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Sheikh Mujib: Pakistan and Bangladesh
School reading materials, history books and documents are being revised and rewritten with full governmental energy and huge money from the public exchequer sponsored with renewed vigor by the all powerful Bangladesh P.M. Sheikh Hasina everything for eulogizing her late father Mujibs credentials. In attaining the goal old materials, books, documents are being destroyed wherever they are in stock or in circulation in whatever form in Bangladesh that in her view might harm her fathers stature. The goal is very lofty in the sense that none of the present or future progeny must come across anything, any bit of information that might hurt the godly image of Hasinas father. I am not sure if she is up to destroying all other materials that lie outside Bangladesh in documentation centers and libraries, say, in London, Washington etc. The specific aim of the project as it appeared to me is that there is none in history, much less Major Zia, anybody worth in the history of founding of BANGLADESH in 1971.
I intend to limit the item in relevant facts in the 1971 episode not beyond for in the year Bangladesh had come into being as an independent country that I had the opportunity to get a lot of experience through to the whole period staying in Dhaka and in a job teaching in a government college as a mature class one post holder.
On the 7th March 1971 Ramna Race Course mammoth meeting of the great Sheikh Mujib, I was an attendant from rather close to the rostrum the leader spoke for about 15 minutes or so. Before I went to the meeting to listen to the leaders critical discourse, I had occasion to talk to a friend of mine, an Engineer and Contractor moneyed man by profession, financier of the Awami League and a neighbor of the leader and M.P. from Narayanganj. We made a bet. Mujib must declare independence (UDI) on the day in the meeting. I was for yes, he no. I lost the bet, he won. The leader beyond expectation of many did not make the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). He ended his speech abruptly and left the meeting right then. Many and I were at a loss what the people do next.
From the 7th evening to the 15th people passed days in suspense and rumors. On the 15th people started to see some light of hope when the Army President Yahya had arrived Dhaka from Islamabad for talks with the leader of East Pakistan. As the media reports went on day in and day out people were given understanding that progress made in talks in groups and also in one to one dialogue. But actual happenings and developments all were kept hidden from peoples knowledge. People lived in rumors. On the 23 March, Pakistans official Republic Day, Mujib went to meet the President in the Mintu Road Gonobhaban in his car flying proposed flag of Bangladesh. We knew afterwards that certain students group overenthusiastic about independence had posted the flag in his car. That was significant on two accounts. That was the day when any leader of the united country should have flown the Pakistan flag, and so flying the proposed Bangladesh flag instead went for meeting with Pakistan President was insult to both Pakistan and the President of Pakistan. Even so, as the students had forcibly posted the flag, Mujibs lapse could have been overlooked.
Next two days, people were in complete dark on the 24th and 25th in all wild rumors when at mid night the people of Dhaka were taken by surprise in mortar and gun fires. I returned from the Farm Gate area Tejgaon in myself driven new Fiat car at about 11 on the 25th night, had my late meal and went to bed in some agony. Soon I wake up in midst of unusual sounds and found through my 3rd floor flat window in the Industrial area of fire of shells over flying my government residential building. Right then I got all of my five young children down to the floor lying. No shell hit my building and none near about I could see in lights of fires of the shells. But the rest of the night we heard sounds of gun fires and blaze in some locations. We heard announcement of curfew in the Dhaka city as well. On the 26th it was curfew all day. On the 27th curfew was relaxed for three hours; I had to take in my car one Hindu colleague on his request to the Kawran Bazar grocery market who alone of his own was afraid to go for shopping being a Hindu.
In about a week, in midst of rumors though, I found many thing normal. We started to attend offices but not classes. The other happenings are well recorded and known by this time that I must not dwell at here.
