by photographer Abir Abdullah
2001 FiftyCrows PhotoFund Winner

“You remember us for only two or three days a year. The rest of our time is spent on this floor in turmoil and illness,” said Mojai, a veteran of the war of independence of Bangladesh, now a resident of the rehabilitation center for war veterans. Before the war, the lives of many people in Bangladesh had been based on dependence and ignorance. Ironically, those who fought the Pakistani Army to change this scenario have now become dependent and highly ignored.

The younger generation has no notion of what happened during war in 1971, nor are they interested in learning about it. Most of them don’t even know how many people were senselessly killed, or how many women were raped during those nine months. They don’t know how many freedom fighters are still alive –- helplessly counting their days to death.

Perhaps, in time, the mass population will decide to honor the war veterans properly. However, the true heroes of our liberation might not be able to wait that long, as their days are numbered. My photo essay will portray the lives of the remaining war veterans (three have died since I began this work) and make the public aware of the degradation we are causing by neglecting the heroes of our liberation.