When bullets couldn't pierce bravery: No recognition yet for martyrs, survivors of Pabna's 'Dab Bagan' fight

April 19 marks the anniversary of the historic the "Dab Bagan" clash at Shahidnagar village in Pabna's Santhia upazila. It was one of the most important fights against the occupational forces. The day is also forever etched with the tragic memories of the lives lost at the coconut orchard, also known as the Shahidnagar massacre.

The Pakistan army had occupied Nagarbari Ghat, an entrance to North Bengal on April 9. They marched into Pabna on April 10, setting fire to houses beside roads. In retaliation, the EPR, police and Ansar moved to the north and set up 30 to 40 bunkers on both sides of Paikarhaat village to fight against occupational forces.

At noon on April, 19, when the freedom fighters were preparing lunch at the bunkers, they got news that the Pakistan army were marching into the village.

"A large number of Pakistani soldiers carrying heavy weapons took over the east and west sides of Paikarhaat, set up their positions in the coconut orchard and started firing against EPR members and villagers," said Kazi Azam, a freedom fighter hailing from the village.

The troops opened fire with mortar shells and heavy weapons. EPR fighters led by Habildar Ali Akbar returned fire with light weapons -- three-naught- rifles, few SMG, LMG and charged bombs but never retreated from the battlefield, he said.

"After a five to six hour fight, the Pakistani troops retreated from the battlefield, leaving 17 EPR members along with a few villagers dead while they had suffered a loss of at least 50 soldiers," he said.

Villagers still remembers names of martyred EPR members.

They are -- Habilder Emdad Ali, Nayek Mofizz Uddin, Golam Panjatan, Atiar Rahman, Saleh Ahmed, Sipahi Nur Uddin, Eliyas, Abu Hosen, Rofikul Islam, Abul Kashem, Idris Ali, Nefarul Haque, Amir Hossain, Saifur Rahman, Golam Mostafa, Abdur Razzak, Ramzan Ali.

They were buried in bunkers.

Visiting the village, this correspondent found the graves of the EPR soldiers abandoned.

After defeat, Pakistani forces attacked other villages in Shahidnagar at night, when nobody was prepared to fight back, locals said.

They also attacked the sleeping villagers of Bhadrabati, Kurial, Shatiakola, Baragram and a few others in Santhia upazila. But many are yet to receive official recognition.

"My father Jaker Ali Sheikh died along with the EPR soldiers. Even still, his name's not enrolled in the official list," lamented his son Md Sayeed Sheikh.

"We asked for his recognition several times to different authorities. Everyone gave us hope but no steps have been taken even after 51 years of independence," he said.

In 2001, a monument -- Bir-Bangalee -- was established near the place at Shahidnagar village beside Bogra-Nagarbari highway.