We knew about Mujibs arrest and Major Zias name as he declared independence of Bangladesh at Kalurghat Radio substation in Chittagong nearly 200 miles away from Dhaka. Later on we knew about formal declaration of independence of Bangladesh by some elected MNAs and M.P.s of East Pakistan/Bangladesh of Awami League in the 1970 general election based on the LFO (Legal Framework Order) promulgated by the Army President of Pakistan in mid 1970. They formed a government in exile in Calcutta, the cabinet headed by Mujib as the President of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. The conspicuous lapse was that those who made Mujib the President had no consent of the person, much less any written direction of Mujib. On the contrary, he had the only direction left to Secretary Tajuddin before his arrest on the midnight of 25-26th March that they must enforce the 27th March Hartal or shut down action program. Further that Zias declaration of independence on the 26/27 March and repeated in the name of Mujib having had no nod whatsoever of Mujib for that was Zias broadness, on the one hand, and no scope of any communication with the then unknown Major far away, on the other.
One may recall from available documentary evidence that soon after the Exile Government formed and sought blessings from the Indian P.M. Indira, she blasted the delegation of Tajuddin, Moustaque, Nazrul etc by posing the question on the where about the leader. She further commented, How can I believe the leader/ General who after declaring war surrendered to the enemy? Even so, Delhi did everything possible to keep alive the Government in Exile, trained the Guerilla, armed them with weapons and ammunitions to attack installations etc in East Pakistan and ultimately made armed aggression on the 3rd December 1971. Indira, however, had her suspicion and reservations about Mujib if he was in full agreement with the Government in Exile, war and all that followed. The first test of bitterness she had with Mujib when he refused to take for his journey from London to Dhaka on board an Indian Air plane that Indira had offered and Mujib declined to accept. Instead he took a British Air Force plane to fly from London to Dhaka on the 10th January 1972. But on way to Dhaka, he made a stopover in Delhi for huge felicitation he was offered by the Delhi bosses. Al these are more or less known facts of history.
Now I would mention here some crucial facts that though got in record outside Bangladesh in London, in particular, but almost unknown and unrecorded here in any Bangladesh documents.
During his detention in West Pakistan in 1971 he was tried for treason against the State of Pakistan. His main lawyer was A K Brohi, the world renowned professional and man of highest integrity. He left some facts before his death, particularly to an Editor of a fortnightly, Impact International. During my stay in London for about eight years I got to know the editor Mr Faruqi. Brohi kept on record with him two facts. One, Mujib did believe in one and united Pakistan and was not at all for independent Bangladesh, and two, during the 1971 war Mujib offered to the President Yahya to permit him to use the Pakistan media to condemn Indian aggression on East Pakistan and to appeal to all East Pakistani to defend East Pakistan against Indian aggression (See Impact International, 25th September, 1987, .p.19). Before publishing the news as it was on request from Mr Brohi then on his last fatal medical treatment in London Mr Faruqi consulted me if he should have at all published the news as that was. On my clear nod he did.
On arriving Dhaka Tejgaon Airport on the 10th January 1972 in midst of immense pleasure of heroic welcome, while he was coming out from the Tarmac leaning on shoulders of Tajuddin and Moustaque as the then student leader Aftab Ahmad (innovator of the Joy Bangla slogan) later on Professor in DU, as he wrote in an article I came across that the leader at the Tarmac rebuked Tajuddin by name, TAJUDDIN SHESH PARJANTYA TOMRA PAKISTAN BHENGE DILE You, Tajuddin, at last have broken Pakistan into pieces! Aftab did not miss the rebuke though that was in low voice as he was very close to them walking down out of the Tarmac. That comment or rebuke was not palatable to young Aftab for being an active freedom fighter of 1971 war.
Later on in mid 1972 Aftab went away forming along with other dissenting lots the JSD and continued editing the daily GONOKONTHO. I came to know him not until in London doing Ph.D. in early 1980s. We had some close relation again beginning in Dhaka in 1990s that we maintained until his tragic assassination not yet probed worth of anything in his DU residence a few years ago.
