The ‘black night’ of March 25 returns again tonight (Thursday) evoking painful memories of a dreadful night of massacre and mayhem, the beginning of genocide of millions of unarmed sleeping Bangalees by the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971.
On this fateful night in 1971, the Pakistani military rulers launched “Operation Searchlight” killing some 7,000 people irrespective of their class, creed, sex and age in a single night to thwart the independence movement of the freedom-loving Bangalees from the 24-year-old subjugation and exploitation. Most of the halls of Dhaka University including Jagannath Hall were attacked and teachers-students-employees were dragged out of their quarters and dormitories and massacred in hundreds turning the entire campus into a killing ground.
Several structures including the Central Shaheed Minar, the monument of the historic language movement of 1952, and a good number of buildings located at Shakhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, FrenchRoad and English Road were razed to the ground as the brutal forces used tanks and fired heavy artillery during the crackdown to silence the voice of Bangalees.
It was to be only the beginning of the killings that continued for long nine months. On March 26, the nation waged an armed struggle against the Pakistani occupation forces following the declaration ofindependence by father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Pakistani forces arrested the undisputed leader of independence Bangabandhu from his residence at Dhanmondi Road-32 as he through a wireless message called upon the people to resist the Pakistani occupation forces with what they have possessed. Later, Awami League leader MA Hannan and Major Ziaur Rahman (later president of Bangladesh) read out the proclamation of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu, which was broadcast from Kalurghat Radio Station in port city of Chittagong.
Responding to the call and defying all horrors and atrocities, the Bangalee nation, particularly the young generation from across the country, rose in rebellion and took part in the war of independence of their motherland from the clutches of Pakistani military junta while nearly one crore people took refuge in neighbouring India. After fighting a nine-month-long bloody war, the brave Bangalees ultimately freed the country from the occupation of Pakistani forces with the cooperation of the allied forces of India on December 16 in 1971.
Marking the “Black Night”, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote organised a candle-light vigil at the Shikha Chiratan (eternal flame) at Suhrawardy Udyan in the evening paying deep tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War and demanding start of the trial of the war criminals immediately. Jote vice-president and film actor Faruque and joint secretary Arun Sarker Rana led the programme in which culturalworkers including actors and actresses of the film and stage took part.
Operation Searchlight
It all started with Operation Searchlight, a planned military pacification carried out by the Pakistan Army started on 25 March, 1971 to curb the Bengali nationalist movement by taking control of the major cities on March 26, and then eliminating all opposition, political or military, within one month. Before the beginning of the operation, all foreign journalists were systematically deported from Bangladesh. The main phase of Operation Searchlight ended with the fall of the last major town in Bengali hands in mid May.
#যদি তুমি কাউকে আমাদের স্বধীনতা যুদ্ধের কথা বলতে
চাও,তাহলে বলো ত্রিশ লক্ষ মানুষকে হত্যা করেছে পাকিস্তানী সেনা আর তাদের এ দেশীয় দোসরের(রাজাকার,আল-বদর.আল-শামস গং), দুই লক্ষ মায়েদের সম্ভ্রম নিয়েছে ওরা।গ্রামের পর গ্রাম,শহরের পর শহর পুড়িয়েছে তারা…সমতলে পড়ে থাকতো লাশ আর নদীতে
কেবল লাশই ভাসতে দেখা যেতো আর বাতাসে কেবলই লাশের গন্ধ।
#এমন কোন পরিবার ছিল না যারা এ অবন’নীয় কষ্ট থেকে রেহাই পেয়েছে।
#অবশেষে পাকিস্তানী সেনা আর তাদের দোসরেরা পরাজিত হয়েছিল – – জন্ম হয়েছিল বহু আকাঙ্খিত বাংলা নামের দেশের।
#তুমি বোলতে ভুলো না আমাদের মহান স্বধীনতা যুদ্ধের অহংকার জাতির গব’ মুক্তি সেনাদের কথা,তুমি অবশ্যই বোলো বাঙালীর মু্ক্তি সংগ্রামের মহানায়কের কথা – তার নাম তুমি অন্য ভাবে বলবে।তুমি বোলো কিন্তু সেই সব মানুষদের কথা যারা বাঙালীর হাজার বছরের স্বাধীনতার আকাঙ্খাকে পূবা’পর বাস্তবে রুপদানের জন্য যে সব কাজ করেছে তাদের কথা।
# তুমি কিন্তু অবশ্যই বলবে তাদের কথা যারা আমার ত্রিশ লক্ষ প্রাণ,দুই লক্ষ মায়ের সম্ভ্রম হনন করেছে আর পরাজয়ের মূহুতে’ হত্যা করেছে জাতির বিবেক, অহংকার আর গবে’র বুদ্ধিজিবীদের – অবশ্যই তুমি তাদের বিচারের কথা বলবে,এটা বলতে ভুলো না।
The demands for a fair and expeditious trial of the war crimes rang loud and clear, as the nation yesterday celebrated the Independence Day paying tribute to the heroic freedom fighters of 1971.The country observed the 40th anniversary of its independence yesterday. The celebration began with 31 gun salutes before dawn at the National Parade Square in the capital. President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh 
Hasina placed wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar in the early morning. They stood in solemn silence for a few minutes commemorating the liberation war martyrs. The premier at 9:00am attended the Independence Day parade at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who is on a Bangladesh visit, was also present. People from all walks of life including families and relatives of the martyrs, victims of war crimes, freedom fighters, socio-political and cultural organisations, human rights bodies and students crowded different memorials across the country with floral wreaths to pay homage to the martyrs. On March 25, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces in the middle of the night unleashed one of the worst genocides in the history in then East Pakistan to suppress the uprising of Bangalees. On that night before his arrest, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman issued a proclamation of independence. Awami League leader MA Hannan the following day read out
Bangabandhu’s message on air from Chittagong. On March 27, Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman read out the message again.
Hearing the declaration of independence from an army officer, the people regained their courage. After a nine-month-long bloody war and sacrifices of three million lives, Bangladesh achieved its independence. Yesterday was a public holiday. The national flag was hoisted on all government, semi-government and other important establishments. Many buildings, vehicles, thoroughfares and road islands in Dhaka were decorated with national flags of different sizes along with banners inscribed with patriotic slogans. The National Memorial reverberated with chanting of slogans and patriotic songs. People from different organisations also placed floral wreaths at Shikha Chirantan at Suhrawardy Udyan in the city. Processions were held in different parts of the city all day. People reiterated their demand for trial of war criminals. They pledged to realise martyrs’ dream of a democratic, prosperous and corruption-free nation.
Cultural programmes were held across the country while the historic 7th March speech by Bangabandhu and patriotic songs of the time of liberation war were played through loudspeakers on many streets.
Khaleda Zia was threatening anti-government agitation to save the war criminals and Islamist militants.
নষ্ট ভ্রষ্ট আমরা বাঙ্গালী জাতি 
