Ali Ahmad Mabrur: Every year, 27 October and 6 November return as two tragic dates in the history of Kashmir. The former is observed as Kashmir Black Day, while the latter is commemorated as Jammu Martyrs’ Day, or Yawm-e-Shuhada-e-Jammu. Behind these two commemorative days lie two interconnected historical events of 1947. The arrival of Indian troops in Srinagar on 27 October marked the beginning of a new chapter of India’s military presence and political control over Kashmir. In the bloody aftermath of those developments, the Jammu region witnessed a horrific massacre of Muslims and large-scale displacement during October and November in 1947. Nearly eight decades later, Kashmir’s political future remains unresolved. Over the years, the questions of the political rights of its people, their aspirations for self-determination and their desire for freedom have become increasingly complex.

In Bangladesh, there is considerable public sympathy for Kashmir, but historical study, research and meaningful initiatives have remained limited in comparison with that sentiment. Yet understanding this history is essential. The Kashmir crisis is not merely a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan; it concerns the political rights, identity, freedom and self-determination of a community. Historically, when British rule came to an end in 1947, the future of the princely states of the Indian subcontinent became a pressing question. Jammu and Kashmir was one such state, distinguished by its sensitive geographical position, demographic composition and political significance. The ruler of the state was Maharaja Hari Singh. Although he was Hindu, the majority of the state`s population was Muslim.

It is worth noting that Lord Mountbatten, the then Governor-General of India, referred to the need to determine the state`s future on the basis of the people`s wishes when accepting the Maharaja`s accession. Documents relating to the decision of India`s Defence Committee on 26 October 1947 also clearly stated that the accession was being accepted provisionally and that the matter would ultimately be settled in accordance with the wishes of the people. The intention was to ascertain their views once law and order had been restored. Although a decision was taken concerning the future of Kashmir, the process of establishing the consent of its people was never completed. Instead, internal political discontent, the uprising in the Poonch region, tensions along the borders and the entry of tribal armed fighters from the North-West Frontier region on 22 October 1947 rapidly pushed the situation towards armed conflict. Against this backdrop, Maharaja Hari Singh sought military assistance from India. According to the Indian government`s account, he signed the Instrument of Accession to India on 26 October. The following day, on 27 October, Indian troops were airlifted into Srinagar. This is the day Kashmiris commemorate as Black Day.

The dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir subsequently reached the United Nations. On 21 April 1948, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 47. It established a framework for a ceasefire, the withdrawal of tribal fighters and Pakistani nationals who had entered from Pakistan, a reduction in Indian forces and, once conditions were conducive, the holding of a plebiscite under United Nations supervision. The plebiscite was intended to determine whether Kashmir would remain with India or accede to Pakistan. Although a ceasefire was eventually implemented, India and Pakistan disagreed over the fulfilment of the resolution`s other conditions. Consequently, the plebiscite was never held. The ceasefire line established in 1949 divided Kashmir. It subsequently became known as the Line of Control. This is central to the significance of observing Kashmir Black Day.

In Kashmir`s history, 6 November is as significant as 27 October. The day is observed as Jammu Martyrs’ Day in memory of the Muslims killed in the horrific massacres carried out in the Jammu region during October and November 1947. At the time of Partition, Muslims constituted a substantial majority of the population in the Jammu region. However, during the final months of 1947, the region witnessed systematic killings, looting, abductions of women, the burning of homes and forced displacement. Historical research and eyewitness accounts have documented the involvement of the forces of the Dogra ruling establishment, armed members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Hindu and Sikh communal groups.

