Ameer Hamzah :
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Architect of Bangladesh, will always be remembered for his fathomless contribution to the emergence of Bangladesh as a sovereign and independent country in the map of the world.
He was a man of indomitable character, who never compromised his principles, generating new era in the history of the world.
His non-cooperation movement in March 1971, nowadays hardly referred as an example in any meeting or seminar, has been recognized as unparallel peaceful movement for the realization of the people’s right to self-determination and to break the chain of colonialism. He was more successful than MC Gandhi, more epoch-making and deep rooted to change the course of the history.
Undoubtedly, Sheikh Mujib became the de facto ruler of the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the turbulent days of March 1971.
He was a farsighted leader and calculative. That is why he took part in the National Assembly election held on December 7 in 1970 under the Legal Framework Ordinance (LFO) of President Yahiya Khan. He knew that the people’s mandate would strengthen his hand to fight for full autonomy based on six-point.
Awami League captured 167 seats out of 300 in the National Assembly, and 288 out of 300 in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly. It is mentionable that East Pakistan had 169 seats in pro-rata population basis.
President Yahiya Khan also addressed him as Prime Minister of Pakistan, but finally hatched conspiracy with People’s Party Chairman Z.A. Bhutto and the civil and the military bureaucrats to suppress the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh.
The 7th March can be recognized as Independence Day as he gave virtual call for Independence on this day. In the mammoth meeting held in the Ramna Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan), he said addressing the Nation, whatever you have, with those, repel the enemy’s attack, even if I become unable to give you further order. Remember, this struggle is the sruggle for Independence. This struggle is the sruggle for Freedom.
The historic Lahore Resolution adopted in 1940 incorporated those areas in which the Muslims were numerically in a majority as in the northwestern and the eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute ‘Independent States’ in which the constituent units would be autonomous and sovereign.
The resolution clearly referred to an Independent and sovereign State of Bengal in the eastern India. But afterward, the Muslim League leaders from former West Pakistan began conspiracy against the Lahore Resolution and finally in April 1946 at the League’s Delhi conference dropped letter ‘s’ from the word ‘States’ in order to make Bengal a part of Pakistan. In truth, it was the reflection of their colonial frame of mind.
It was clearly a deviation from the principles of the Lahore Resolution. A 10-member committee by a 7-3 majority took the decision. Abul Hashim, Muslim League representative from Bengal, strongly protested and said, the Muslim majority eastern zone and the Muslim majority northwestern zone won’t constitute one State because they are separated by over 1000 miles. One month later, the Muslim League won 113 seats out of 119 in the Bengal Provincial Legislative election. Krishak Proja Party under A.K.Fazlul Huq won six seats only. Contrarily, HS Suhrawardy tirelessly worked to make the Muslim league the largest party in Bengal,
In 1946, the Cabinet Mission suggested for a federal type of government in India The Indian provinces were recast into three areas. Zone A: the Hindu majority United Province, Central Province, Bihar, Urissa, Madras and Bombay, Zone II: the Muslim majority Punjab, Sind, Belochistan and North West Frontier Province, and Zone Ill. Bengal and Assam. This proposal too could not be workable.
In view of all these, HS Suhrawardy, submitted a proposal in April 1947 for an independent United Bengal. Muslim League leader Abul Hashim and Forward Bloc leader Sarot Bose and Congress leader Kiran Sankar gave all out support to Suhrawardy. But they could not meet success, as the Indian National Congress directly opposed the plan.
Contrarily, the All India Muslim League leader M A. Jinnah said that he had no objection if Congress agreed. Sarot Bose returning from Delhi in a statement admitted it and blamed Congress for failure of the plan (Ref: Ausamapta Atmajiboni by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at page No. 73).
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib writes in his book that many Muslim League leaders criticized him and Suhrawardy for proceeding with the United Bengal plan. What a surprise it was that they were the members of the Bengal Muslim League working committee and gave all out support to the United Bengal plan. Said a critic, although the plan failed at that time, Sheikh Mujib made it successful after many years, however, partially.
Pakistan came into being in August 1947. But the central government exposed their colonial approach towards East Bengal right from the beginning. M.A. Jinnah strongly advocated for Urdu as the only State language of Pakistan. Observers say that the very declaration was the beginning of the end of Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman actively took part in the programme taken up by the Tamaddun Majlish, a socio-cultural organisation. East Pakistan Muslim Students League and the Tamaddun Majlish in a joint meeting declared March 11, 1948 ‘Bhasha Dibosh’ Pakistan Awami Muslin League was formed in 1949 with Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani as President, Shamsul Haque as Secretary and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as Joint-Secretary.
This party dropped the word ‘Muslim’ in 1953 and sowed the sentiment of nationalism in the country and guided the nation to independence finally.
Swadhin Bangla Nucleus Cell was formed in 1962 with Sirajul Alam Khan, Kazi Aref Ahmad and Abdur Razzaq. They believed that the independence of Bangladesh could only be achieved through armed revolution.
In February 1966, Sheikh Mujib submitted his famous Six-point at the round table conference in Lahore. The political leaders from all over Pakistan assembled there to discuss the latest political development and future plan to restore democratic rule in Pakistan.
