<i>Bring killers to book, demand widows, children of martyrs</i>

Widows and children of those martyred at Jhathibhanga village under Thakurgaon Sadar upazila in 1971 observed hunger strike at the deputy commissioner office premises yesterday demanding trial of the killers.
On 17 April in 1971, thousands of people from Jagannathpur, Gorea, Shukanpokhori, and Balia unions under Sadar upazila left their home for India to save their lives from the Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators known as razakars.
As they gathered at Jhathibhanga village in Sadar upazila, Pakistani soldiers, informed by razakars and Al Badrs, rushed to the spot and killed about 3,000 male members and buried them at Jhathibhanga mass grave there.
“On the day, Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators beheaded many people in the area. All my nearest relatives were killed before my eyes. They also hacked me on the neck and back. As I laid down, the criminals left me presuming dead,” Tepanan Barman, 60, of Jagannathpur village, who luckily survived the horrific massacre, said at a discussion held during the hunger strike.
The speakers said, even after long 39 years of Liberation War, those 'razakars', who were involved with the killing are still moving freely. Many of them have also become the influential members of the society.
Among others, Thakuirgaon Nagorik Committee president Dr Sheikh Farid, advocate Mazedul Islam, district correspondent of Prothom Alo Mozibor Rahman Khan, district correspondent of Karatoa Monsur Ali and others spoke at the discussion.
Eye witness Dhani Barman said, as it was not safe for people to live in the villages, they decided to cross the border for refuge in India.
When they reached Jhathibhanga village, the sun was setting down. They decided to stay for the night there and start next morning.
But the 'razakars' of the area came to know the matter and immediately informed the Pakistani army.
A contingent of the Pakistani occupation army rushed to the area and encircled the hapless innocent people.
Later the collaborators asked the male members of the minority community to stand in queues.
The Pak occupation army then opened fire while the collaborators chopped the others to death.
About 3,000 people were killed on that day, said Dhani.
The females, now widows, who were the eye witnesses of the carnage include Tulo Rani, Dukhuni, Ananata Bala, Sadamoti and Bharati. They recalled similar horrific stories about the killings at Jathibhanga.
The widows demanded immediate arrest, trial and exemplary punishment to the killers of their husbands.
After the discussion the families of the victims placed a memorandum to DC Muhammad Shahiduzzaman in this regard.