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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Shankharibazar massacre
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| map =
| map_caption =
| location = Shankharibazar, Dhaka, East Pakistan
| target = [[Bengali Hindus]]
| coordinates =
| date = 26–27 March 1971
| time =
| timezone = UTC+6:00
| type = [[massacre]]
| fatalities =
| injuries =
| perps = [[Pakistani Army]], [[Razakars (Pakistan)|Razakars]]
| weapons = Machine Guns, Rifles
| numparts =
}}

'''Shankharibazar massacre''' ({{lang-bn|শাঁখারীবাজার গণহত্যা}}) was a massacre of the Hindus of the [[Shankharibazar|Shankharibazar area]] of [[Old Dhaka]] on 26 March 1971 by the Pakistani occupation army.<ref name="rahman">{{cite news |first=Rashad |last=Rahman |script-title=bn:একাত্তরের শাঁখারীবাজার: নাম বদলে রাখা হয়েছিল টিক্কা খান রোড |url=http://www.dailykalerkantho.com/print_news.php?pub_no=366&cat_id=3&menu_id=82&news_type_id=1&index=8 |newspaper=Kaler Kantho |language=bn |access-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref> The survivors fled to the villages on the other side of the [[Buriganga]], in the region now known as [[Keraniganj Upazila|Keraniganj]]. [[Shankharibazar]] became deserted and dead bodies remained on the streets for quite a long time. The Pakistani establishment renamed the Shankharibazar Road to Tikka Khan Road.<ref name="schanberg">{{cite news |first=Sidney |last=Schanberg |title=Pakistan kills, enslaves to crush Bengali spirit |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=71XFh8zZwT8C&dat=19710719&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |newspaper=The Miami News |date=July 19, 1971 |access-date=February 18, 2022}}</ref>
{{Violence against Hindus in East Pakistan and Bangladesh}}

== Background ==
Shankharibazar is a Hindu locality in the heart of Old Dhaka. It is inhabited by the Shankharis, a [[Bengali Hindu]] caste still engaged in their traditional vocation of preparation of conch shell bangles from conch shells.

The Pakistani occupation army camped at the Jagannath College and Brahmo Samaj, very near to the Shankharibazar Road. During the Operation Searchlight, Shankharibazar became the prime target of the Pakistani army.

== Events ==
On the evening of 25 March, the Pakistani army took to the streets. They proceeded towards Sadar Ghat along the [[Nawabpur Road]]. At the crossing of Shankharibazar Road, they shelled a house, as a result of which a portion of the house got destroyed. Three people died in the shelling and five to six people were injured.<ref>{{cite book |script-title=bn:বাঙালির মুক্তিযুদ্ধে অন্তরালের শেখ মুজিব |last=Baidya |first=Kalidas |year=2005 |publisher=Karmakar Book Stall |location=Kolkata |language=bn |page=145}}</ref>

On the afternoon of 26 March, the Pakistani army attacked Shankharibazar.<ref>{{cite news |first=Umm ul Wara |last=Shampa |script-title=bn:অযত্ন-অবহেলায় শাঁখারীবাজারের মুক্তিযোদ্ধা স্মৃতিসৌধ |url=http://www.samakal.com.bd/details.php?news=79&view=archiev&y=2011&m=03&d=29&action=main&option=all&menu_type=crorpathro&pub_no=647&type= |newspaper=Samakal |date=March 29, 2011 |language=bn |access-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref> They entered premises no. 47 and killed the father and younger brother of the family. The elder brother Amar Sur, who survived the massacre fled through the narrow lane in the rear of the house. The military men ordered the residents to come out of their houses. Then they came out they were shot to death. The Pakistani army continued their killing spree in the premises of the locality and killed around 50 Hindus. More than 200 Hindus were injured in the assault. The houses were set on fire.<ref name="rahman"/> According to eyewitness accounts, 31 Hindus were killed in the residence of Chandan Sur alone. Chandan Sur was one of the established and influential men in the area. Before the elections, Khwaja Khairuddin of the Dhaka Nawab family had unsuccessfully tried to coerce Sur on his side. Khairuddin was contesting the elections against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It has been alleged that during the massacre, Khwaja Khairuddin led the Pakistani military to the residence of Chandan Sur.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ahmed |last=Safa |volume=4 |issue=38 |script-title=bn:পঁচিশে মার্চ ॥ ১৯৭১ : ঢাকায় যা দেখেছি যা শুনেছি |url=http://www.shaptahik.com/v2/?DetailsId=3323 |newspaper=Shaptahik |date=February 2, 2012 |language=bn|access-date=February 5, 2022}}</ref> According to Kalidas Baidya, 126 Hindus from the neighbourhood were rounded up in one house and shot to death.<ref>{{cite book |script-title=bn:বাঙালির মুক্তিযুদ্ধে অন্তরালের শেখ মুজিব |last=Baidya |first=Kalidas |year=2005 |publisher=Karmakar Book Stall |location=Kolkata |language=bn |page=147}}</ref>

== Aftermath ==
Shankharibazar became a deserted locality. The Pakistani occupation army and their local collaborators looted the gold, jewellery and furniture in the houses. The [[Bihari Muslims]] occupied the houses and settled in the locality. The Pakistani establishment renamed the Shankharibazar Road to Tikka Khan Road. The survivors returned to their locality after the liberation of Bangladesh. By then the entire locality was in ruins. The Shankharis had to start the struggle of life afresh.

== Memorial ==
In 1972, a memorial was erected on the eastern end of the Shankharibazar Road in memory of the victims of the Shankharibazar massacre. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman promised the family of the victims a compensation sum of 2,000 Taka, however the victim's family members haven't received any compensation till date. In 1997, on the occasion silver jubilee of Liberation of Bangladesh, the Shankharibazar published a souvenir where the names of the massacre victims were published.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Coord|23.7100|N|90.4097|E|region:BD_type:event|display=title}}
{{1971 Bangladesh genocide|state=expanded}}

[[Category:1971 in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Massacres in 1971]]
[[Category:1971 Bangladesh genocide]]
[[Category:Old Dhaka]]
[[Category:Massacres of Bengali Hindus in East Pakistan]]
[[Category:Massacres committed by Pakistan in East Pakistan]]
[[Category:March 1971 events in Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Massacres of Bengalis]]

Shankharibazar massacre - Revision history

Bot at 19:00, 1 June 2022