By Farzana Haque Sarna:
It was a gloomy evening on August 24, 1971, at the Sub-Registrar Office of Gandail Union under Kazipur Upazila in Sirajganj. Dhirendra Nath Roy, Union Sub-Registrar, sheltered the Freedom Fighters at his office. It brought a painful death to his door on that very evening. There was hurdle outside, Dhirendra Nath Roy saw Freedom Fighter Gopal Chandra walking around with a gun on his shoulder. Direndra Nath smelled something wrong, and it was right that local collaborators (Razakars) informed about sheltering Freedom Fighters at Sub-Registrar Office. Suddenly, a group of Pakistani occupation army with heavy arms entered the compound and shot freedom fighter Gopal Chandra dead outside. It was serious chaos all around. The occupation army stormed into Dhirendra’s office and took four persons along with Dhirendra Nath to the bank of Jamuna River.
The Jamuna cried a loud but the four brave souls didn’t bend to the Pakistani wolves. However, The were shot dead on the bank of Jamuna River. There was Mansur, the cook at Union Sub-Registrar, who managed to flee and reached the information to Dhrendra Nath’s family about the abduction by Pakistani occupation army on August 25, 1971. The man who sheltered other Freedom Fighters and sacrificed his own life for that is still to get the recognition from the government.
Sub-Registrar Dhrendra Nath Roy and Suhasini Roy got married in 1950 and they had seven children. Dhrendra Nath left them all alone in the midst of war. Dhirendra Nath Roy was born on September 17, 1929 at Vasudebpur village of Jagannathpur Union of Thakurgaon District (then Sub-Division). He was very fond of singing and acting.
Dhirendra Nath Roy passed SSC from Thakurgaon District School in 1948, and completed HSC in 1950 from Dinajpur Surendra Nath College (now Dinajpur Government College). He completed his graduation and post graduation from Jagannath College (now Jagannath University) in 1953. Later in 1956, Dhirendra Nath Roy joined Debiganj Sub-Registry Office as a trainee officer and was transferred to Gaibandha Mahakuma’s (now district) Sundargan Sub-Registry Office in 1959. He was again transferred to Saghata Upazila and later to Sundarganj in 1967. The people of Sundarganj love Dhirendra Nath Roy so much for his generosity. Dhirendra Nath Roy contributed for the development of Sundarganj Amena Government Girl’s High School and Sundarganj Mujib High School. He was also the president of the governing bodies of these two schools.
The family members of Dhirendra Nath Roy still seeking recognition for Dhirendra Nath Roy’s ultimate sacrifice for the liberty of this nation. There is a question after over half century of Bangladesh’s independence, did we really pay proper respect to the individuals sacrificed their lives. Thus, Dhirendra Nath Roy left behind the talk. The government must recognize this valiant man as a Freedom Fighter. **
-Farzana Haque Swarna (MPhil), Teacher and liberation war researcher
