Dhaka, Dec. 12 -- I vividly remember 1971 December 16 as Bangladesh was liberated. Freedom had been in the air for a while and it was obvious that the Pakistani forces were going down. Every one hoped that victory would be won without too much bloodshed. We knew from close hand the meaning of war brutalities. As a Dhaka University staff quarter's resident, it was all too evident to us every day.

Yet even we never anticipated the disappearance of the teachers and intellectuals that occurred on December 14. None could have anticipated the terrible revenge that came our way wreaked by the fleeing enemy just as we couldn't imagine the feeling of liberation that engulfed us all on December 16.

There was pain and there was pride, there was lo...