December is the month of our freedom which reminds us the bloody sacrifices of all class of people to achieve our freedom from Pakistan army in 1971. We feel proud of them who laid their lives to bring us Sonar Bangla. We are one of the brave nations on the earth who gave blood for protecting mother tongue in 1952, and for drawing a green, red map in the world in 9-month liberation war in 1971.
Bangladesh Agricultural University had great contribution to the liberation war and there are many places around the campus which bears the witness of the liberation war. During the days of the war of liberation in 1971, the teachers, students, officers and employees of the university responded to the call of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to join the war of liberation. At that time, Vice-chancellor QMF Rahim declared: "From now on this university will be named as 'Swadhin Bangladesh Krishi Bishwabidyalaya' [Independent Bangladesh Agricultural University]." Teachers, students, officers and employees of BAU joined the war and the university lost 18 members - one teacher, eleven students and six employees.
On 23 April, Pakistan army came by train and established their army camp at Sutiakhali in Mymensingh near university. On 23 and 24 April, they killed two employees of the university. University teachers, students, officers, and employees participated in the liberation war along with 30 lakh martyrs.
To memorialize the sacrifice in liberation war, BAU authorities built Bijoy 71' in front of Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin auditorium in the year 2000 of which Shaymal Chowdhury is the sculptor.
The memorial consists of three statues: a student, a woman and a farmer in which the woman holds a rifle on her backrest and extends a free hand as a call upon people, irrespective of their gender, to take part in the war with bravery; the student freedom fighter holds a rifle in one hand and a grenade in another upholding his hand which depicts the vigor of students with which they fought to free their beloved country from the clutches of the occupational forces; the statue of the farmer holds a flag aloft on top of his rifle, indicating the great victory of December 16, 1971.
A 'Genocide Plaque' was also built by BAU authorities near the Brahmaputra River where a large number of people were tortured and massacred during April to December in the liberation war.
Three halls of student residence have been named after freedom fighters that lost their lives in the war of liberation: Shaheed Shamsul Haque Hall, Shaheed Nazmul Ahsan Hall and Shaheed Jamal Hossain Hall.
Md Musfiqur Rahman Sifat is our BAU correspondent
