Constructing house on mass-grave site: freedom fighters demand its removal
In another tragic turn of events, a house is being constructed at the entrance of Airkhamar mass grave, on the side of Rangpur-Kurigram road at Khedabagh in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.
The house is being constructed by Asadul Haque, the head teacher of Airkhamar Junior High School.
The freedom fighters have demanded to remove the under-construction house immediately.
Airkhamar Government Primary School and Airkhamar Junior High School are on the same campus. Although it was established in 1995 but hasn't come under MPO (Monthly Payment Order) yet. The school itself, has been inactive for the last 15-16 years.
Local freedom fighters said on November 9 in 1971, the freedom fighters led by Mukhtar Elahi, the former vice-president of Rangpur Carmichael College, fought the Pakistan forces in Airkhamar area. In this battle, 119 freedom fighters including Elahi were martyred. A monument was built there to pay homage to all the martyrs.
Ilias Hossain, the caretaker of the mass grave and a teacher of the same school, told The Daily Star that Asadul Haque, had built a toilet next to the mass grave a few years ago. He is again attempting to build a house at the entrance of the mass grave.
"We forbade him to build the house and yet he ignored us," he added.
Freedom fighter Abdur Rahman said that the construction of the house will destroy the sanctity of the place.
Abu Bakkar, an assistant teacher at Airkhamar Junior High School, said since the school had no MPO, the teachers got involved in other professions.
"For the last few years there has been no teaching in this school. Asadul Haque controls everything," he alleged.
Contacted, Asadul Haque said a house is being built for the school with a grant of Tk 50,000 from the district council. It's being constructed at the entrance due to space crisis. The construction work has been halted due to objections in this regard.
"The school has been kept closed for the time being as there is no MPO. However, the eighth grade students register and participate in the JSC examination from here," he claimed.
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