Today is the dreaded Black Night of March 25th, National Genocide Day. It was on this night in 1971 that the darkest shadow of death descended upon the land of Bengal.
One of the most brutal massacres in the history of the world took place on our beloved homeland.
At midnight, the barbaric Pakistani invading forces, equipped with modern weapons, pounced upon unarmed Bengalis across the country, including in Dhaka.
The genocide of March 25th was not just a night of killing; it marked the beginning of one of the most cowardly, shameful genocides in the history of human civilization.
In memory of this day, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has declared a blackout from 10:30 PM to 10:31 PM tonight.
According to Australia's Sydney Morning Herald, nearly 100,000 people were killed in Bangladesh on the night of March 25, one of the most horrific events in the history of genocide.
Over the next nine months, in a bid to annihilate a nation, 3 million innocent men, women, and children were killed by the barbaric Pakistani forces and their collaborators, completing this vile chapter.
Their acts of genocide, rape, looting, and arson fit perfectly into the definition of genocide as outlined in the historical 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.
American journalist Robert Payne wrote about March 25th night, stating that "7,000 people were killed that night, and 3,000 more were arrested."
The Pakistani forces’ massacre operation was known as "Operation Searchlight." Ignoring the path to peaceful resolution, President Yahya proceeded with the blueprint to kill Bengalis.
Torture, oppression, savagery, brutality, and violence spread terror throughout the city of Dhaka. On March 11, 2017, the National Parliament unanimously passed the proposal to observe March 25th as National Genocide Day.
The world stood shocked as it witnessed the rampage of the Pakistani forces. In medieval-style brutality, the invaders unleashed a massacre at places like Rajarbagh Police Lines, Pilkhana EPR Headquarters, Dhaka University, and throughout the city, setting fire to buildings.
Nine teachers, including Dr. Gobindachandra Deb, Dr. Jyotirmoy Guha Thakurta, Professor Santosh Bhattacharya, and Dr. Moniruzzaman, were brutally murdered. On this very night, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested.
He called upon the people to rise up and liberate the country. The tragic events of March 25th shook the entire nation.
The mass shooting of defenseless people did not silence the voices of freedom fighters. The horrific events of that night inspired the Bengali people to leap into the struggle for liberation.
At 6:45 PM today, a lighting ceremony will be held at the Central Shaheed Minar, organized by the Bangladesh Folk Music Coordination Council, in memory of the martyrs of the Black Night of March 25.
Additionally, at 10:00 AM, there will be a memorial program at the Shayanat Auditorium with solo songs, group songs, readings, and dance performances. The Bangla Academy will organize a seminar at 3:00 PM at its Abdul Karim Literary Auditorium to observe Genocide Day.
