the Central Shaheed Minar on Monday morning.

They will visit the killing fields that evoke the memories of the Mar 25 genocide in 1971, on their way and raise funds for the Liberation War Museum that joined the ritual in 2016.

Abhijatri Club, a platform of mountaineers, has been organising the event every year on Mar 26 since 2013.

Anyone can walk a mile to show solidarity and donate money.

The participants first gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka at 6am and sang the national anthem as the procession progressed.

Bharateswari Homes School, Maniknagar Model High School, Dhaka University Tourist Society, Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club, Bangladesh Bird Club, Himu Paribahan, and Travellers of Bangladesh are taking part in the procession.

The participants were found singing iconic patriotic songs -- ‘Muktiro Mondiro Shopano Tole’, ‘E Maati Noy Jongibaader’, ‘Purba Digonte Surya Uthechhe’ -- as they visited the Jagannath Hall killing field.

The procession then meandered through Nilkhet, Katabon, Pilkhana, Zigatola and roads along Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Tajuddin Ahmad’s residence.

Komol Siddiqui, Bir Uttom (second highest award for individual gallantry), joined the march.

Siddiqui, who fought the war at Sector 8, recalled the days of his struggle.

He narrated how Tajuddin, the first prime minister of Bangladesh who led the wartime provisional government, was uncompromising for the sake of the nation.

He expressed frustration over the fact that many significant documents tied to Tajuddin have not been duly preserved.

Siddiqui fought the war in Faridpur, Madaripur, parts of Gopalganj and Magura. He suffered a head injury from a shell fired by the Pakistani military in Bhatiapara on Dec 15, 1971.

“The wound is not deeper than the one I have in my heart,” he said using a metaphor to express his frustration over the alleged undermining of freedom fighters’ contribution to the nation.

“I can tell from my experience that each and every Bangalee, except the razakars and other anti-liberation forces, played distinct roles. The victory could never be achieved without their support. Have they been recognised?”

Chhayanaut, Tokkhoshila School and Brotochari School also joined the march that reached the Government Physical Education College in Mohammadpur.

Families of martyred intellectuals paid homage and remembered the martyrs. Shaheen Reza Noor, son of martyred journalist Sirajuddin Hossain, spoke on behalf of the bereaved families.

Addressing the youths, he described how Al-Badr and Al-Shams (accomplices of Pakistan force) carried out crimes against humanity and chalked out plans to murder the intellectuals.

He further narrated how Bangalees, who wanted separation from Pakistan, were dragged to the concentration camps and tortured in captivity.

Rana Prasad Saha, founder of Kumudini Welfare Trust, and his son Bhabani Prasad Saha were tortured on the college premises, said Anna Sultana, a teacher at Bharateswari Homes School.

At 10am, they reached the Rayerbazar killing field and placed wreaths there.

Asif Munier, son of martyred intellectual Munir Chowdhury, remembered his father.

Srabonti Barua, a student who took part in the procession, said: “I am here to see the places bearing memories of the liberation war. I do feel the sufferings that the freedom fighters had to endure in those nine months.

UCEP Bangladesh and Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigosthi rendered songs at the memorial at Rayerbazar. The group then headed for Diabari Terminal where they will cross the Turag River and reach the Batamul at Sadullapur by afternoon.

Students and teachers of Begunbari School will join them. The procession is due to reach Akrain by 2pm where Akrain High School will join in.

The residents of Kolma village will recall the struggle they endured in the face of hostility from the Pakistani occupation force in 1971 once the procession reaches them following a lunch break.

Then the procession will take a turn towards Jahangirnagar University and pay tributes at the grave of martyr Tito at Dairy Farm Gate before entering the campus at 4pm.

The students of the university, Jahangirnagar University School and affiliated organisations will join the march. The participants will march through another entrance of the university and enter Gokulnagar Village to reach the National Martyrs' Memorial.

The organisers have arranged another procession that will cross a distance of 15 kilometres to reach the mass graves in Meherpur through the Mujibnagar Road.