Japan has started the process of taking the bodies of 24 soldiers home from Cumilla after 81 years

Between 1941 and 1945, II. A movement is breaking the usual silence at the Mainamati War Cemetery in Cumilla, where the graves of 738 soldiers who died during World War II are located.

The cemetery contains the remains of 357 soldiers from England, 171 from India, 86 from West Africa, 56 from East Africa, 24 from Japan, 12 from Canada and Australia, four from New Zealand, three from Rhodesia and one each. . From South Africa, Myanmar, Belgium and Poland.

Now, 81 years later, Japan has begun repatriating the remains of 24 of its soldiers buried in the cemetery.

A seven-person forensic team from Japan began to exhume the remains, including skulls and bones from different parts of the body.

The cemetery is located near the Cumilla-Sylhet regional highway within Cumilla Cantonment.

Abdur Rahim, country manager for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which maintains the cemetery, said: “A seven-member forensic team from Japan arrived in Cumilla and began its work last Wednesday (November 13).

Rahim said, “24 of the 737 soldiers buried here are Japanese. The forensic team will complete the exhumation and repatriation process by November 24.” he added.

Bir Protik Retired Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Sajjad Ali Zahir, who assisted the Japanese representatives, said: “There are 6 Japanese and 1 American forensic expert in the team. These graves are over 81 years old. There are 10 people.”

“Given the passage of time, it is rare to find intact remains. In some graves, remains are revealed after excavating 3 feet, while in others it is necessary to dig 6 feet. We have found skulls and bones in the graves excavated so far. In one grave, we found traces of a bullet. In the skull of a 28-year-old soldier ” he explained.

In November each year, high commissioners and representatives of Commonwealth nations pay their respects at the cemetery.

On November 9 this year, diplomats from 13 countries laid flowers in memory of the martyred soldiers.