Name. Mosammat(Mrs) Hazera Bibi
Husband’s Name Shaheed Mofizuddin (Killed by Pakistan Army in 1971)
Vill Prankrishnapur, Union Putimara, P.O Putimara
P.S. Nababganj Dt. Dinajpur
Educational Qualification in 1971 Read up to Class V
Age in 1971 30/31 Yrs
Profession in 1971 Housewife, Present Occupation, Taking Care of the Family
Q What were you doing in 1971?
A What else could I do? Just a housewife and taking care of the children’s
education.
Q How many children did you have then?
A I had four, two boys and two girls.
Q What was your husband’s occupation?
A He was a school teacher.
Q In which school he was teaching?
A
Q Were you attacked by the Pakistani soldiers in 1971?
A Yes. Being afraid of them (Pakistan Army) we left our home and everything, and took refuge in relatives’ houses. The Pakistanis set fire to our homestead. They said they wouldn’t let us live in our own house. They tortured us and then we left our home.
Q. Where did you go?
A You see that meadow (pointing her finger in a certain direction) that’s where went.
Q
During the liberation war many people left for
A We didn’t go. All the village elders got together and decided that if we were to die,let us die here. We wouldn’t leave our village.
Q How did the Pakistani soldiers attack your village?
A. One day the Muktis (freedom fighters) killed some Punjabis (Pak soldiers) near our village. Two of the Muktis were from our village. Then the Punjabis raided our village. The day the Punjabis were killed, the same night they cordoned off our village. In the morning when they were passing by our home they dragged my husband out and asked him if he had a watch as they wanted to know the time and then pulled him by the shoulder and took him away.
Q Were you at home then?
A Yes.
Q Did they take him away pulling by the shoulder in front of you?
A Yes, they took him away. I was terribly shocked and I fell down on the ground.
Q What did they do to your husband after they took him away?
A They had taken many victims at the same spot.
Q Was your husband the only one to be killed on that day?
A No. All those who were bundled up there were killed. They also killed my husband. They didn’t kill any of my children.
Q Your sons were not killed?
A My sons were not killed.
Q In your family only your husband was killed?
A Yes, my husband was killed.
Q Where were you then?
A On that side. There is a pond and I was standing on the bank of the pond. There were several women, all crowded at the same spot.
Q All of you left?
A They created havoc! They set fire to everything, disgraced us and violated our honor. All the women left their homes for fear of repression.
Q What did you do then?
A We were in terrible distress. We went hungry, and with great hardship I managed to send our son through school.
Q After independence did you get any help from the government?
A Not much, I got only two thousand taka.
Q. Now your children are grown up?
A. Yes they are grown up.
Q With your children now are you…..?
A. Just managing to drag on.
(Interviewer Bhabendranath Barman)
Date of Interview