61 embraced martyrdom in Madaripur during Liberation War

MADARIPUR, Jan 18: Many freedom loving People of Madaripur like other districts of the country made supreme sacrifices during the nine-month long liberation war against the Pakistani army in 1971 to make their beloved motherland independent.

Local freedom fighters after a three-day heroic fight in Kalabari and Samaddar areas just six days ahead of independence had compelled to surrender 38 Pakistani occupation forces including a Major and a Captain.

Area Commander Alamgir Hossain led a group of around 400 freedom fighters which was popularly known as 'Khalil Bahini'. The naming of the bahini after Khalilur Rahman was made following a rumour that he was killed while returning home with arms from India during the Liberation War. Though Khalil returned after some days, the name of the Bahini was not changed. He (Khalil) acted as thana operation commander.

With the spread of news that Pakistani army started massacre on the civilians in Dhaka and its adjoining areas from the night of March 25, 1971 several hundred local youths volunteered in guerilla fighting. Many of them received training from India.

Being inspired by the epoch-making speech of Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971, Alamgir Hossain decided to return home from Karachi where he was in the service of Pakistan Air Force. Finally, he returned home on March 21 and joined the Liberation War. He fought as the number one Area Commander. The fighting further intensified when the two accused of the historic Agartala conspiracy case Col (Retd) Shawqat Ali and Steward Mujib joined war of liberation with the freedom-loving people.

During the initial days of the liberation War, the then district administrator Syed Rezaul Hayat supplied rifles from the treasury for training to the freedom fighters at Nazimuddin College ground. The first batch of 165 freedom fighters led by Steward Mujib went to India on April 19 for training and later Khalilur Rahman led another group of 20. The fighting for independence went on full sewing when several batches of trained freedom fighters came back to the district from India.

Notorious collaborator Golap Khan trapped the forth batch of freedom fighters at Kulpaddi and handed them over to the Pakistani occupation forces.

The martyrs of the Liberation War include Mofijur Rahman Badra, Sufia Begum, Dr Joinal Abedin, Sarwar Hossain Bacchu, Jahangir Hossain, Abdus Salam Sheikh, Sheikh Shahjahan, Manik Sardar, Saidur Rahman Sadi, Naqibuddin, Harun-or-Rashid, Mohsinuddin Master, Awlad Hossain, Ekramuddin Arif, Moksed Howladar, Shahjahan Matbar, Habibur Rahman Surya, Razzak Hawlodar, Mahbub Sayed, Emdad Hossain, Shamsuddin Miah, Sabaruddin, Torabuddin, Nurul Alam Panna, Abdus Samad Mollah, Mohammad Shahjahan, Giasuddin, Mohammad Alauddin, Abdul Bari, Manik Sharif, Abdul Mannan, Jahangir Matbar, Abdul Khaleq Miah, Mothar Hossain, Mostafa Hossain, Abul Hashem Miah, Nur Islam, Abdus Salam, Aziz Chowdhury, Mojibor Rahman, Pannu Chowdhury, Anil Chandra Mullik, Badiuzzaman Badu, Delwar Hossain, Sirajuddin Laskar, Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Malek Matbar, Abdus Sattar Matbar, Yakub Ali, Chan Miah, Sonamuddin Howladar, Khabiruzzaman, Birat Chandra Bain, Rezaul Karim, Feroz Khan, Ainal Fakir, Nur Islam Miah, Kazi Abdul Mannan, Gofran Miah, Mohammad Hossain Khan and Aminur Rahman.