বাংলা 
English 
How the Word Came
Razakar is a Persian word. Its meaning is volunteer. In the 1940s, during the rule of Osman Ali Khan, the Nizam of Hyderabad in India, Kasem Rizvi built up an armed force. This force was named the Razakar.
Pakistan's Paramilitary Force
In imitation of that armed force of Hyderabad, Pakistan's military government formed the Razakar force in 1971. In May, at an Ansar camp on Khan Jahan Ali Road in Khulna, this force was built up with 96 activists. Mo. Yusuf, the head of the Islamic Chhatra Sangha, was made the supreme commander of the Razakar force. At the beginning, the leaders of the Islamic Chhatra Sangha were put in charge of the Razakar force in 10 districts.
From Peace Committee to Army
""In the first phase the Razakar force was under the leadership of the area's Peace Committee. On 1 June 1971 General Tikka Khan issued the East Pakistan Razakar Ordinance and transformed the Ansar force into the Razakar force. Its leadership was in the hands of pro-Pakistan local leaders. The Ministry of Defence of Pakistan, in the ordinance issued on 7 September, gave the members of the Razakar force recognition as members of the army.""
Training
In the initial phase the training period of the Razakar force was 15 days. On 14 July 1971 the training of the first batch of this force was completed in Kushtia. On 27 November 1971, at the end of the training of the first batch of the company commanders of the Razakar force, General A. K. Niazi took the salute at the farewell parade in Savar. In the next phase this force was given the status of an independent directorate.
The Number of Razakars
According to the research of War Crimes Fact Findings, the number of Razakars was around 50,000. General Niazi mentioned this number in his book. After independence, it is known that a list of 37,000 persons was drawn up for the trial of the Razakars.
The Killing of 'Miscreants'
In pro-Pakistan newspapers the freedom fighters were referred to as Indian agents and miscreants. Reports were published under headlines such as 'The Razakars have killed 70 miscreants', 'Indian agents have been eliminated'. In a verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal it was said, ""Their principal task became the oppression and persecution of villages and hamlets and acting as pathfinders ahead of the military force.""
The Difference from Al-Badr
In September Niazi built up another paramilitary force, Al-Badr. In Banglapedia Muntasir Mamun has written:
""There was some difference between the activities of the Al-Badr force and those of the Razakars. The Razakars opposed the freedom fighters as a whole. But the aim of the Al-Badr force was to create terror among innocent people through terrorism and political killing. One of their aims was to annihilate the pro-Bangladesh intellectuals.""
'Tu Razakar'
Bohubrihi, the popular TV serial broadcast on Bangladesh Television in 1990. In it a tiya (parrot) is heard saying 'Tu Razakar'. This dialogue later took the form of a slogan expressing hatred towards the Razakars. This phrase was also used in the movement of the Ganajagaran Mancha at Shahbagh demanding the hanging of the Razakars.
Collected from: DW - Faisal Shobhon