Mujibs distancing from Tajuddin within a short time was clear to all. He was not only removed from the Ministry but also ended up in prison. Mujib never in three and a half years in office cared to visit Tajuddins Exile Government capital Mujibnagar in Kustia. That Mujib and then Hasina as well not only dishonored Tajuddin but his younger brother Afsar Uddin in her first term (1996-2001) removing him from the Ministry unceremoniously and now Tajuddins son Sohel, M. P. recently blasted clearly on his leaving Bangladesh latest a few days ago. Such dishonoring the brilliant freedom fighter and pioneer of the independent Bangladesh movement in 1971 had two main reasons. Tajuddin was committed to socialist Bangladesh that Mujib distasted. The other and possibly more important issue was that the dynastic aim Mujib had and pursued determinedly now by Hasina has had no place for any contender in person, much less any other family.
Bangladesh freedom struggle and so also the Pakistan movement both had the main goals for peoples liberation, democratic governance, equity and social justice in sovereign identity and entity. Mujib was involved in both movements of the Bengal people, for Bangladesh as the main leader and for Pakistan as a young student worker in Calcutta. Unfortunately, despite peoples love for him and enormous sacrifices made, Mujib betrayed both, possibly, Bangladesh much more through his opportunism, recklessness of not making UDI in due time, leaving people in utter confusion of the unprepared war giving India to take full advantage of, corruption ridden administration, extra judicial killings of thousands by the unconstitutional Rakhsmi Bahini in reality controlled by the Indian R&AW, his own party men made famine deaths of thousands, if not lakhs, destroying democracy and imposition of one party rule having no mandate of the people, etc. etc. Not for all his sins but for some in total betrayal of the people, he was duly paid in his coins on the 15th August 1975. Thus he confirmed his place in historical records as the Bengals second Mir Zafar of the twentieth century, the first one went ahead of him nearly two hundred years ago in 1757 A.D. No amount of massive propaganda by his daughter Hasina wasting huge money from the public exchequer is going to let Muijib have a permanent bright image than that of Mir Zafar or historic national betrayer. In history, Hasina has to remain answerable for the wastage of huge public money she has been recklessly misappropriating for refurbishing the otherwise image of national betrayer since January 2009.
Sheikh Mujib: Pakistan and Bangladesh
School reading materials, history books and documents are being revised and rewritten with full governmental energy and huge money from the public exchequer sponsored with renewed vigor by the all powerful Bangladesh P.M. Sheikh Hasina everything for eulogizing her late father Mujibs credentials. In attaining the goal old materials, books, documents are being destroyed wherever they are in stock or in circulation in whatever form in Bangladesh that in her view might harm her fathers stature. The goal is very lofty in the sense that none of the present or future progeny must come across anything, any bit of information that might hurt the godly image of Hasinas father. I am not sure if she is up to destroying all other materials that lie outside Bangladesh in documentation centers and libraries, say, in London, Washington etc. The specific aim of the project as it appeared to me is that there is none in history, much less Major Zia, anybody worth in the history of founding of BANGLADESH in 1971.
I intend to limit the item in relevant facts in the 1971 episode not beyond for in the year Bangladesh had come into being as an independent country that I had the opportunity to get a lot of experience through to the whole period staying in Dhaka and in a job teaching in a government college as a mature class one post holder.
On the 7th March 1971 Ramna Race Course mammoth meeting of the great Sheikh Mujib, I was an attendant from rather close to the rostrum the leader spoke for about 15 minutes or so. Before I went to the meeting to listen to the leaders critical discourse, I had occasion to talk to a friend of mine, an Engineer and Contractor moneyed man by profession, financier of the Awami League and a neighbor of the leader and M.P. from Narayanganj. We made a bet. Mujib must declare independence (UDI) on the day in the meeting. I was for yes, he no. I lost the bet, he won. The leader beyond expectation of many did not make the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). He ended his speech abruptly and left the meeting right then. Many and I were at a loss what the people do next.
