THE Bangladesh Awami League (Bangladesh People’s League) was founded in Dhaka, the former capital of the Pakistani province of East Bengal on 23 June 1949 with the aim of establishing people’s democratic party, Awami meaning people. The party was founded at the Rose Garden mansion in the old part of Dhaka. Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Shamsul Huq were elected the first President and General Secretary of the party respectively, while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected as joint secretary alone with two others. Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia also aided the party by highlighting the discriminatory policies of the central government through his writings in the Daily Ittefaq which he founded. Manik Mia under the guidance of Mr. HS Suhrawardy provided the foundations of democratic political philosophy of the party.The party was formed to champion the rights of masses in Pakistan against the powerful anti-people and undemocratic feudal establishment led by the Muslim League. But its central tenets remained the establishment of full democracy mainly for the people of East Pakistan – as opposed to the highly discriminatory centralization by the West Pakistan part which resulted in massive inequities between both the wings in terms of economic and social disparities. This situation became more intolerable when Field Marshal Ayub Khan imposed martial law. The government became more centralised and the relationship between two wings of the country became more remote. Many thoughtful persons say that Pakistan was divided for repeated Martial Law regimes denying politics to play its part.But what is not deniable is that under the leadership of Awami League, Bangladesh attained independence. India would not have helped if Awami League had not people’s overwhelming support in the election of 1970. It is Awami League’s democratic legitimacy that allowed it to lead the liberation war with the help of India.The party that suffered so much for democratic rights of the people on the understanding that Pakistan was not a free country unless it was also a democratic country. Most disappointingly, the party that had a glorious past as pro-people accepting the legitimacy of the people’s vote is now under the influence of undemocratic elements. Now they are asking the people to accept voter less election as the people’s election and the people’s mandate to govern. Many people say with great deal of disappointment that Awami League’s inability to continue as a democratic party means great disaster is awaiting the nation. Awami League is no Awami League of the past glory if it forgets its democratic past. No party that does not have faith in democracy can legitimately call itself people’s political party. This belief justified Awami League’s birth 65 years ago. We want to be hopeful on this day that the present leaders of Awami League should remember the sacrifices of the whole nation not just of its past leaders and will remain a people’s party and not a party of self-seekers.
