February 10, 1950 East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh): Prof. Jatin Das’s Story Prof Jatin Das, who originally lived in Sylhet, got a job in Kishorgung College as a Philosophy Prof. He rented a place in Kishorgung and decided to move there on February 10, 1950 with his family; that included himself (57), his wife Lilavati (45), his son Gautam (24), son Manju (18), another son Bappa (14) and two other small children. They climbed the train, but the luggage was left behind. It was decided that Gautam would join them the next day with all the luggage. All the compartments were reserved for the military, only the compartment that was carrying Jatin Das had ordinary passengers. In this compartment, everyone was Muslim except Prof. Jatin Das’ family and one Avinash Bhttacharya of Brahmanberia, his wife, and their 3 year old daughter. At that time a train came from Dhaka and stood side by side with this train in which Prof. Jatin Das was going. Some of the compartments in the other train were blood stained. Seeing the other train, Lilavati was astounded and asked a Muslim youth what that meant. That young Muslim man gestured her to be silent and to get down in Brahmanberia station. Prof. Jatin Das and his family tried to get out of the train at Brahmanberia, but it was impossible, as the compartment was too crowded and the Muslims were all standing by the door. They tried to get down but could not and the train started. The train arrived in Tal-city and stopped where two Muslims wearing Ansaruniforms (fighters for Islam) came into the compartments. First, they attacked Avinash Bhatacharya, killed him, and threw him out of the train. His wife and the child were crying and begging others to help. They took all of his wife’s jewelry. Some Muslim women also started crying, but the Muslim men told them, “Muslims have nothing to fear”. The two Ansars proceeded towards Prof. Jatin Das’s family. His wife Lilavati appealed to them to take all the jewelry and spare their lives. Prof. Jaitn Das said, “I am Pakistani, please do not kill me.” The Ansars threw him out of the window and also killed his 14 year old son. The Muslim passengers in the train were shouting “Allahu Akbar”, while all of these are going on. The Ansars started torturing his son Manju (18) severely. He held on to their feet and begged them to save his life. The train stopped in Ashugung. Prof Jatin Das and his son Bappa’s body was left in an unknown place, Manju’s corpse laid on the floor of the train compartment, the other children were half dead. The train arrived in Bhairavbazar. Lilavati with her two small children, descended from the train and with the other children told the rail police abut their ordeal and appealed to them to search for her husband and son. The cops said, that they had no jurisdiction over Meghna river that the train crossed so they cannot do anything. The helpless woman shelled out some money and someone reached them to Kishorgung, where her husband got the job as a College teacher. Again, she had to shell out money and she and the children were dropped off at the house of the Principal of Kishorgung College. Prof Jatin Das and his son have not been found till today.
https://archive.org/details/1950-roktoronjito-dhaka-barisal-ebong/page/n7/mode/2up, p, 63, translated by Rinita Mazumdar, Ph.D.
