Historic 'Khapra Ward Day' observed in Rajshahi

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RAJSHAHI, April 24 (BSS): The historic Khapra Ward Day was observed in the city Saturday condemning the brutal killings of seven detained communist political prisoners.
According to records, on this day in 1950 the then on-duty jail police shot dead seven communist party leaders, who were detained in the Khapra Ward of Rajshahi Central Jail, when they had tried to protest the inhuman behaviour on the detainees, serving low quality food and depriving them from other requisite facilities allowed under the jail code by the then jail authorities.
The leaders killed were Bijon Sen, Sudhin Dhar, Anwar Hossain, Kamparam Shingh, Hanif Sheikh, Sukhen Bhattacharya and Delwar Hossain.
In observance of the day, a 24-member team of National Awami Party (NAP), Workers Party of Bangladesh (WPB) and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) separately placed wreaths at the Shaheed Minar in front of the Khapra Ward inside the jail.
They also observed one-minute silence there in memory of the slain leaders along with taking an oath of full implementation of their idealism and spirit.
Speaking on the occasion the leaders of the parties called for preserving the historic ward as library and museum after necessary repairs and maintenance.
Local unit of NAP also organised a discussion marking the day at its office.
Chaired by NAP city President Mosharraf Hossain Akunzi, the meeting was addressed, among others, by District President Mustafizur Rahman Khan Alam, District Secretary Saidul Islam and City Secretary Shafiar Rahman.