A Japanese delegation has conducted a field visit to various parts of Cox’s Bazar in search of the remains and historical traces of Japanese soldiers who died during the Second World War.
The delegation conducted investigations at several locations in Ramu and Ukhiya upazilas, gathering information on wartime sites, former airfields, and battle zones associated with the conflict.
As part of the visit, the team travelled to Haldia Palong union in Ukhiya upazila, where they discovered five bullets believed to have been used during the Second World War. The bullets had been preserved at the residence of Islam Mia near the old Jame Mosque at Rumkha Borobil.
The delegation included Mutsuko Oshima, adviser to the Japan-Bangladesh Cultural Exchange Association; Futoshi Kono, director of Ship International Hospital; and Sabuj Barua, chairman of the Bangladesh Buddhist Heritage Research Trust.
They were accompanied by writer and researcher Shirupon Barua and advocate Sumath Barua.
The delegation first visited Lombori Para in Fatekharkul, Chowkidar Para in Rajarkul and Moddhom Ghonar Para in Ramu, where they searched for the remains of a British-era hospital. They also collected GPS data from locations believed to have been wartime battlefields, burial sites and other areas of historical significance linked to the Second World War.
According to sources, the Japanese government has been implementing programmes in several countries to recover and repatriate the remains of Japanese soldiers who died during the war.
As part of these efforts, the remains of 23 Japanese soldiers were repatriated from the Mainamati War Cemetery in 2024, while the remains of 18 others were taken back to Japan from the Chittagong War Cemetery in 2025 with the cooperation of the Government of Bangladesh.
The latest visit to Cox’s Bazar is expected to contribute to ongoing efforts to identify additional wartime sites and gather historical information related to Japanese military personnel who were stationed in the region during the Second World War.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
Photo: Courtesy
