The historic Chuknagar Genocide Day will be observed on May 20 in Khulna’s Dumuria upazila to commemorate the mass killing that took place during the 1971 Liberation War. On that day, Pakistani forces opened fire on thousands of unarmed civilians gathered in Chuknagar village, killing several thousand people. The massacre is recognized as one of the largest in the history of global liberation wars and genocides.

According to the account, thousands of people from different parts of greater Khulna had gathered in Chuknagar on May 19, 1971, intending to cross into India. The next morning, Pakistani troops arrived from Satkhira and began indiscriminate shooting, killing men, women, and children. The area turned into a silent field of death within hours.

In 2005, the then BNP government acquired land to build a memorial at the site, with plans to develop it into a tourist center. However, subsequent governments, including the Awami League, did not implement further development, leaving the memorial largely neglected despite repeated official visits and promises.