I’m Sorry…………..25th February 2009

I’m Sorry that one day you came back from school and heard that you had become an orphan.

I’m Sorry that the body of your beloved father, so smart and upright in his immaculate army uniform, was found mutilated in the sewage waters.

I’m Sorry that your mother; an epitome of dignity; was dragged out of her house, gang raped, bayoneted to death and then dumped – wrapped up in the curtains of your very own house. 

I’m Sorry that your brother, who promised to keep you safe all these years, phoned you to say goodbye before he was shot and burnt alive in his car.

I’m Sorry that your little sister, an 11 year old angel, is now fighting for her life at CMH; a victim of barbaric abuse and gang rape.

I’m Sorry that your husband, whom you married for better or for worse, bled to his death at that very place where he began his life with you – BDR Darbar Hall.

I’m Sorry that your husband, who had always been so warm and loving to you, is now stiff, grey and dead, a bullet hole through his chest where you used to lay your head.

I’m Sorry that you had to look at the face of your dead husband, not recognize his mutilated body and then only be able to identify him by the key he carried in his wallet.

I’m Sorry that your baby, kicking around inside of you, will never get to see his father and only have his photographs to grow up with.

I’m Sorry that your wife, glowing with the happiness of having your baby inside of her, was found sprawled on a bed of blood; your unborn baby’s eyes closed forever before he could even open them once.

I’m Sorry that your little son is now struck dumb – he lived through hell and was witness to so much abuse, that now he has no more words left.

I’m Sorry that you were forced to hid away for two days, forced to hear the dying cries of your brothers, forced to save yourself with the blood of your respected mentor and forced to watch him die.

I’m Sorry that your friends and junior colleagues, so happy and festive just a day before, now lies in a ditch, dead, along with all your other friends.

I’m Sorry that the man who came over to your house just to have a taste of your pickles, can taste no more – he is dead too.

I’m Sorry that your cousins were hunted out, dragged out, smoked out like rats – only to be shot and flung away like used tissue paper.

I’m Sorry that in just 33 hours, you had to live through the 71 Liberation War and emerge shattered or dead from this ordeal.

I’m Sorry that while your family bled, cried and went through 33 hours of hell – we couldn’t do anything but stare on aghast.

I’m Sorry that we couldn’t save your loved ones, take decisions that would have brought back more than the 33 who returned alive.

I’m Sorry that I can’t promise you justice for that day when the blood ran in the houses, offices, halls and down the sewage lines.

And I’m Sorry that within a few days, we will pick up the tattered thread of our lives and carry on…

While for you, though still alive, life had ended on that morning of February 26th, 2009.