Mine Blast Tragedy Day observed

Moulvibazar Correspondent :

December 20 is a day of mourning for the residents of Moulvibazar. On this day in 1971, when the entire country was celebrating victory, a mysterious mine explosion at Moulvibazar Government High School killed more than fifty freedom fighters who had just returned home.

District Administrator Touhiduzzaman Pavel paid tribute by laying flowers at the memorial located between the Central Shaheed Minar and the school memorial at 9 am on Saturday at the Moulvibazar Government High School grounds.

Police Superintendent Mohammad Billal Hossain and freedom fighters were present.

The ashes of the scattered freedom fighters were collected and buried between the Central Shaheed Minar and the memorial, and later a dedicated memorial was constructed there.

Since then, people from all walks of life, including various political, social, and cultural organisations in the district, have been observing 20 December every year as ‘Local Martyrs’ Day’.

The war had ended. For nine long months, the freedom fighters had risked their lives facing the enemy. They had seized the victory flag, and the red-green flag flew proudly in the open air.

It was time for them to return home. Four days after the victory, and after defeating the Pakistani occupation forces, the common people, including the heroic freedom fighters, began returning home. Everyone started to breathe a sigh of relief.

However, just four days later, a tragic accident in Moulvibazar plunged the entire country into grief. A mine blast occurred at the Moulvibazar Government High School ground in Moulvibazar town.

Dust and smoke covered the area, and people were stunned by the loud explosion. This day, 20 December, is remembered as the day of the Moulvibazar mine blast tragedy.

On this day in 1971, freedom fighters were killed in a series of explosions that followed an accidental mine blast at the transit camp of freedom fighters established at the century-old Moulvibazar Government High School.

Senior advocate and freedom fighter Bedananda Bhatacharjee, an eyewitness, said that only a few days after the final victory over the Pakistani occupation forces, the freedom fighters met a tragic death.

After 16 December, local freedom fighters began joining the transit camp in batches, and arms, ammunition, mines, and other explosives carried by the freedom fighters were being stored there.