Mujib Bahini was a brainchild of RAW - Mombu the Culture Forum
The Indian Govt. formed three Bangladesh-related committees during our
liberation war -- 1) for the preparation of war, 2) liason with the
Provisional Bangladesh Govt, and 3) providing support to the freedom
fighters. While the first and last one were military in nature, the
second one was for political manipulations. The political committee
worked as a bridge between the governments of Bangladesh and India.
D.P. Dhar, chairman of the Planning Commission in the Foreign Affairs
Ministry, was made the chief of the political committee. On the other
hand, Army Chief General Shaym Maneckshaw was appointed as chief of
one of the military committees. However, D.P. Dhar had an overlapping
duty in the military council. The intelligence committee was headed by
the deputy-chief of the Indian Army. Maneckshaw assimilated the RAW
[Research and ****ysis Wing] members in this group. Nevertheless,
Maneckshaw had the final say on everything. The joint intelligence
committee took up the chore of forming a special force called Mujib
Bahini. RAW was given the responsibility to make their plan a success.
General Maneckshaw himself took up the chore of directing this force.
He sought expert help from Major General Uban.
Major General Uban gave a detailed account of the creation and
directing of Mujib Bahini in his book 'Phantoms of Chittagong'. The
first batch of Mujib Bahini received their training at Tanduar -- a
camp located 1.5 kilometers away from an Indian military academy at
Deradun. Training started on May 29, 1971. Another camp was started at
Jaflong near the city of Tura in Meghalaya. About 10,000 members of
Mujib Bahini were given training. Training was stopped on November 20,
1971. Mujib Bahini was created in the month of May but Tajuddin Ahmad
was not aware of it until August, 1971. Later General Maneckshaw
informed Tajuddin that this force had been created to serve a special
purpose of the Indian Army. A large number of the freedom fighters
were leftist-thinking people. Thinking that these leftist-minded
people might stand in the way of Indian imperialism after the
independence of Bangladesh, this special force was created after the
name of Sheikh Mujib.
did not see eye to eye with Mujeeb Bahini leaders and treated every
case of their complaints as frivolous. Colonel Osmany took his orders
from his own government and though outwardly friendly to these
leaders, did not relish the idea of their running a separate Bahini
called Mujeeb Bahini which was not under his overall command. General
Aurora of the Eastern Command who was ultimately responsibilities for
coordinating the whole operation was also unhappy since Mujeeb Bahini
was not put directly under his command, this despite the fact that I
had assured him as a soldier in command of Mujeeb Bahini, that the
Bahini would carry out all the tasks given by him for execution within
Bangladesh Territory, and that I would remain in constant touch with
General Aurora to keep him posted with the results. He was not
satisfied, since I myself was not being put under his direct command.
General Aurora failed to understand the reasons for this peculiar
command structure in spite of my best efforts at explanation."
[Phantoms of Chittagong by S. S. Uban, pp. 31-32].
General Maneckshaw had jurisdiction over Mujib -- not General Aurora.
This force was created to carry out the evil design of Indian Govt. As
such, Bangladesh Govt. did not have any control over them. Ex-Awami MP
M.A. Mohaimen wrote, "Indian Army reserved a special status for Sheikh
Fazlul Haque Moni. They were given special training under the guidance
of General Uban. Many times they quarrelled and even engaged in armed
confrontations with the liberation fighters. Although they used to
claim themselves to be socialists, they could never tolerate the
leftists at all. They were totally against the providing of armed
training to the young members of communist party and NAP [National
Awami Party]. The rightist-thinking people in the Indian
administrative and political groups were very sensitive about
providing training to the freedom fighters of Bangladesh. Trainees
with leftist orientation were looked with utter suspicion. Gathering
of strength by the socialists in independent Bangladesh was taken as
reason for danger on the part of India. It was their support that
worked tremendously behind the training of Mujib Bahini. Right from
the outset, Tajuddin Saheb repeatedly requested the Indian Govt. to
bring this force under the control of Bangladesh command, but to no
avail.
Till to-date, it remains shrouded in mystery as to why a
separate force was given birth to while simultaneously providing
training to the freedom fighters without the knowledge of Bangladesh
Govt." [Dhaka-Agartala-Mujibnagar by M.A. Mohaimen, pp.96-97].
