The winter white light fell on the pale figure standing next to a corner of the shabby house. Those dark, brown eyes penetrated the core of my heart and as I looked at him, his eyes reflected nothing but memories trapped in another dimension. I wondered how this man once fought fiercely with the Pak Hanadar Bahini.
Readers, you already should have guessed what I am talking about. Today I am writing this to tell you a story forgotten long ago but only remembered on some eventful days just as part of formality.
This mysterious person I mentioned above is Mr. Harun-ur-Rashid Khan, a valiant freedom fighter, who battled with the hyenas to bring smile to my motherland's face. As I sat beside him, I felt proud that one of my cherished dreams had come true.
I questioned him "Chacha, could you tell me how you joined the liberation war?"
Bursting with joy, he began to say, “In February, 1971, I left my job. At that time I joined Awami Shechashebak Bahini". I trained 100 members in Mahishbathan Gorosthan Eidgah Math. After Bangabandhu was arrested on 25 March, the next day a revolt started in Rajshahi police line. The leaders of the uprising were DIG Mamun Mahmud and SP Shah Abdul Majid. The Pakistan Army arrested Mamun Mahmud from his office and he was never seen again. I also expressed my full support and participated in the war going between the Army and police force. Hundreds of policemen became martyrs in this uprising.'
He stopped, breathing hard and continued, “In the mean time, the Awami League had begun to take preparations for the war. From 5th to 13th April till midnight a raging battle took place between Mukti Bahini and Pak Army. Afterwards, I established camps for training the freedom fighters with advice from captain Sharma and Mr. Ghosh. On 16 April 1971, I went to Murshidabad district of India. Here I tried to set up a camp in a primary school. A lot of young boys were so eager to fight for their country but there was no place for them.”
“Later, I went to different operation camps and performed operations like demolishing the Faradpur Bridge and after the bloodshed of nine months, the land on which you set foot upon became independent. The taste of victory is really sweet because of all the sacrifices concealed behind it.”
It was around 9:00pm. Time for me to go home and as I set off, he whispered into the air “Thanks! I do not see the young people nowadays coming to know about my experience of fighting in the historic War of Liberation.”