Home after 81 years: Japan repatriates remains of 24 WWII soldiers’ from Cumilla
A seven-member Japanese forensic team begins exhuming skulls and bones
The serene atmosphere of the Mainamati War Cemetery in Cumilla, the final resting place of 738 World War II soldiers who died between 1941 and 1945, has been disrupted by renewed activity.
The cemetery is home to the remains of 357 soldiers from the UK, 171 from undivided India, 86 from West Africa, 56 from East Africa, 24 from Japan, 12 each from Canada and Australia, four from New Zealand, three from Rhodesia, and one each from South Africa, Myanmar, Belgium, and Poland.
Now, 81 years later, Japan has initiated the repatriation of the remains of 24 of its soldiers buried at the cemetery located near the Cumilla-Sylhet regional highway within the Cumilla Cantonment.
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A seven-member forensic team from Japan has started exhuming the remains, which include skulls and bones from different parts of the body.
Abdur Rahim, country administrator of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which maintains the cemetery, said, "A seven-member forensic team from Japan arrived in Cumilla and began their operations on 13 November.
"Among the 737 soldiers buried here, 24 are Japanese. The forensic team will complete the exhumation and repatriation process by 24 November."
Bir Protik Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Sajjad Ali Zahir, who is assisting the Japanese team, said, "The team comprises six Japanese forensic experts and one from the United States. These graves are over 81 years old, and we have already exhumed the remains of 10 individuals."
He added, "Given the passage of time, retrieving intact remains is rare. Some graves yield remains after digging three feet, while others require six feet. We have found skulls and bones in the excavated graves so far. In one grave, we discovered a bullet mark on the skull of a 28-year-old soldier."
In November each year, high commissioners and representatives of Commonwealth nations pay their respects at the cemetery.
On 9 November this year, diplomats from 13 countries laid floral tributes in remembrance of the fallen soldiers.
