1964 East Pakistan genocide
Encyclopedia
The 1964 East Pakistan Genocide refers to the gruesome massacre and ethnic cleansing
of Bengali Hindu
s from East Pakistan
in the wake of an alleged theft of a Prophet's relic from the Hazratbal shrine in Jammu and Kashmir
in India
. The salient feature of the genocide was its urban nature and selective targeting of Bengali Hindu
owned industries and merchant establishments in the capital city of Dhaka
. The genocide resulted in unending waves of Bengali Hindu
refugees in neighbouring West Bengal
. The refugee rehabilitation became a national problem and hundreds of refugees were resettled in Dandakaranya in Madhya Pradesh
.
s and other non-Muslims of East Pakistan
.
While returning back to Islamabad, the President of Pakistan Ayub Khan made a statement at the Dhaka
airport that he won't be responsible for any reaction in Pakistan
in response to the Hazratbal incident
.
s of land from one Rupchand Biswas, a Hindu
landowner from Matikhali in 1960 and erected a three storeyed building in it. Rupchand Biswas instituted a case against Khan which the latter lost. The court decreed Abdus Sabur Khan to pay 135,000 rupees. He approached Biswas for an out of the court settlement which he refused. In the meanwhile, Majid Mian, the nominee of Abdus Sabur Khan lost in the district council elections. After the loss, Khan and his party members including the Chairman of Chamkuri Union Board held the Hindus responsible for the defeat and began to threat them with dire consequences. During this time the Hazratbal incident took place. Khan used the opportunity to actively organize protest meetings where he began to deliver anti-India and anti-Hindu speeches. He addressed three meetings at Rampal
. Leaflets distributed at the meetings warned the Hindus to leave Pakistan
immediately. There would be terrible riots in Pakistan
and all the Hindus would be killed.
The massacre started in Khulna
and later spread to Dhaka
. On 3 January 1964, about 200-300 Bengali Hindu
s were massacred at the Khulna Launch Ghat by Muslim
marauders. All the villages along the road from Khulna
to Chalna were destroyed. In Mongla port, an estimated 300 Hindus were either killed or injured.
declared a holiday in the Adamjee Jute Mills on the 13th and 14 January and spread a rumour that his brother had been killed in Kolkata
. On the night of 13 January, the workers of the Adamjee Jute Mills attacked the Hindu
quarters, mostly inhabited by the workers of Dhakeshwari Cotton Mills No. 2 and set the Hindu houses on fire. Satyen Roy, the Manager of Dhakeshwari Cotton Mill No. 2 called Sunil Bose, the Managing Director at 3 am and reported that the mill was on fire and asked for police and military. Early in the morning at about 5 AM, 20,000 workers of Adamjee Jute Mills broke into the compound of Dhakeshwari Cotton Mills No. 2 and resorted to indiscriminate looting, arson and murder. More than 700 Hindus, men, women and children were massacred. Several women were abducted. At about 7 AM about 2,000 to 3,000 Hindu
men, women and children rushed to the compound of Lakshminarayan Cotton Mills for safety. The mill was stopped and the workers rushed outside and closed the gates. Thousands of Hindus had assembled outside the gates, seeking shelter and the gates had to be opened to let them in. By 9 AM around 10,000 Hindus had taken shelter in the compound. Soon after a 2,000 strong Muslim
mob armed with lathis and iron rods broke in and launched a severe assault on the hapless people in which three persons died and about a dozen were injured. The house of Kshetranath Ghosh was attacked and looted. His family took shelter inside the mills. The police arrived at 4 PM and provided a protection of 20 policemen. Within half an hour there was another attack in the outer compound in which one worker was killed. By the evening about 25,000 Hindus taken shelter in the compound of Lakshminarayan Cotton Mills. The Hindus who took refuge in the mill premises were without food for four days till 20 January.