"One day Mr. P. N. Haksar, the Principal Secretary of the Prime
Minister, sent a message to me that on the request of Sheikh Mujeebur
Rahman, the Prime Minister had agreed to my going to Dacca as Personal
Advisor to the Sheikh and that I should proceed forthwith.
It was a matter of great honour for me to be sent for me by name as
the advisor to Sheikh Mujeeb who made the biggest news at that time in
the world. On arrival in Dacca, I was received at the airport by Mr.
Samad, the Sheikh's Foreign Minister, who insisted on giving me a cup
of tea at the airport before sending me to the city.
Sheikh Mujeeb received me very well and said that I should stay at his
official residence which I politely declined. He had no vacant room in
his own house. Otherwise I have no doubt he would have liked me to
stay with the whole family, all of whom by now know me very well
He discussed this idea with me and finding me in agreement issued
orders for this force, which he named Jatiya Rokhkhy Bahini (JRB or
National Security Force) to be raised initially with a strength of
12,000 officers and men. In order to make the best use of it, he kept
it under his own command and garrisoned it at Dacca. He selected
Colonel Nuruzzaman, an extremely efficient officer, to command the
Force and requested me to do all I could to help organise, train and
equip this Force.
It took me some time to convince the Indian authorities about our role
in training and equipping the Force after the war of liberation was
over. Fortunately my Government agreed to this request of the
Bangladesh Government and leaders of this Force were trained in our
establishment." [Phantoms of Chittagong by S. S. Uban, pp. 138-140].
What we find from the above is that Sheikh Mujib appointed an Indian
as his personal advisor. General Uban formed Rakhkhi Bahini (Security
Force) but unfortunately it could not provide security to the life of
Sheikh Mujib.
Ex-Awami League MP ('71) M.A. Mohaimen wrote about the destructive
impact of Mujib Bahini in these words, "In the morning hours of
December 16, I came to know that General Niazi, along with all of his
soldiers, would surrender to the Indian Forces at Dacca Race Course
Ground in the afternoon of that day. Upon hearing this, I rushed to 8
Theatre Road [Calcutta] to meet Tajuddin Saheb. I heard that he had
left for Dacca by then or at least was preparing to leave. But upon my
arrival there, I found Tajuddin Saheb sitting there in regular attire.
On being quentioned about his departure for Dacca, he replied that he
would not go. I was quite surprised on hearing this reply. Our country
is about to achieve independence after a long struggle; the enemy
force is about to surrender but the Prime Minister of Provisional
Government would not be physically present at the surrender ceremony.
I could not figure out the matter at all. Being inquired about the
reason he replied, 'You know my attitude toward Sheikh Moni and Mujib
Bahini. I came to know from my well-wishers in the army that total
anarchy prevails in Dacca at this time. Right at this time, it is not
safe at all on my part to be present in any public gathering in Dacca.
So, my well-wishers are saying that they will inform me after the
situation in Dacca comes under their control I shall be able to go to
Dacca within a day or two.' When I asked if Osmani Saheb was heading
for Dacca, he replied that he will not go either. I realized that the
reason behind Osmani's not going to Dacca was same as that of
Tajuddin's since Mujib Bahini was not in good terms with him either.
When asked as to who among us were going, he replied that the decision
had not been made. It sounded very abnormal to me that nobody would
represent the Provisonal Government at such an important ceremony like
surrendering. I felt down pondering over the matter that our absence
[at the surrender ceremony] would make our contribution and stance in
the liberation war insignificant one. Now people would find that it
was the Indian Army who is to be credited for everything -- we were
nobody." [Dhaka-Agartala-Mujibnagar by M.A. Mohaimen, pp.160-161].
Books published from India regarding the independence of Bangladesh
usually state that Indian Army liberated Bangladesh. There is hardly
any mention of liberation forces comprising of Bangladeshi nationals.
Usually intelligentsia tend to side with the leftist camp. Indian
Govt. formed Mujib Bahini to annihilate the leftists of Bangladesh.
Maybe, this is why judicial probe into the murder of intellectualists
just before the independence never got off the ground.