I have some happy and historic memories to be shared here with Chunati High School (CHS) during the war of liberation in the year 1971 when I was a student of Class VI in CHS. It was the time of liberation war. People living in the big cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong were all driven to the villages for safer shelters. When the then West Pakistani army cracked down on the innocent East Pakistani civilians in the dark of the night when most of the people were asleep, they hardly had any moments to think and to make decisions. Everyone’s destination was the village. Chunati, was no exception to that choice or rule as a village during that time. All houses were filled and way above the capacity. But hosts in Chunati were all ready with smiling faces and they were more than happier and welcoming to embrace the rare/surprise guests who were driven to relocate for uncertain and indefinite periods as the innocent people of the then East Pakistan came under an undeclared civil war. No one knew how long the war would continue and how long they would have to stay there in Chunati.

During the war of liberation, a host of young promising, bright college and university students, graduates, high officials of the govt. were among others who got stranded in the village Chunati. These young individuals initially didn’t have anything to do, other than hiding themselves during the day time, listening to the radio at night, tuning in all the popular radio stations during that time such as BBC, VOA, Shadhin Bangla Betar Kendra or meeting secretly by visiting after the dusk one another, discussing mainly the future of liberation war and the headway, that “Mukti Bahini” was making on the Pak Army by their guerilla warfare.

However, (Late) Janab Nurul Islam Sir, the then Head Master of Chunati High School, did an excellent job during the war of liberation. He mobilized all the young educated individuals by inviting them to be volunteer teachers in his school, Chunati High School. It was indeed a great offer to be accepted by almost all the young folks who were otherwise passing times sitting idly by playing cards and or by “adda”. Mr. Islam thought that, if he could engage these young individuals, in his school (Chunati High School), the school would benefit in the long run from these educated young individuals in terms of quality education and teachings. It was not only a benefit to the school and to the students but also sigh of relieves, be that to some extent, to those individuals by putting an end to their idling. Moreover, idle youth folks used to be impending targets of the Pak army as they were regarded to be the existing or prospective members of the “Mukti Bahini”. CHS was fortunate to have all the glorious teachers who glorified CHS during the war of liberation. They were among others: Dr. Sultan Hafeez Rahman Bhai, Mr. Amin Ahmed Khan, Mr.Ershadul Haque Bhutto (mama), Late Ershadullah Khan (Chacha), Late Shabu bhai, Late Sarwar Kamal bhai, Mr. Wahidul Hoque (mama), Mr.Mohammad Jalaluddin Khan bhai, Dipu bhai, Late Dr. Humayun bhai, Late Nazrul Islam Chacha, Pearu bhai, and others. (a)

(Late) Mr. Nurul Islam Sir, (May Allah SWT Have Mercy on him and Grant him a lofty place in Jannah, A’meen) deserves thanks and appreciations for his foresightedness and wisdom, by virtue of which he was able to engage so many idle individuals who were in fact under impending threats by the Pak Army. This was a historic event in the history of Chunati High School as well as Chunati for accommodating so many bright, talented personalities during the war of liberation. Later these individuals excelled in their respective fields at home and in abroad. Chunati High School and the people of Chunati should remain indebted to those proud sons of the soil of Chunati for their invaluable services they rendered and for the superb contributions they made voluntarily for CHS during the time of the Historic War of Liberation. This information should be preserved in the history of CHS for the posterity.

(a) My apologies for not being able to recollect all the names of the temporary teachers/volunteers.

**This write up was made on the eve of the auspicious occasion of the Celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Chunati High School, scheduled to be held on July 12, 2022**.