JHENAIGATI, SHERPUR, Dec 8: The largest killing ground of Sherpur, built in memory of martyrs of the Liberation War, lies in neglect at Malijhikanda Union of Jhenaigati Upazila.
Hidden beneath a bamboo grove, the concrete memorial has been overtaken by moss and parasitic plants, with no boundary wall or maintenance in place.
Located about 500 metres west of the Union Parishad building along the Sherpur-Jhenaigati road, the site contains mass graves where hundreds of victims of the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators were buried in 1971. Without a nameplate or signage, outsiders would hardly recognise the historical significance of the place.
During the war, the Pakistani army set up its largest camp in the Quarry Road area. Detainees from across the district were tortured in a nearby cell before being executed. A pit covering 10 decimals of land, three feet deep, served as the dumping ground for bodies. After independence, villagers discovered the pit filled with corpses and buried them collectively. In 2008, the army acquired 12 decimals of land and constructed the memorial, but no further preservation efforts followed.
Today, the site is used for drying straw and cow dung. Locals say cattle roam freely around the monument. "We heard that those who died under torture were thrown into this pit. Hundreds of bodies lie here. It must be preserved officially," said local teacher Md Alamgir Hossain.
Former Union Parishad member Md Akbar Ali added, "There is no boundary wall, nor any committee to oversee the site.
Authorities must intervene."
Freedom Fighter Surujjaman Akand, former commander of the Upazila Muktijoddha Sangsad, said, "The memorial at Ghagra Kunapara Village remains unfinished and neglected. It is shameful for the nation that cow dung is dried on the base of a Liberation War memorial. To uphold the spirit of 1971 and educate future generations, these killing grounds must be preserved."
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Ashraful Alam Russel acknowledged the issue. "We are aware of the situation. A project will soon be taken up to build a boundary wall and ensure year round maintenance. Steps will also be taken so that the younger generation can learn about the history of this killing ground," he said.
