The unfortunate people who carry the wounds of the war

How much does the liberation war or even the word 'freedom' mean to the people who lost their limbs at the hands of the Pakistani forces in 1971?

The amputees have been suffering for more than half a century. 

If we talk about Jobed Ali from Gazipur village of Burichong upazila, Abdul Halim from Baradushia village of Brahmanpara upazila, or Asia Khatun from Bayek village of Kasba upazila, we can see how difficult their lives have turned out.

Jobed Ali, along with his fellow freedom fighters, used to supply boxes of bullets to the battlefields. He lost a leg in a landmine explosion, planted by the Pakistani force on the retreat. The tragedy had cost him his livelihood.

After liberation, a life of endless struggle began for Jobed Ali. His eldest daughter – who was tortured by her husband – committed suicide as Jobed Ali failed to pay dowries to his son-in-law. Before the wound of losing his first child healed, fate struck him again soon. One morning, Jobed Ali and his wife woke up to find their other daughter dead. A bottle of insecticide was lying next to her bed.

The life story of Abdul Halim bears some resemblance to Jobed Ali. In 1971, he also used to carry boxes of ammunition for use in battlefields. When the northern part of Cumilla was cleared of the enemy, he became restless to return home to his foster father's house at Baradushia village.  While he was crossing a crop field, leaving the Mandabagh station at the Indian border, one of his legs was severed in a landmine blast.

After spending about six months in Agartala GB Hospital, Abdul Halim returned to the country. At his foster father's place, he made a small house in one corner of the yard with tins obtained as a relief. When I visited him several years ago, he still lived in that house – now very shabby. One daughter of his passed away without proper medical treatment. And his wife – to whom inhalers provided only momentary relief – suffered from a respiratory disease.

Asia Khatun was only 14 years old in 1971. Thousands of people were crossing into the Indian border as refugees through their village. The Indian border was just a few miles away from his house, just on the other side of the neighbouring village of Chankhola. Her family – consisting of her parents and seven siblings – did not leave for India. They thought they had enough time to prepare an escape in case of a Pakistani invasion.

But all good hopes were shattered in the presence of the Pakistani army. Not only did they come out of the blue, but they also ran rampant in the whole village. Unspeakable atrocities were committed by Pakistanis in Asia's house.

This was around the Bangla month 'Boishakh'. She remembers the date; it was the 5th, and was probably a Friday. She was yet to have breakfast. As it was a hot summer day, everyone was scattered here and there. Some of them already went to the crop field. The rest would follow them soon after breakfast.

Nobody could imagine that the Pakistani force would come close in such a short time. They came from the north, where the Indian border lies, meaning the option to flee to India is closed. It was not safe to go south either. In a very short time, 25 to 30 armed men with heavy weaponry sieged her house by encircling it. 

She tried to escape as best as she could. The mud house of Asia's family was quite big where almost all of the people from her neighbourhood gathered. They closed the door after their entrance. There would be at least 60 to 70 people. Everyone was praying – there was no other way for them to survive except the Almighty alone.

The crowd of people remained as silent as possible. Nothing could be heard except the sound of people breathing. It felt like midnight to her. In the meantime, there was a knock on the door. Everyone started praying. After a few heavy bangs, the door came off its hinges and fell inside the room.

About half a dozen soldiers entered the room. They asked whether they were Muslims or not. Then their rifles were at hand and started shooting one after another. Asia was shot in both legs.

Her mother Ratna was shot in the neck. She fell down on Asia – her face covered in her mother's blood. Asia wanted to sit up but could not feel her legs.   

One by one, her father Taiyab Ali, grandfather Naib Ali and brothers – Shahjahan, Mirjahan and Dulal Mia – fell on the ground beside her. They all were shot. There was no response from any of them. Even then she did not realise that they all were dead.

The survivors were reciting 'kalima tayyiba'. Some of the people who were shot asked for water. Even her mouth had dried up. The situation in the room turned into a living hell. In less than fifteen minutes or so, the killers left. Asia saw that people who survived the bullets were running about the house madly. She tried her best, but could not move an inch.

She saw one of her neighbours with one hand severed from the body. Her mother had no sense but she could understand that she was alive. Those who were slightly injured and were able to walk started to leave the house.

There were lots of dead bodies in the room. Nobody got any clue what to do next. Some villagers came forward to evacuate a couple of dead bodies. Asia and her mother kept lying there for three days. Amid the rotten smell of dead bodies, the few survivors left there starved. Asia lost any hope of survival.

However, on the third day, her maternal grandfather came to the rescue. He came with some Mukti Bahini members. They took the initiative to evacuate the wounded from there without fighting against the Pakistani forces. They were taken to Konaban in India with bamboo-made stretchers and ropes.

A man named Prasanna Babu arranged some food for them and helped them to reach Agartala GB Hospital. They were treated in that hospital. When the country became independent, they returned to Bangladesh. But Asia could not enjoy the joy of freedom. Upon returning, she found several skeletons in the house.

It was impossible to know which belonged to whom. The local clerics offered funeral prayers and buried the bones on the bank of a nearby pond. According to Asia, 22 members of her family lost their lives in the fateful encounter with the Pakistani murderers. Altogether 39 were found dead, the rest of the dead bodies were her neighbours. While they were martyred, she was left to suffer. The same goes for her mother – now a centenarian woman who has been bedridden for several years.

The war is long over. But her struggle continues. After independence, she was married off. Her husband passed away leaving behind a mentally disabled son. He is unable to earn for the family. Sometimes, when the situation worsens, he is locked in the house and left to beg in the streets.

Asia has been struggling to go out for alms recently. Pus has started oozing from her bullet-ridden leg. An X-ray report shows that there is still something of a bullet or splinter remaining in her leg. The doctor has suggested amputating the leg. But how would she work on one foot?

Rather she is happy with the medication suggested by the doctor as a temporary treatment. At least, she is satisfied with the fact that some people are helping her with her treatment. She only gets Tk500 as a widow allowance. At the same time, she is trying to get a disability allowance for her son who cannot work.