GENOCIDE IN THE LIBERATION WAR OF BANGLADESH AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS: A CASE STUDY ON GOPALPUR GENOCIDE

Abstract

Bangladesh was born as an independent state in 1971 following a bloody national Liberation War against Pakistan. Millions of people sacrificed their lives and many more were injured and uprooted from their houses. There are many characteristics of the Liberation war of Bangladesh, genocide being one of them. It is one of the most brutal, wellplanned and widespread genocides of the 20th century since World War II. Only in a period of nine months, Pakistani army along with their local collaborators killed 3 million people. Pakistani army established its control over the entire country and continued massacre. To be sure, an atrocious genocide took place in Bangladesh. This research paper will focus upon Gopalpur genocide in the Noakhali District of Bangladesh to examine the nature and characteristics of Bangladesh genocide in 1971. On 19 August 1971, Pakistani army killed many people in Gopalpur. Besides killing, Pakistani army raped many women, set fire on many houses and looted many valuable things on that very day. Local collaborators assisted Pakistani army in accomplishing these atrocious activities. The aim of this study is to find out how and why the genocide took place in Gopalpur. This study will enrich the Liberation War Studies of Bangladesh.