Some memories of independence 31
 
 Razakar Ataur Rahman and Ahmed Ali Jabd / We have to do
 

 After the Pak army left the camp, the Razakars or other allied forces were left in disarray.  There is no one left to protect them.  You have to choose your own security.  Today's topic is about a man who was known as a razakar in the area and also had a reputation as a good man.  Ataur Rahman Mollah of Sahebnagar, the eldest of 3 brothers.  They had a grocery store on the opposite side of the road in front of the house on the bank of Damushkandi Beel.  Lots of big ones and lots of accessories.  The retailers in the area used to buy and sell items from that shop.  Very faithful people, many poor illiterate people of the area used to keep their hard earned money as collateral with Ataur instead of the bank.  He never embezzled anyone's money.  Prayers have never been lazy in words.  That person became a Razakar.  I heard that he left his home and lived in the army camp.

 I don't know what did good or bad for the area, but there are rumors that he came to raid Kazipur from time to time with the Pak army.  So as soon as the Pak army left Bamandi, Ataur Mollah decided not to come to Sahebnagar but to go to Meherpur.  Although Meherpur was not a big city at that time, it was an unfamiliar, unfamiliar place to many.  He may have chosen the city of Meherpur thinking it would take time to find him.  Who knows, I climbed the tree in fear of the tiger, the ghost said I got near.  A large mango orchard on the right to go straight to Kalibazar from Meherpur Wapda junction.  A short walk to the front is now a mosque near the SP office.  Friday.  Ataur Mollah went there to offer Jumma prayers.  How did the news reach the ears of Mujib Bahini Commander Mofazzal Haque.  Suddenly I don't know why Mujib was with Bahini member Abdul Quader Mofazzal Haque that day.  The two of them hurried to the mosque and offered to bring Ataur with them.  Quader had a rifle in his hand.  Ataur agreed to leave with Mofazzal without any objection.

 Mofazzal Haque and Kader came to Dighirpara village, finished their meal at their sister's house and left for Karamdi.  At that time the number of buses on the Meherpur Kushtia line was very negligible, so they decided to reach Brajnath on foot.  Not to mention an incident here.  Ataur had a watch in his hand.  Unfortunately, Kader took the watch.  Ataur also had some gold ornaments.  Mofazzel made a list of them and signed both.  Ataur's wife took refuge in one of Attiya's houses in Raipur after the war.  Mofazzal later returned the jewelry to Ataur's wife and signed the paper.  The question here is how did Ataur get those jewels?  Did he get any prediction that Bangladesh is going to be independent?  That's why he brought the jewels from home earlier and kept them with him.  But he is a man, these should be with his wife.  Or it may be that a trusted man from Ataur brought the jewels from home and gave them to her, but he did not have time to give them to his wife.  (Providing information; Mofazzal Haque)

 Kader is always in a fierce mood, he doesn't even know what to say.  As he approached the Pagla Bridge between Karamadi and Palashipara villages, Quader aimed his rifle at Ataur.  And at that very moment, Mofazzal grabbed the barrel of Kader's rifle and turned it towards the sky.  Quader has already pressed the trigger of the rifle.  The bullet pierced the sky and went to an unknown place, freeing itself from a great danger.  But Kader's anger did not stop.  He suddenly punched Ataur a few times in the body and threatened to cut off his ear when he reached Brajnathpur.  However, Kader was later pardoned.

 

 Brother Ashraf and I were then in Brajnathpur.  Our first meeting with Ataur.  The news has already spread around.  Many people are coming to see Ataur, different people have different opinions, and that may be the case.  Ashraf Bhai's father was then the chairman of Kazipur Union.  He also came to see, along with some other people.  Jake's Faraji also came.  They asked us to resolve the matter peacefully.

 

 We members of Mujib Bahini sat in the meeting.  What can be done with Ataur.  One of our troops offered to shoot and kill him, but some of us did not agree.  The second proposal is to keep him disabled for life by shooting him in the leg.  We also do not agree with that proposal.  Because we are not responsible for judging any person.  Society or the state did not give us that responsibility.  Besides, we don't have that wisdom.  What right do we have to rob a person of his life?  Have we investigated his crimes?  I assume he has committed a crime, but is that crime worth hanging?  As the crime is of different sizes, the punishment is also legally determined according to the level of crime.  One of our mistakes can destroy a family, a wife can lose her husband and become a widow at a young age, a child can lose his father, a mother can lose her son, have I ever thought about these things?  Our responsibility is to make the country independent, in which case no one will stand on the wood even if his own life or the life of the enemy is in danger.  Because the battlefield means fighting, fighting.  No individual is responsible for the damage here, the institution is responsible, in some cases the government or the state.  In that case there will be no regrets for yourself.  In the end, the decision was made to keep Ataur in the custody of Gangni police station.  Then at least his life will be safe.  He will be punished according to the level of crime.  If we let him go, someone will kill him out of anger.  Because at that time there was no rule of law, on the other hand there was violence of arms.  Such a situation is not uncommon in a newly independent country.  We refrained from taking the law into our own hands.

   

 Ashraf Bhai Ataur of Kazipur and I set off on foot on the way to Gangni, passing through Bhomardaha.  Earlier, news came from Murad Master of Naodapara that we should go to the house of Azizul Master of Karamdir on our way to Gangni.  Going there, I saw Ahmed Ali Master of Betbaria High School sitting.  He is also a Razakar like Ataur Rahman.  He also had to be taken along.  On our way, a man from Bhomardaha village came to know that we were freedom fighters.  He suggested to us that he had lent some money to a person a long time ago, but that person did not repay the money despite repeated urgings.  If we collect his money, he will give us half share.  Definitely a tempting offer.  Instead we offered to go to the police station with us.  He was very surprised and finally apologized.

 

 We reached Gangni police station.  The then OC was an old and very funny gentleman.  The name is Sarwar Hossain.  We used to call him uncle.  I talked openly with the OC about Ataur and Ahmed Ali.  Mr. OC said I can take Ataur, but on one condition.  But you have to take care of his food.  Luckily, one of Ataur's brothers, Habibur Rahman, lived in Gangni for a long time.  At that time there was no telephone, so we physically went to Habib's house and opened the matter and said, my own brother, so he agreed to one thing.  I was somewhat reassured that we were able to unload a huge burden.

 

 He was sent from Gangni police station to Meherpur jail, but he never took the news of how long he had to stay in Gangni and how long he had to stay in Meherpur, because we have finished our duty, he thinks there is no need to go beyond that.

 

 An incident many days after I came to Japan.  I went to the country and found out that one of our relatives from Sahebnagar had died.  I went to his janaza, to meet Ataur Rahman there.  I don't know if he recognized me, or if he did, but he was ashamed to talk to me.  However, I was not mentally ready to introduce myself.  If I had introduced him, he might have been ashamed to think of his past or he would have thanked me.  But these are events of the past.  I heard that the gentleman thanked me in front of my brothers.

 

  Let's end here today