With the graves of 101 Liberation War martyrs, Kullapathar village in Kasba upazila under the district reminds us of the patriots’ supreme sacrifice for the country’s independence.
The bordering area remained a stronghold of freedom fighters during most of the Liberation War. The Pakistan troops made several failed attempts to capture this spot, a key strategic point of Liberation War in the eastern theatre.
On several occasions, the freedom fighters ambushed the Pak army at Salda Railway Bridge area when the enemy tried to enter Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Sunamganj and Sylhet zones through railway from Chittagong.
Guerrilla attacks by the freedom fighters made it a tough job for the occupation forces to move towards the areas.
Freedom fighters also engaged in quite a few face to face battles with the enemy troops at the key strategic point.
After a fierce battle on December 5 in 1971, valiant freedom fighters defeated the Pakistani troops and captured their goods and weapons from railway wagons. The next day, they declared Kashba a free area.
Fifty one freedom fighters sacrificed their lives in the fight. They were laid to eternal rest on a hillock donated by the family of freedom fighter Abdul Karim.
Decomposed bodies of 50 unidentified people including 33 men, 12 women and 5 children, who were killed by the Pakistani soldiers and their local collaborators during the previous few days in surrounding areas, were also buried there.
In honour of the martyrs, every year freedom fighters and local administration arrange programmes and place wreaths at the hilltop graveyard of Kullapathar.
The government has taken a project to preserve the area as a Liberation War memorial and work is on for the purpose.
Source: The Daily Star
