Cold War Versus Civil War

By Kh. Atiar Rahman

As a Counter Part officer of FEEM (Finance for Economics and Economic Management) Course for Mid-level officers of Bangladesh Civil Service conducted by Financial Management Reform programme in collaboration with Financial Management Academy, I had an opportunity to visit Commonwealth War Cemetery of Comilla in 2006 in connection with a study tour. In my opinion, this cemetery inspires people to dedicate for the sake of truth, welfare and overall democratic hopes and aspiration.

Freedom is such a word with which a man can cherish to develop his lot in respect of cultivating mechanism of democratic institution as a faltering flow. If we look around the tomb, we will find the names of the world heroes of different castes and creed throughout the world. As a wordless bystander of world history, Commonwealth war cemetery is situated with its past magnificence at Mynamati of Comilla enthralling the ecstasy of loneliness under ever green natural beauties delimited by numerous plants, trees, grasslands and herbs. About uncountable attractions of the people, this memorial park has been engraved with respects and dignity. Even if, this world cemetery has added a new dimension of this glorified district towards heritage, culture and ritual of Bangladesh. Not only in Bangladesh, this historical cemetery has won the outstanding vision of the people all the way through out the whole world which whip the heart of the people in the sense that the heroes who had laid down their lives for the cause of egalitarianism and emancipation of the country are really the great men who have not well thought-out their self greediness rather they have dyed-in-the-wool their lives to run off with freedom from the despotic rulers.

Due to the gallant touch-wood of mammoth memories of World War II (1939-!945), the name of this historical cemetery has been spread far and near in due sense of honour and high esteem for such freedom fighter as they had dedicated their lives for the just cause of heroic deeds. They did not lag behind from the warfare thinking about their children, fathers and wives and their close kith and kin. They have never looked behind and never been deviated from their sacred duties to safeguard their mother land bedded on good faith, unity and trust with the creator. They have never made any breech of trust with the widespread people and their blood mixed with their reliance and philosophy of life. This memorial tomb is in times gone by momentous because the soldiers from different walks of life coupled together and fought in the battle turf. They died for the sake of freedom and success to establish democratic rights of the people. They are the symbols of national hero and the people from different countries of the world memorialize their painstaking life of war with acclamation bedded on praise and somber mood.

According to the accounts placed on the wall of the world cemetery, 736 soldiers have been buried here symbolizing their contribution in World War II for their courage, heroism and hardihood. The soldiers were from Russia, Japan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Burma and many other parts of the world. The carved names upon these necropolises are undoubtedly declaring their loyalties to establish equality and liberty of the people. We behold the tomb glittered with golden rays of the sun with cosmopolitan outlook and find unrestrained spiritual and eternal peace of life.