From the 7th evening to the 15th people passed days in suspense and rumors. On the 15th people started to see some light of hope when the Army President Yahya had arrived Dhaka from Islamabad for talks with the leader of East Pakistan. As the media reports went on day in and day out people were given understanding that progress made in talks in groups and also in one to one dialogue. But actual happenings and developments all were kept hidden from peoples knowledge. People lived in rumors. On the 23 March, Pakistans official Republic Day, Mujib went to meet the President in the Mintu Road Gonobhaban in his car flying proposed flag of Bangladesh. We knew afterwards that certain students group overenthusiastic about independence had posted the flag in his car. That was significant on two accounts. That was the day when any leader of the united country should have flown the Pakistan flag, and so flying the proposed Bangladesh flag instead went for meeting with Pakistan President was insult to both Pakistan and the President of Pakistan. Even so, as the students had forcibly posted the flag, Mujibs lapse could have been overlooked.
Next two days, people were in complete dark on the 24th and 25th in all wild rumors when at mid night the people of Dhaka were taken by surprise in mortar and gun fires. I returned from the Farm Gate area Tejgaon in myself driven new Fiat car at about 11 on the 25th night, had my late meal and went to bed in some agony. Soon I wake up in midst of unusual sounds and found through my 3rd floor flat window in the Industrial area of fire of shells over flying my government residential building. Right then I got all of my five young children down to the floor lying. No shell hit my building and none near about I could see in lights of fires of the shells. But the rest of the night we heard sounds of gun fires and blaze in some locations. We heard announcement of curfew in the Dhaka city as well. On the 26th it was curfew all day. On the 27th curfew was relaxed for three hours; I had to take in my car one Hindu colleague on his request to the Kawran Bazar grocery market who alone of his own was afraid to go for shopping being a Hindu.
In about a week, in midst of rumors though, I found many thing normal. We started to attend offices but not classes. The other happenings are well recorded and known by this time that I must not dwell at here.
We knew about Mujibs arrest and Major Zias name as he declared independence of Bangladesh at Kalurghat Radio substation in Chittagong nearly 200 miles away from Dhaka. Later on we knew about formal declaration of independence of Bangladesh by some elected MNAs and M.P.s of East Pakistan/Bangladesh of Awami League in the 1970 general election based on the LFO (Legal Framework Order) promulgated by the Army President of Pakistan in mid 1970. They formed a government in exile in Calcutta, the cabinet headed by Mujib as the President of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh. The conspicuous lapse was that those who made Mujib the President had no consent of the person, much less any written direction of Mujib. On the contrary, he had the only direction left to Secretary Tajuddin before his arrest on the midnight of 25-26th March that they must enforce the 27th March Hartal or shut down action program. Further that Zias declaration of independence on the 26/27 March and repeated in the name of Mujib having had no nod whatsoever of Mujib for that was Zias broadness, on the one hand, and no scope of any communication with the then unknown Major far away, on the other.
One may recall from available documentary evidence that soon after the Exile Government formed and sought blessings from the Indian P.M. Indira, she blasted the delegation of Tajuddin, Moustaque, Nazrul etc by posing the question on the where about the leader. She further commented, How can I believe the leader/ General who after declaring war surrendered to the enemy? Even so, Delhi did everything possible to keep alive the Government in Exile, trained the Guerilla, armed them with weapons and ammunitions to attack installations etc in East Pakistan and ultimately made armed aggression on the 3rd December 1971. Indira, however, had her suspicion and reservations about Mujib if he was in full agreement with the Government in Exile, war and all that followed. The first test of bitterness she had with Mujib when he refused to take for his journey from London to Dhaka on board an Indian Air plane that Indira had offered and Mujib declined to accept. Instead he took a British Air Force plane to fly from London to Dhaka on the 10th January 1972. But on way to Dhaka, he made a stopover in Delhi for huge felicitation he was offered by the Delhi bosses. Al these are more or less known facts of history.
Now I would mention here some crucial facts that though got in record outside Bangladesh in London, in particular, but almost unknown and unrecorded here in any Bangladesh documents.
