The massacre of Bengali Hindu Sanyasis - Another dark chapter of history that no one knows
The Pakistan Army occupied Faridpur and besieged it for nine months, holding it until the Bangladesh Liberation War was over.
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We all know what happened in the Palghar incident, where two sadhus were brutally killed by pro-Christian supporters, but do you know that it was not the first time innocent sadhus were targeted and brutally murdered? Let us turn the pages of history and throw some light on the untold darkest chapter of it.
On this day in 1971, the Pakistan Army committed one of the most heinous crimes against humanity during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The Faridpur Sanyasi Massacre saw the brutal killing of eight sanyasis who were chanting hymns in a temple in the town of Faridpur. It started from Sri Angan Ashram, located in the Golchamot locality of Faridpur town, in present-day Bangladesh. The Ashram was set up by Prabhu Jagadbandhu Sundar, a Hindu Vaishnava saint of the Mahanam sampradaya, in 1899.
The Pakistan Army occupied Faridpur and besieged it for nine months, holding it until the Bangladesh Liberation War was over. As the soldiers marched towards Faridpur, they stopped at the Sree Angan Ashram, where the sanyasis were performing kirtan in the prayer hall. The soldiers and their collaborators misinterpreted the chants of "Jaya Jagadabandhu Hari" as "Jai Bangabandhu", and accused the sanyasis of praying for the victory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The soldiers then pulled the sanyasis out of the prayer hall and made them stand in a line. Witnesses reported that the soldiers fired twelve shots, one by one, as the sanyasis chanted "Jaya Jagadabandhu Hari". Only one sanyasi managed to escape
— Ashwini Shrivastava (@AshwiniSahaya) April 21, 2023
The soldiers then pulled the sanyasis out of the prayer hall and made them stand in a line. Witnesses reported that the soldiers fired twelve shots, one by one, as the sanyasis chanted "Jaya Jagadabandhu Hari". Only one sanyasi managed to escape.
The soldiers and their collaborators then looted the ashram, taking valuables and cash. The next day, the corpses were taken away by a Faridpur Municipality truck, and five days later, the Pakistan Army destroyed the spire of the temple using dynamite. The holy ashes of Prabhu Jagatbandhu were found and transported in a basket past the enemy lines and to India by several of the monks, notably Nabakumar Brahmachari, who returned shortly after the death and the looting.
The Sree Angan Massacre serves as a grim reminder of the atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army and their collaborators during the Bangladesh Liberation War. It is estimated that over three million people were killed and thousands of women were raped during the nine-month war.
Today, we remember the sacrifice of the eight sanyasis who were killed for no fault of their own, and we honour the memory of all those who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom and justice. May their sacrifice never be forgotten. #SreeAnganMassacre