On 14 January, Gosthabihari Saha, a well known businessman of Narayanganj
was killed and his printing press Satyasadhana was looted and set on fire. In the village of Panchasar, the miscreants killed Renubala Pain along with her two children and Shobharani Basu along with her two daughters. In the village of Narasinghi, 350 Hindu
houses were burnt down. One Bimala Sundari Pal was ruthlessly killed. On 15 January, a Muslim
mob arrived at 20, Nawabpur Road, entered the house and struck off the head of the priest and desecrated the images of Radha Krishna
. Four male members of the house were killed. The Das Studio on Nawabpur Road was looted and burnt to ashes. On the night of 15 January, the Hindu
houses of Nagarkhanpur were attacked and looted. On 14 and 15 January, Hindu
passengers in the mail trains arriving at Dhaka
from Chittagong
and Sirajganj
was asked to get down at Tongi
and Tejgaon. Those who refused to get down were slaughtered. On 16 January, Krishna De of Central Bank, Pran Kumar De of United Industrial Bank and another Hindu
employee of Baroda Bank were fleeing in a car after hiding in the bank premises for two days. Their car was stopped and they were killed. Professor Richard Novak of Notre Dame College
went to Narayanganj to take photographs of mass violence. He was stabbed to death at Lakhadgola, near the Adarsha Cotton Mills. On 18 January, The Daily Ittefaq reported that 95% of the ruined houses belong to the Hindus in old Dhaka and about 100,000 Hindus were rendered homeless in Dhaka
city. Hundreds of villages all around Dhaka
city were burnt to ashes. Sixteen members of the family of Barada Prasad Ray, the Union Board President of Maiman village were killed. All the houses in the Hindu
village of Murapara and burnt. Seventeen women were burnt to death. In the village of Bhulta about 250 Hindus were mercilessly killed and seventeen burnt alive. Truckloads of dead bodies were brought to the hospitals from where they were sent to the burial grounds. Hundreds of Hindus were buried with military escorts. Even the identified bodies were not returned to their relatives.
On 17 February, 623 Hindus were killed in Golakandail Union Council in Rupganj in Narayanganj sub-division. In the Narayanganj sub-division alone about 3,500 Hindus were killed, 300 Hindu
women were abducted, 31,000 Hindu
dwellings were destroyed as a result of which 80,000 Hindus from 151 villages were rendered homeless. Three buildings, seven huts, one temple, one charitable hospital, one library and one students' hostel of the Ramakrishna Mission
were completely destroyed. The F.M.E School, public library, Vivekananda Physical Club and the Hiralal Lohia Charitable Hospital at Hiralal Sewagram were burnt.
students hostel of East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology were pelted with stones every night. The Muslim
students owing allegiance to the Jamaat-e-Islami began to call the Hindu
students India
n spies. All the Hindu villagers in the village of Mainam near Nagaon in Rajshahi district, except two little girls were massacred.
and kirtan
was prohibited for 24 hours. In the 35 odd tea garden
s of Sylhet, the Hindu
workers were pressed to convert to Islam
. They were asked to take beef in lieu of mutton. On the day of Eid ul-Fitr
, Basudev Sharma, who was considered a guru
by thousands of Hindu
workers, was forced to take beef
.
government imposed censorship on Ittefaq and Pakistan Observer for their unbiased reporting. In protest five dailies of East Pakistan
stopped publication. When Reuters
reported that over 1,000 people had been killed in Dhaka
alone, Pakistan
government lodged an immediate protest.
s queued up in front of the India
n embassy in Dhaka
to emigrate to India
. But only 300 to 400 used to get the permit. As a result of this migration, Khulna
, the only Hindu
-majority district in East Pakistan
became a Muslim
-majority district. Large scale influx of Hindu
refugees occurred in Jalpaiguri
as a result of the oppression on the India
n chitmahals within East Pakistan
by the East Pakistan Rifles. On 2 March, The Globe and Mail
reported that thousands of Hindus eager to emigrate to India
are stranded in Dhaka
.
More than 75,000 refugees, of which about 35,000 were Christians, from East Pakistan
arrived into Assam
within one and half months since the genocide began. The refugees, mostly Garos, Hajong
s and Dalus from Mymensingh took refuge in Garo Hills
in Assam
, now in Meghalaya
. The Observer
reported that 12 provisional camps have been set up at Tura
in the Garo Hills
for the 50,000 refugees. Lakshmi Menon, the Deputy Foreign Minister of India
stated at the Lok Sabha
that a column of 1,000 refugees from Mymensingh had been fired at by the East Pakistan Rifles, while they were crossing over to India
.
Ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....
of Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindus are an ethno-linguistic group, belonging to the Indo-Aryan family and are native to the Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent. The Bengali Hindus along with other related ethno-linguistic groups constitute the vast majority of Hindus...
s from East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
in the wake of an alleged theft of a Prophet's relic from the Hazratbal shrine in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The salient feature of the genocide was its urban nature and selective targeting of Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindus are an ethno-linguistic group, belonging to the Indo-Aryan family and are native to the Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent. The Bengali Hindus along with other related ethno-linguistic groups constitute the vast majority of Hindus...
owned industries and merchant establishments in the capital city of Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. The genocide resulted in unending waves of Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindus are an ethno-linguistic group, belonging to the Indo-Aryan family and are native to the Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent. The Bengali Hindus along with other related ethno-linguistic groups constitute the vast majority of Hindus...
refugees in neighbouring West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
. The refugee rehabilitation became a national problem and hundreds of refugees were resettled in Dandakaranya in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
.
Background
After the theft, Abdul Hai, a member of the Advisory Committee of the Islamic Board declared jihad against HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and other non-Muslims of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
.
While returning back to Islamabad, the President of Pakistan Ayub Khan made a statement at the Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
airport that he won't be responsible for any reaction in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in response to the Hazratbal incident
Hazratbal disappearance episode
The Hazratbal disappearance episode is the incident in 1963 of the disappearance of a hair - believed to be of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from the Hazratbal shrine in Jammu and Kashmir state in India.The hair was reported disppeared on 26 December 1963...
.
Khulna
Abdus Sabur Khan, the Communications Minister of Pakistan, had forcibly occupied 30 bighaBigha
The bigha is a unit of measurement of area of a land, commonly used in Nepal, Bangladesh and in a few states of India including Uttaranchal, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan etc. The precise size of a bigha appears to vary considerably...
s of land from one Rupchand Biswas, a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
landowner from Matikhali in 1960 and erected a three storeyed building in it. Rupchand Biswas instituted a case against Khan which the latter lost. The court decreed Abdus Sabur Khan to pay 135,000 rupees. He approached Biswas for an out of the court settlement which he refused. In the meanwhile, Majid Mian, the nominee of Abdus Sabur Khan lost in the district council elections. After the loss, Khan and his party members including the Chairman of Chamkuri Union Board held the Hindus responsible for the defeat and began to threat them with dire consequences. During this time the Hazratbal incident took place. Khan used the opportunity to actively organize protest meetings where he began to deliver anti-India and anti-Hindu speeches. He addressed three meetings at Rampal
Rampal Upazila
Rampal is an Upazila of Bagerhat District in the Division of Khulna, Bangladesh.-Geography:Rampal is located at . It has 33119 units of house hold and total area 335.46 km².-Demographics:...
. Leaflets distributed at the meetings warned the Hindus to leave Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
immediately. There would be terrible riots in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and all the Hindus would be killed.
The massacre started in Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
and later spread to Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
. On 3 January 1964, about 200-300 Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindus are an ethno-linguistic group, belonging to the Indo-Aryan family and are native to the Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent. The Bengali Hindus along with other related ethno-linguistic groups constitute the vast majority of Hindus...
s were massacred at the Khulna Launch Ghat by Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
marauders. All the villages along the road from Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
to Chalna were destroyed. In Mongla port, an estimated 300 Hindus were either killed or injured.
Dhaka
Karim, the General Manager of the Adamjee GroupAdamjee Group
Adamjee Group is a conglomerate based primarily in Pakistan.The group was founded by Sir Adamjee Haji Dawood who also played a vital role in the birth of the state of Pakistan by acting as a financial advisor and supporter to Quaid-e-Azam Mohomed Ali Jinnah- the founding father of Pakistan...