Massacres took place across Samba, Akhnoor, Kathua, Udhampur, Ramnagar, Reasi and surrounding areas of Jammu. Muslim villages came under attack, and many people were dragged out of their homes and killed. Muslim families were transported under military and administrative arrangements on the assurance that they would be taken safely to Pakistan. However, many of them were killed in attacks by armed groups along the way. Women and children were also subjected to horrific abuses. A report published in The Times of London on 10 August 1948 claimed that 237,000 Muslims had been systematically killed in the Jammu region. British writer and observer Horace Alexander, in an article published in The Spectator in January 1948, referred to approximately 200,000 Muslims whose whereabouts could not be accounted for. Researcher Christopher Snedden, meanwhile, reviewed various sources in his book Kashmir: The Unwritten History and discussed estimates suggesting that the death toll may have ranged from 20,000 to 100,000.

Claims that five hundred thousand or more Muslims were displaced during October and November 1947 also appear in various historical and political accounts. The research of Australian political scientist Christopher Snedden is particularly noteworthy in this regard. Drawing on eyewitness interviews, historical documents and archival records, he has presented a detailed account of the Jammu massacres. His research highlights the role of the Dogra state forces and communal armed groups. Indian journalist Ved Bhasin also documented these atrocities through his own experiences and research. One of the most significant aspects of the Jammu massacre is that it was not merely an episode of communal violence; it fundamentally altered the demographic character of an entire region. The killing and displacement of Muslims led to a substantial decline in their proportion of the population in Jammu. According to the 1941 Census, Muslims constituted the majority in the Jammu region. Subsequent demographic changes fundamentally transformed that position.

A historical comparison is often drawn between the Jammu massacre and the Palestinian Nakba of 1948. During the establishment of Israel in 1948, more than 750,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes. Their villages and settlements were destroyed, and large numbers were forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries. The wounds of that displacement remain central to Palestinian political identity and the struggle for freedom to this day. In 1947, Muslims in the Jammu region also experienced mass killings and displacement. Various sources cite figures of five hundred thousand or more Muslims displaced from the region. The political and historical contexts of these two events were not identical. Nevertheless, both involved the expulsion of a population from its historic homeland, with consequences that have been carried by successive generations. Tragically, the Jammu massacre has not received the same prominence in international historical discourse as the Palestinian Nakba. There has been little adequate research, international discussion or initiative towards justice on the subject.

Moreover, since Narendra Modi`s BJP came to power, its efforts to consolidate India`s control over Jammu and Kashmir have further intensified the crisis. Another major turning point in Kashmir`s history came on 5 August 2019, when the BJP government effectively revoked Jammu and Kashmir`s special constitutional status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. The special rights of permanent residents under Article 35A were also abolished. At the same time, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Having lost its long-standing status as a state, the region came under the direct administrative control of the central government. Before the decision was implemented, extensive security deployments were made across Kashmir. Internet and telecommunications services were suspended, political leaders were detained, and severe restrictions were imposed on public life. At the time, there was no elected government in office in the very region whose constitutional future was being determined. Subsequently, provisions relating to land, permanent residence and citizenship in Jammu and Kashmir were changed. Under the new domicile policy, people from outside the region who meet specified conditions also became eligible to obtain permanent residency rights.

In the present circumstances, remembering Kashmir`s struggle for freedom and expressing solidarity with its people are particularly important. Bangladesh, too, has come under the scrutiny of major powers because of its geographical and strategic position. Moreover, Bangladesh is currently hosting approximately 1.5 million Rohingya, who themselves have been displaced from their homeland, Arakan, and have sought refuge here. The people of Bangladesh should therefore understand the bloodstained history of the subcontinent so that our own country never suffers a fate similar to that of the Rohingya or the people of Kashmir.

A lasting resolution of the Kashmir crisis cannot be achieved through military power, administrative restructuring or constitutional changes alone. Establishing peace requires political rights, justice, human dignity and the meaningful participation of the people. The commitments made in 1947; the United Nations resolutions and the longstanding political aspirations of the Kashmiri people must be given serious consideration. It must be remembered that a state may establish control over a territory, alter its constitutional framework and even declare a political problem resolved. None of this, however, can erase a people`s history, collective memory or aspirations for freedom. The history of Kashmir will remain unfinished until its people are guaranteed an independent and meaningful role in determining their own political future.