Witness Statements of Bangladesh Genocide, 1971: A Study on Sonaimuri Genocide

ABSTRACT: Bangladesh emerged as an Independent country following the Liberation War against Pakistan in1971. Only in a period of nine months,Pakistani army along with their local collaborators killed 3 millionpeople, raped more than 2,00,000 women and 10 million people fled from the country and became refugees.Thus the Pakistani army carried out genocide in Bangladesh. In 1971, thePakistani army carried out atrociousgenocide in a planned way in the whole country. In particular, the paper chooses a case on Sonaimuri genocidein Noakhali district which is a remote area of Bangladesh. On 22 April, 17 May and 26 May thePakistani armycarried out genocide and killed many people at the villages of Alekpara, Nautola and Battagram in SonaimuriUpazila. Besides killing, Pakistani army also set fire on many houses and looted many valuable things duringthose days. The local collaborators assisted Pakistani army in accomplishing theseatrocious activities.The aim ofthis paper is to find out the brutality of the Pakistani army based on the information obtained from theeyewitnesses of that genocide. It would enrich the history of the Liberation War of Bangladesh.

Key Words:Bangladesh, Liberation War,Genocide, Sonaimuri, Eyewitness