War crimes trial to remove stigma of failure to punish HR violators
With a fervent call for speedy trial of war criminals, liberation war veteran Ferdousi Priyabhasini said millions of women and martyrs' families, who faced brutal torture during the 1971 war, would have peace in their hearts if the perpetrators of the crimes against humanity were punished.
And only then the stigma of failure to punish the human rights violators would be removed, she said.
“We cannot call ourselves a really independent country unless we complete the trial of those who unleashed torture and atrocities on the freedom-loving people of this country,” Ferdousi said.
Her heart still bleeds recalling the horrifying memories of the Pakistani army torturing her.
In a voice choked with emotion, she said, “I still remember that I was not even allowed to take shelter in a temporary refugee camp in Khulna after I managed to flee from indescribable oppression in the hands of the Pakistani army.”
She was in tears when she said even Bangalees at the refugee camp avoided her as she was considered by the society as "characterless".
Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she talked of the atrocities in an exclusive interview with the news agency.
In April 1971, Priyabhasini was trapped inside her office following a conspiracy of Pakistani officers at Crescent Jute Mills Quarter of Khalishpur in Khulna. After her confinement, the Pakistani army officers started torturing her.
Priyabhasini said it was very difficult, on her part, to get rid of the horrific memories even for a moment.
She had to delve deep into playing music or concentrating on her favorite writing. She often concentrates deeply on creating sculptures, bringing out her natural talents of creativity.
She said from April to December of 1971 she passed every moment in tears and mental suffering.
Priyabhasini said, “I was always under mental pressure thinking of what would be their new fake reason for unleashing torture on me. One day, I came to know that I was linked with the killing of a Razakar professor in the first week of November."
“I was taken to Jessore cantonment for quizzing relating to the murder case. They tortured me for 28 hours there. But I did not tell the name of any freedom fighter," she said.
“They forced me to confess that I am a member of Nakshal as many army officers, who tortured me earlier, were being killed," she said.
Priyabhasini said she was sent to a concentration camp. The torture was more severe there. Whoever went there could not return without permanent injury.
“I was taken back to Khulna after I gave an undertaking,” she said.
“The Pakistani army used to talk with Golam Azam and Nizami from the office room where I was confined. But they always threatened me not to tell anybody about their conversations," said Priyabhasini.
Ferdausi said, “On December 7, I fled after I received a phone call from freedom fighter Ahsanullah Ahmed telling me that the army was going to kill me."
"When I was about to get out of the quarter, one of my colleagues, Anwar, was shot dead when he was entering the quarter. In fact, they wanted to shoot and kill me,” she said.
Priyabhasini married freedom fighter Ahsanullah Ahmed.
After a long struggle with pains of her horrific memories, Piryabhasini became a sculptor.
She called for opening a department on War of Liberation in every university to preserve and project the real history of the freedom struggle through research.
It is needed to make posterity know the real history of the war of liberation, she said.
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