Malda Training Diary - Administrative Training Institute

Page 38 of 38
mass graves because of the stench there when they entered the area on 19 Dec. A local M.F.
commander came to request arrangements for stocking the arms the Mujib Bahini had
surrendered (.303s, stenguns, anti-personnel mines). He told us how they had been trained in
India & commanded by Indians, & how retreating Paks themselves had shot down Razakars
who wished to accompany them.
The Paks never killed local people in that same locality, but always took them elsewhere, so
that they victims could not be traced later.
We saw the crater made by a mortar which landed in the hospital compound just 2 days
before the surrender. The Paks had torn down all tin roofs & brick buildings to build their
bunkers.
As for Razakars, they are arrested, & enquires are conducted into their activities & if heinous,
they are finished off.
In this area Paks had shot less people but harassing local people was no less. Arms captured
were mostly Chinese. The M.F chap expressed his amazement at the way the Pak Army kept
on attacking though’ their men were being shot down (Chinese human wave tactics).
We had taken along lunch in a tiffin carrier [30 luchi, tarkari and 12 chumchum, worth Rs.
6/-]. They insisted on our having tea, sweets, samosa, nimki & 2 fried eggs each! I was made
to sit all in solitary splendour in a cushioned chair, with the others before me-- as if I were the
chairman of a meeting ! Most embarrassing.
We returned via Bamangola’s NH34 as the road is far better. I typed out yesterday’s reports.
Enquiring about local police arrangements in Nitpur, I found that an OC had been posted, but
was out of station. There were also a couple of policeman, I was told, but bulk of the work
was being done by Ansars, as I saw. The P.S & Hospital were undamaged as they & the Dak
Bungalow had been used by the Pak army. I hardly saw any women around-- exactly 2 as a
matter of fact and no Hindu [they constitute about 5% of the population I was told].
11.2.1972
Work done
Treasury Training (11.30 a.m.– 12.30 p.m.).
Making of panel on basis of interviews
Met Habibpur BDO & communicated
DM’s instructions. Went & returned via Bamangola [4-8 p.m.]
Information
Met DM at 10.30 am. and submitted my report on which he passed orders that:-
1) Fuel & foodgrains were to be sent to Rajshahi, Gomostapur & Natore only. If DC Rajshahi
agreed, oil could be shipped direct to Porsha.
2) Shelter materials: a programme to be fixed by BDO Habibpur for sending them. DM felt
that it would be much faster if the evacuees were told to come & take away what they needed
from the river bank, than trucking them to Nitpur. But BDO said to me that the needy areas
being 81 miles from Nitpur, this was not practicable. And owing to scarcity of petrol, only
one such truck could be sent across to carry these materials.
3) Bhuto Babu to maintain liaison. He came at this time and informed us that Dr. Basir was
so unpopular in Porsha that he wasn’t ever to be found there. So who was to receive the
materials? He was satisfied when I told him of the Secy. & Chairman of the local AE unit.
At present, without export & import license, nothing is being allowed to be taken in / out of
Bangladesh. I learnt of this when a photographer from Nawabganj came with an application
to be allowed to buy equipment here as his has been destroyed.
Habibpur area materials will provide for about 6000 families. The camp staff is to act as
guards for it when dumped on river bank. BSF will be told not to interfere if Bangladesh
people purchase fuel etc. locally & take it across.