Spotlight

The story of an unknown fighter

Md. Zillur Rahman

IN 1971 the blue print of the Pakistani raiders to exploit the people of Bangladesh failed to the spontaneous struggle and endless sacrifices of the freedom fighters. The undaunted heroic sons of Bangladesh who fought against the Pakistani army are our pride. The history of Bangladesh was written by their hands. The country has honored the freedom fighters by various prestigious titles such as bir-uttom, bir-protik, bir-sreshttho etc.

But the freedom was not only achieved by the contribution of the enlisted freedom fighters; many unknown heroes have played a huge role as well. Can we honestly say that we have honored them properly? The unknown heroes who bet their life to save our country still have to fight with poverty and in this fight everyday they have to be defeated. Sri Ashok Chondro Das who is a cobbler in occupation was a freedom fighter. In 1971 he was about 17 years of age.

When the Pakistani army began their heinous genocide, he moved to India with his family and took shelter in Bonga, Helencha school refugee camp. He recruited himself in the Mukti bahini in Asokh Babu's comb factory in Simultola, India. First he got trained from 8, Talikhola training camp, India, under Capt. R.N Mukharji, and then from Chocolia training camp, Birvum, India. He joined the Sector 9 under Capt. M.A Monju. His first operation was in Lohagora in Norail district, Bangladesh. He fought on Platoon 9, which has lately been named Rustom Platoon in the memory of martyr Rustom.

After nine months long dreadful war Bangladesh became independent and Sri Ashok Chondro Das returned from the battlefield having a lot of hope that he wouldn't have to fight with misery anymore. But things did not turn out that way. After the liberation war everything around him has changed but his condition still remaing unchanged. When he got back home he found himself as a destitute. With the hope of a little place for shelter and food he rushed from door to door but fate didn't favour him. Now he has to maintain his family with his little income from cobbling. When he was asked to tell about his expectation from the country after 37 years of independence he replied “I got nothing when it was needed so I don't expect anything at the last stage of my life.”

Have we succeeded in paying tribute to the heroes of the liberation war?

(Photograph by Shibasish Biswas)