Liberation War sites to be preserved: Ctg. City Mayor Dr. Shahadat

Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain has said, effective initiatives will be taken to preserve historical sites associated with the memory of the Liberation War in Chattogram.

He said, all important sites related to the Liberation War including the Biplob Udyan, mass killing ground, the Kalurghat Radio Station, the Zia Memorial Museum, will be preserved and the correct history will be presented to future generations.

He said this while talking to journalists after laying wreaths at the mass killing ground memorial located on Zakir Hossain Road in Pahartali of Chattogram on the occasion of Genocide Day this afternoon.

The mayor said, work is being done to preserve the Liberation War sites spread across different parts of Chattogram.

He said, it is our moral responsibility to preserve the history of the Liberation War, the contributions of the valiant freedom fighters and the memories of the martyrs. If we cannot convey these histories to the new generation, we as a nation shall not be able to be free from responsibility.

The Mayor said, on the fateful night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani occupying forces carried out a brutal genocide on an unarmed nation through ‘Operation Searchlight’. At that time, Martyr President Ziaur Rahman gave courage to an aimless nation from Chattogram. The Liberation War began on his call. The history of declaring independence from the Kalurghat radio station and building resistance from the Biplob Udyan area is part of our pride.

He also said, preserving the real history of the Liberation War is now the demand of time. We still cannot know exactly how many real freedom fighters there were, how many were martyred. It is very important to publish an accurate gazette so that future generations are not confused.

Dr. Shahadat Hossain complained that in many cases, real freedom fighters were not properly evaluated in the past and unworthy people were recognised as freedom fighters. Those who actually fought, through whose sacrifices we got freedom, should be properly evaluated and respected.

Chattogram City Corporation Acting Chief Executive Officer and Secretary Md. Ashraful Amin, Chief Conservation Officer Captain Ikhtiar Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Chief Revenue Officer Sarwar Kamal, Chief Education Officer Dr. Kissinger Chakma, Chief Engineer Anisur Rahman, Chief Accounting Officer Humayun Kabir Chowdhury, Chief Health Officer Dr. Md. Imam Hossain Rana, along with departmental and branch heads, officers, employees and local people were present on the occasion.

Caption: Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain is laying wreath at the Pahartali Mass Killing Ground Memorial on the occasion of Genocide Day