declared a holiday in the Adamjee Jute Mills on the 13th and 14 January and spread a rumour that his brother had been killed in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. On the night of 13 January, the workers of the Adamjee Jute Mills attacked the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
quarters, mostly inhabited by the workers of Dhakeshwari Cotton Mills No. 2 and set the Hindu houses on fire. Satyen Roy, the Manager of Dhakeshwari Cotton Mill No. 2 called Sunil Bose, the Managing Director at 3 am and reported that the mill was on fire and asked for police and military. Early in the morning at about 5 AM, 20,000 workers of Adamjee Jute Mills broke into the compound of Dhakeshwari Cotton Mills No. 2 and resorted to indiscriminate looting, arson and murder. More than 700 Hindus, men, women and children were massacred. Several women were abducted. At about 7 AM about 2,000 to 3,000 Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
men, women and children rushed to the compound of Lakshminarayan Cotton Mills for safety. The mill was stopped and the workers rushed outside and closed the gates. Thousands of Hindus had assembled outside the gates, seeking shelter and the gates had to be opened to let them in. By 9 AM around 10,000 Hindus had taken shelter in the compound. Soon after a 2,000 strong Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
mob armed with lathis and iron rods broke in and launched a severe assault on the hapless people in which three persons died and about a dozen were injured. The house of Kshetranath Ghosh was attacked and looted. His family took shelter inside the mills. The police arrived at 4 PM and provided a protection of 20 policemen. Within half an hour there was another attack in the outer compound in which one worker was killed. By the evening about 25,000 Hindus taken shelter in the compound of Lakshminarayan Cotton Mills. The Hindus who took refuge in the mill premises were without food for four days till 20 January.
On 14 January, Gosthabihari Saha, a well known businessman of Narayanganj
Narayanganj
Narayanganj is a city in central Bangladesh. It is located in the Narayanganj District, near the capital city of Dhaka and has a population of 220,000. The city is on the bank of the Shitalakshya River. The river port of Narayanganj is one of the oldest in Bangladesh...
was killed and his printing press Satyasadhana was looted and set on fire. In the village of Panchasar, the miscreants killed Renubala Pain along with her two children and Shobharani Basu along with her two daughters. In the village of Narasinghi, 350 Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
houses were burnt down. One Bimala Sundari Pal was ruthlessly killed. On 15 January, a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
mob arrived at 20, Nawabpur Road, entered the house and struck off the head of the priest and desecrated the images of Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna
Radha Krishna is a Hindu deity. Krishna is often referred as svayam bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism theology and Radha is a young woman, a gopi who is Krishna's supreme beloved. With Krishna, Radha is acknowledged as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love...
. Four male members of the house were killed. The Das Studio on Nawabpur Road was looted and burnt to ashes. On the night of 15 January, the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
houses of Nagarkhanpur were attacked and looted. On 14 and 15 January, Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
passengers in the mail trains arriving at Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
from Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
and Sirajganj
Sirajganj
Sirajganj is a town in central Bangladesh, lying just west of the Brahmaputra River and about 70 mi. northwest of Dhaka.- Overview :...
was asked to get down at Tongi
Tongi
Tongi is a township in Bangladesh with a population of 350,000 that hosts the Biswa Ijtema, features a BSCIC industrial area, which produces BDT 1500 crore of industrial products annually, and marks the northern border of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, since 1786...
and Tejgaon. Those who refused to get down were slaughtered. On 16 January, Krishna De of Central Bank, Pran Kumar De of United Industrial Bank and another Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
employee of Baroda Bank were fleeing in a car after hiding in the bank premises for two days. Their car was stopped and they were killed. Professor Richard Novak of Notre Dame College
Notre Dame College (Dhaka)
Notre Dame College or NDC is a higher secondary degree college affiliated to the National University. It is situated in Dhaka, Bangladesh and is administrated by the Congregation of Holy Cross, Society of Priests....
went to Narayanganj to take photographs of mass violence. He was stabbed to death at Lakhadgola, near the Adarsha Cotton Mills. On 18 January, The Daily Ittefaq reported that 95% of the ruined houses belong to the Hindus in old Dhaka and about 100,000 Hindus were rendered homeless in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
city. Hundreds of villages all around Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
city were burnt to ashes. Sixteen members of the family of Barada Prasad Ray, the Union Board President of Maiman village were killed. All the houses in the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
village of Murapara and burnt. Seventeen women were burnt to death. In the village of Bhulta about 250 Hindus were mercilessly killed and seventeen burnt alive. Truckloads of dead bodies were brought to the hospitals from where they were sent to the burial grounds. Hundreds of Hindus were buried with military escorts. Even the identified bodies were not returned to their relatives.
