Bot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.

2021-10-24T06:39:06Z

robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.

New page

{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Sendia massacre <br />সেনদিয়া হত্যাকান্ড
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| map = {{Location map|Bangladesh|lat=23.20|long=90.00|caption=}}
| map_caption =
| location = Sendia, Faridpur, [[East Pakistan]]
| target = [[Bengali Hindus]]
| coordinates =
| date = 20 May 1971
| time =
| timezone = UTC+6:00
| type = [[Massacre]]
| fatalities = 127
| injuries =
| perps = Pakistani army
| weapons = Light machine guns
| numparts =
}}

'''Sendia massacre''' ({{lang-bn|সেনদিয়া হত্যাকান্ড}}) was a massacre of unarmed [[Bengali Hindus]] in Sendia village in undivided Faridpur district on 20 May 1971 by the Pakistan Army.<ref name="ad22122012">{{cite news |date=22 December 2012 |script-title=bn:মাদারীপুরে গণকবর সংরক্ষণের উদ্যোগ নেই |newspaper=Amar Desh |location=Dhaka |language=bn}}</ref><ref name="jjdin23122012">{{cite news |last=Chakraborty |first=Nripendranath|date=23 December 2012|script-title=bn:শত শহীদের রক্তেভেজা মাদারীপুর রাজৈরের চারটি গ্রাম |url=http://www.jjdin.com/?view=details&archiev=yes&arch_date=23-12-2012&feature=yes&type=single&pub_no=336&cat_id=3&menu_id=72&news_type_id=1&index=2 |newspaper =Jai Jai Din |language=bn |access-date=22 October 2013|location=Dhaka}}</ref><ref name="dd21032010">{{cite news |last=Chakraborty |first=Nripendranath |date=21 March 2010 |script-title=bn:৭৬ জন নারী ৩৯ বছর ধরে অন্ধকারে |url=http://www.dainikdestiny.com/index.php?view=details&type=main&cat_id=1&menu_id=46&pub_no=195&news_type_id=1&index=1&archiev=yes&arch_date=21-03-2010 |newspaper=Dainik Destiny |location=Dhaka |language=bn |access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref><<ref name="u71n19052013">{{cite news |date=19 May 2013 |script-title=bn:আজ মাদারীপুর সেনদিয়া গণহত্যা দিবস |url=http://uttaradhikar71news.com/news/?id=2621 |work=uttaradhikar71news.com |language=bn |access-date=22 October 2022}}</ref> 127 [[Bengali Hindu]] men, women and children were killed in the massacre. The killers did not spare even the pregnant women, children or the elderly people. 76 out of the 127 victims were women.<ref name="dd21032010"/>
{{Violence against Hindus in East Pakistan and Bangladesh}}

== Background ==
At present, the village of Sendia falls under Khalia Union of [[Rajoir Upazila]] in [[Madaripur District]] under [[Dhaka Division]]. Sendia is just {{convert|24|km}} from the [[Madaripur District]] headquarters.<ref name="ad22122012"/> In 1971, [[Madaripur District]] was a sub-division under the undivided Faridpur District. At that time, there were very less motorable roads and hence the waterways constituted the main thoroughfares of the region. Steamers and country boats were the primary modes of transport.<ref name="jjdin23122012"/> The region around Sendia in [[Rajoir Upazila]] was the birthplace of eminent [[Bengali Hindu]] political leaders of yore like [[Ambica Charan Mazumdar]], [[Gour Chandra Bala]], [[Phani Bhushan Majumder|Phani Bhusan Majumdar]] among others. Historically, the present [[Rajoir Upazila]] had always been a Hindu majority region. During the [[Operation Searchlight]], the Pakistan Army had set up an army camp at Tekerhat steamer station, in [[Rajoir Upazila]].<ref name="jjdin23122012"/>

== Killings ==
The date of the incident in various accounts is given as 5 Jaistha 1378 in the Bengali calendar, which is either 19 May or 20 May 1971 depending on whether it is the traditional Bengali calendar or standardized Bengali calendar. On the day of the incident at around 9{{&nbsp}}AM, a contingent of the Pakistan Army from the Tekerhat army camp, set out in a launch and got down at Bhennabari, presently under [[Gopalganj District, Bangladesh|Gopalganj District]].<ref name="jjdin23122012"/> They started firing and arson at Char Chamta and proceeded through Kadambari Union under [[Madaripur District]] and resorted to a massacre at Ullabari.<ref name="jjdin23122012"/><ref name="dd21032010"/> From there they proceeded towards Sendia, firing indiscriminately and committing arson along the way.<ref name="jjdin23122012"/>

At around 4{{nbsp}}PM, the Pakistani Army along with their collaborators arrived in Sendia village. The Hindus from the nearby villages of Khalia, Palita and Chhatianbari villages took shelter the sugarcane fields in Sendia, after hearing gunshots. When the Pakistan Army entered Sendia, it was almost deserted. The Pakistani soldiers and their local collaborators looted the village and set it on fire. One elderly woman was burnt alive.<ref name="jjdin23122012"/><ref name="u71n19052013"/> The remaining villagers were taken captives, blind folded and hands tied, they were tortured to death at six different spots in the village.<ref name="u71n19052013"/> When the army contingent was about to leave, a goat's cry blew up the villagers cover in the sugarcane fields.<ref name="ad22122012"/><ref name="jjdin23122012"/> The Pakistan Army opened fire from their semi-automatic weapons killing more than a hundred [[Bengali Hindus]] on the spot.<ref name="dd21032010"/> Six days later five more persons were killed. Later, the survivors buried the dead bodies in six mass graves.

== Aftermath ==
A four-month-old child that had survived the massacre while its parents had died was adopted by Father Marino Reagan, from a Christian mission located at Baniarchar, now in [[Gopalganj District, Bangladesh|Gopalganj District]].<ref name="jjdin23122012"/> Reagan later took the child to the United States, where he raised him.<ref name="jjdin23122012"/> In 2009, he took the initiative to construct a plaque commemorating the victims that was inaugurated by Marino Reagan.

On 28 March 2010, a case was filed against BNP leader Moni Howlader, Mohammed Rafique Howlader and Sarwar Howlader and another dozen of unnamed armed Razakars at the Madaripur District Chief Judicial Magistrate Court.<ref name="rt28032010">{{cite news |date=28 March 2010 |script-title=bn:মাদারীপুরে বিএনপি নেতা মনি হাওলাদারসহ ৩ রাজাকারের বিরুদ্ধে মামলা |url=http://www.redtimesbd.com/details.php?id=13179 |work=REDTIMESBD |language=bn |access-date=23 October 2022}}</ref> In the case file, the accused has been mentioned for their direct involvement in the Sendia massacre.<ref name="rt28032010"/>

== Memorial ==
As of 2012, no initiatives were taken by the government to restore mass graves. Residential buildings have come up above two of the graves.<ref name="ad22122012"/> The remaining four are also on the verge of destruction.<ref name="ad22122012"/>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{1971 Bangladesh genocide|state=expanded}}

{{Coord|23.20|N|90.00|E|region:BD_type:event|display=title}}

[[Category:1971 Bangladesh genocide]]
[[Category:Massacres of Bengali Hindus in East Pakistan]]
[[Category:1971 in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Madaripur District]]
[[Category:Massacres in 1971]]
[[Category:Massacres committed by Pakistan in East Pakistan]]
[[Category:May 1971 events in Bangladesh]]

Sendia massacre - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.