During his detention in West Pakistan in 1971 he was tried for treason against the State of Pakistan. His main lawyer was A K Brohi, the world renowned professional and man of highest integrity. He left some facts before his death, particularly to an Editor of a fortnightly, Impact International. During my stay in London for about eight years I got to know the editor Mr Faruqi. Brohi kept on record with him two facts. One, Mujib did believe in one and united Pakistan and was not at all for independent Bangladesh, and two, during the 1971 war Mujib offered to the President Yahya to permit him to use the Pakistan media to condemn Indian aggression on East Pakistan and to appeal to all East Pakistani to defend East Pakistan against Indian aggression (See Impact International, 25th September, 1987, .p.19). Before publishing the news as it was on request from Mr Brohi then on his last fatal medical treatment in London Mr Faruqi consulted me if he should have at all published the news as that was. On my clear nod he did.
On arriving Dhaka Tejgaon Airport on the 10th January 1972 in midst of immense pleasure of heroic welcome, while he was coming out from the Tarmac leaning on shoulders of Tajuddin and Moustaque as the then student leader Aftab Ahmad (innovator of the Joy Bangla slogan) later on Professor in DU, as he wrote in an article I came across that the leader at the Tarmac rebuked Tajuddin by name, TAJUDDIN SHESH PARJANTYA TOMRA PAKISTAN BHENGE DILE You, Tajuddin, at last have broken Pakistan into pieces! Aftab did not miss the rebuke though that was in low voice as he was very close to them walking down out of the Tarmac. That comment or rebuke was not palatable to young Aftab for being an active freedom fighter of 1971 war.
Later on in mid 1972 Aftab went away forming along with other dissenting lots the JSD and continued editing the daily GONOKONTHO. I came to know him not until in London doing Ph.D. in early 1980s. We had some close relation again beginning in Dhaka in 1990s that we maintained until his tragic assassination not yet probed worth of anything in his DU residence a few years ago.
Mujibs distancing from Tajuddin within a short time was clear to all. He was not only removed from the Ministry but also ended up in prison. Mujib never in three and a half years in office cared to visit Tajuddins Exile Government capital Mujibnagar in Kustia. That Mujib and then Hasina as well not only dishonored Tajuddin but his younger brother Afsar Uddin in her first term (1996-2001) removing him from the Ministry unceremoniously and now Tajuddins son Sohel, M. P. recently blasted clearly on his leaving Bangladesh latest a few days ago. Such dishonoring the brilliant freedom fighter and pioneer of the independent Bangladesh movement in 1971 had two main reasons. Tajuddin was committed to socialist Bangladesh that Mujib distasted. The other and possibly more important issue was that the dynastic aim Mujib had and pursued determinedly now by Hasina has had no place for any contender in person, much less any other family.
Bangladesh freedom struggle and so also the Pakistan movement both had the main goals for peoples liberation, democratic governance, equity and social justice in sovereign identity and entity. Mujib was involved in both movements of the Bengal people, for Bangladesh as the main leader and for Pakistan as a young student worker in Calcutta. Unfortunately, despite peoples love for him and enormous sacrifices made, Mujib betrayed both, possibly, Bangladesh much more through his opportunism, recklessness of not making UDI in due time, leaving people in utter confusion of the unprepared war giving India to take full advantage of, corruption ridden administration, extra judicial killings of thousands by the unconstitutional Rakhsmi Bahini in reality controlled by the Indian R&AW, his own party men made famine deaths of thousands, if not lakhs, destroying democracy and imposition of one party rule having no mandate of the people, etc. etc. Not for all his sins but for some in total betrayal of the people, he was duly paid in his coins on the 15th August 1975. Thus he confirmed his place in historical records as the Bengals second Mir Zafar of the twentieth century, the first one went ahead of him nearly two hundred years ago in 1757 A.D. No amount of massive propaganda by his daughter Hasina wasting huge money from the public exchequer is going to let Muijib have a permanent bright image than that of Mir Zafar or historic national betrayer. In history, Hasina has to remain answerable for the wastage of huge public money she has been recklessly misappropriating for refurbishing the otherwise image of national betrayer since January 2009.