On 17 February, 623 Hindus were killed in Golakandail Union Council in Rupganj in Narayanganj sub-division. In the Narayanganj sub-division alone about 3,500 Hindus were killed, 300 Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
women were abducted, 31,000 Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
dwellings were destroyed as a result of which 80,000 Hindus from 151 villages were rendered homeless. Three buildings, seven huts, one temple, one charitable hospital, one library and one students' hostel of the Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Mission
Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission are twin organizations which form the core of a worldwide spiritual movement known as Ramakrishna Movement or Vedanta Movement. The Ramakrishna Mission is a philanthropic, volunteer organization founded by Ramakrishna's chief disciple Swami Vivekananda on...
were completely destroyed. The F.M.E School, public library, Vivekananda Physical Club and the Hiralal Lohia Charitable Hospital at Hiralal Sewagram were burnt.
Rajshahi
After the Hazratbal theft, the HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
students hostel of East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology were pelted with stones every night. The Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
students owing allegiance to the Jamaat-e-Islami began to call the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
students India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n spies. All the Hindu villagers in the village of Mainam near Nagaon in Rajshahi district, except two little girls were massacred.
Sylhet
In Sylhet, the Hindus were forced to close their shops during RamadanRamadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
and kirtan
Kirtan
Kirtan or Kirtana is call-and-response chanting or "responsory" performed in India's devotional traditions. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankar. Kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed...
was prohibited for 24 hours. In the 35 odd tea garden
Tea garden
Tea garden may refer to:* Roji, gardens surrounding Japanese tea houses and which form part of the architecture associated with Japanese tea ceremony* Tea plantations, where tea bushes are cultivated...
s of Sylhet, the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
workers were pressed to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. They were asked to take beef in lieu of mutton. On the day of Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
, Basudev Sharma, who was considered a guru
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
by thousands of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
workers, was forced to take beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
.
Press censorship
The PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
government imposed censorship on Ittefaq and Pakistan Observer for their unbiased reporting. In protest five dailies of East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
stopped publication. When Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
reported that over 1,000 people had been killed in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
alone, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
government lodged an immediate protest.
Refugee Rehabilitation
Thousands of Hindus arrived in India as refugees. Everyday about 5,000 to 6,000 HinduHindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s queued up in front of the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n embassy in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
to emigrate to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. But only 300 to 400 used to get the permit. As a result of this migration, Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
, the only Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-majority district in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
became a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
-majority district. Large scale influx of Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
refugees occurred in Jalpaiguri
Jalpaiguri District
Jalpaiguri district is the largest district of North Bengal, covering an area 6,245 km2. It is situated between 26° 16' and 27° 0' North latitudes and 88° 4' and 89° 53' East longitudes...
as a result of the oppression on the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n chitmahals within East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
by the East Pakistan Rifles. On 2 March, The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
reported that thousands of Hindus eager to emigrate to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
are stranded in Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
.
More than 75,000 refugees, of which about 35,000 were Christians, from East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
arrived into Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
within one and half months since the genocide began. The refugees, mostly Garos, Hajong
Hajong
The Hajong is a tribal ethnic group in the Indian Subcontinent & four major Tribe in Meghalaya. Hajong people are spread out across northeast India and Bangladesh. At present their population is more than 100,000 in India and 30,000 in Bangladesh. Hajongs are predominantly rice farmers although...
s and Dalus from Mymensingh took refuge in Garo Hills
Garo Hills
The Garo Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in Meghalaya, India. They are inhabited mainly by tribal dwellers. Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is located in this range. It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.Garo Hills...
in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, now in Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
. The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
reported that 12 provisional camps have been set up at Tura
Tura, India
Tura is a city and a municipality in West Garo Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya. One of the largest towns in Meghalaya, Tura is a valley located at the foothills of the Tura Hills and right below the Tura Peak. The climate in Tura is moderate throughout the year and has a large...
in the Garo Hills
Garo Hills
The Garo Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in Meghalaya, India. They are inhabited mainly by tribal dwellers. Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is located in this range. It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.Garo Hills...
for the 50,000 refugees. Lakshmi Menon, the Deputy Foreign Minister of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
stated at the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
that a column of 1,000 refugees from Mymensingh had been fired at by the East Pakistan Rifles, while they were crossing over to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
See also
- Noakhali genocide (1946)
- East Pakistan genocide (1950)1950 East Pakistan genocideThe East Pakistan genocide of 1950 refers to massacre of Bengali Hindus by Muslim mobs, the Pakistani police and the para-military accompanied by arson, loot, rape and abduction in the months of February and March 1950. An estimated 1 million Bengali Hindus were forced to migrate into India by the...