Demra massacre

LocationDemra, Pabna, East PakistanDate13 May 1971 (UTC+6:00)TargetBengali HindusMass murder, mass rapeWeaponsLight machine gunsDeaths800–900PerpetratorsPakistani Army, Razakars

Demra massacre (Bengali: ডেমরা গণহত্যা) in Bangladesh was the massacre of unarmed Hindu residents of the villages under Demra Union in present-day Faridpur Upazila in Pabna District by the Pakistan Army aided by local collaborators on 13 May 1971. It is estimated that 800–900 people were killed in a single day.^[1][2] Rape and plunder were also carried out, and temples, schools and houses were set on fire.^[1]

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Violence against Hindus in East Pakistan and Bangladesh
Issues
Religious persecution Ethnic relations Freedom of religion Religious violence Secularism Religious intolerance
Incidents after 1947 - East Pakistan
1950 Barisal Riots 1962 Rajshahi massacres 1964 East-Pakistan riots Sitakunda massacre Anderson Bridge massacre Muladi massacre
Incidents in 1971
Adityapur massacre Akhira massacre Bagbati massacre Baria massacre Barguna massacre Bhimnali massacre Dakra massacre Demra massacre Dhapdhup massacre Gabha Narerkathi massacre Galimpur massacre Golahat massacre Hasamdia massacre Ishangopalpur massacre Jandi massacre Jathibhanga massacre Jogisho and Palsha massacre Ketnar Bil massacre Krishnapur massacre Nikli massacre Pomara massacre Ramna massacre Satanikhil massacre Sendia massacre Shankharibazar massacre Shankharikathi massacre Sree Angan massacre Suryamani massacre Sutrapur massacre
Incidents after 1971 - Bangladesh
1989 Bangladesh pogroms Nidarabad murder case 1990 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence 1992 Bangladesh violence 2014 Bangladesh anti-Hindu violence 2016 Nasirnagar Violence 2021 Bangladesh communal violence
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Background

When the Pakistani army spread out from Dhaka towards the districts as a part of the Operation Searchlight, the people began to flee their homes. The Hindus began to flee Bangladesh and take refuge in neighbouring India. On their way they had taken shelter in the remote village of Baushgari in Demra union.^[2]

Events

The Pakistani army, led by the local collaborators entered the area through the Boral river and then cordoned off the Baushgari and Rupsi villages.^[3] One collaborator named Asad led the Pakistani troops to the Baushgari village. In the nightfall, the men were dragged out of their houses and made to stand in a line, while the women were raped in front of them by the Pakistani troops with the help of the collaborators. After that both the men and women were shot to death and their houses were set on fire. A few survivors interred the charred remains of the bodies in a mass grave the next morning.^[4] Around 350 Hindus were killed in Baushgari village.^[2]

Investigation

An 11-member team from the International Crimes Tribunal investigated the Demra massacre in 2010. The team was led by Sayed Rejaur Rahman, one of the prosecutors of the tribunal.^[2] The investigators visited the killing spots in Baushgari village and interviewed the witnesses to the war crimes.^[2] In their investigation they found Motiur Rahman Nizami guilty of masterminding the massacre.^[2] Nizami was convicted and executed by hanging in 2016.^[5]

References