London, 31 August 2023 – A Milad and Dua Mehfil was held at Brick Lane Jame Masjid in East London to honour the victims of the Sreeramsi massacre, which took place on 31 August 1971 in Sylhet, Bangladesh. The event was organised by the Sreeramsi Welfare Association UK, in remembrance of the over 200 innocent civilians who were brutally killed during the Pakistani invasion of Sreeramsi in Jogonathpur Upazila.
The massacre, carried out by Pakistani forces and their accomplices, occurred at the grounds of Sreeramsi High School and along the road of Wajid Ali, near Haji Omar Ali’s Pond. This tragic event remains a significant chapter in the history of Bangladesh’s fight for independence, and each year, on 31st August, Sreeramsi Genocide Day is observed both in Bangladesh and the UK to pay tribute to the martyrs.
In observance of this year’s Genocide Day, the Sreeramsi Welfare Association UK organised a Milad and Dua Mehfil after Zohar prayers on Saturday, 31st August. The ceremony, led by Hafez Maulana Motiul Haque Bachchu, was attended by community members and dignitaries including Welfare President Islam Uddin and General Secretary Mahbubur Rahman Khokon. Other notable attendees included Amir Hussain, Omar Ali, Alhaj Abdul Malik Manik, Abar Ali, Ansarul Haque, Ali Ashraf, Abdul Kahar, Azizul Haque Monteswar, Haji Jamshed Ali and Tanveer Piyas.
The gathering provided an opportunity for the community to come together in prayer, reflecting on the sacrifices made by the victims and pledging to keep their memory alive. The Sreeramshi Welfare Association UK continues to play a pivotal role in preserving the legacy of the martyrs and raising awareness of the atrocities committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.