The six points ushered in a new era in the history of Bangladesh, a landmark and an answer to the continuous economic exploitation of East Pakistan. Sher-e-Bangla A.K.Fazlul Huq said, “Politics of Bengal means, in reality, economy of Bengal.” The movement for full autonomy began, which the central government, the civil and the military bureaucrats from West Pakistan opposed and devised to suppress with arms. The main features of “Six -Points were:
1. Pakistan should be a federal State according to the minutes of the Lahore Resolution, with Parliamentary form of the government. All elections are to be held on the basis of the adult franchise, with sovereign power in the hands of the Legislature.
2. The central government will look after the foreign affairs and the defence only, while the regional governments will take care of all other ministries.
3. There shall be two separate but easily exchangeable currencies, or two reserve banks in case of single currency, keeping a provision in the Constitution, banning flight of capital from East Pakistan to West Pakistan.
4. All powers to fix and collect taxes shall be vested in the hands of the regional governments, which will deposit a part of the revenues in the federal account. In this context, there shall be a provision in the Constitution, bindings on the regional governments. The deposited amount shall be treated as federal government’s assets to meet its expenditures.
5. There shall be two separate foreign currency accounts under the control of the regional governments, which will equally remit a part in the federal account, as per provision incorporated or to be incorporated in the Constitution.
The regional governments will have power to send economic, commerce and trade delegations abroad with power to sign deals with any country of the world.
6 There shall be a separate militia force equipped with modem and sophisticated arms in East Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujib said, I have placed Six-point demand in the interest of farmers, workers and exploited classes of the country. The Six-point symbolises charter of economic freedom. It did not aim at breaking Pakistan, or weakening the country’s economy.
The Agartala Conspiracy case implicating 34 people, including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Lieutenant Commander Moazzem Hossain of Pakistan Navy, the students community’s 11 points movement, the mass uprising on February 24, 1969the killing of Sergeant Zahurul Haque by Pakistan Army in Dhaka cantonment, the killing of Dr Shamsuzzoha, Reader of Rajshahi University, by a Punjabi lieutenant of the then EPR, the proclamation of Martial Law in 1969, the general election 1970 and the landslide victory of Awami League changed the course of history.
But in Pakistan, everything does not work in accordance with the wishes of the people. The civil and the military bureaucrats, the bourgeoisie, the rightwing reactionaries, the ultra left and the fanatics stood behind Z.A.Bhutto, Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party, which captured 88 seats in the National Assembly (all from West Pakistan). Bhutto threatened of collapsing West Pakistan from Khyber to Karachi if President Yahiya Khan remained firm to hold the National Assembly session. Yahiya Khan postponed the National Assembly session scheduled for March 3 in 1971..
In protest, Sheikh Mujib called for the nationwide hartal on March 3 and onwards and said that he would address the nation on March 7. On the day, he addressed a mammoth public meeting of about one million at the Ramna Race Course. He said, the struggle of this time is the struggle for Liberation; the struggle this time is the struggle for Freedom.
He also said, make every house a fortress and face the enemy with what you have in your hands. Since we have once learnt to give blood, we shall give more to free the country’ InsAllah.
The 7 March speech was, in fact, the guideline of our Freedom and henceforth the day should be recognized as the ‘Independence Day’ or at least the ‘Bangladesh Day’.
From this day, Bangladesh was a de facto sovereign and Independent country and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was in full charge.
Instantly the people of East Pakistan rose in protest and raised slogans: Sanghatir Mathai Lathi Maro, Bangladesh Swadhin koro (Smash the root of solidarity and make Bangladesh an independent country). Shahjahan Siraj, General Secretary of East Pakistan Students League read out the ‘Manifesto of Independence’ on March 2 on the Dhaka University campus. The following day, ASM Abdur Rab hoisted the flag of Bangladesh at the same venue in presence of thousands of students.
The Non-cooperation movement began from March 8 in 1971. Maulana Bhasani demanded an all-party national government to mobilize public opinion for independence. Meanwhile, 200 MNA out of 300 in a joint statement demanded for an interim government, but none of the MNA from the Pakistan People’s Party and the Quayyum Muslim League was among the signatories.
On March 15, Sheikh Mujib proclaimed 15 Decrees to run the administration of the then East Pakistan. Realising the gravity of the situation, President Yahiya Khan escorted by the Senior Military officers arrived in Dhaka for talks with Mujib. The talks continued for 10 days on the one hand for a political solution, on the other hand, instructed Lieutenant General Tikka Khan to get ready for a final show down.
President Yahiya Khan invited Z.A. Bhutto, the mastermind of the conspiracy, to join the talks. New troops and arms were coming every day from West Pakistan. But it seemed from the character of the negotiation that President Yahiya Khan would soon transfer power to the elected representatives.
On March 23 at 11.45 AM, Awami League submitted a copy of the draft Constitution to the President, with a key suggestion that Pakistan will be divided into two sovereign and independent states under a Confederation. In fact, Bangabandhu changed his mind from one Pakistan to two Pakistans because of the West Pakistani political leaders’ colonial attitude.
The talks failed on March 25 and the Army crack down began on the night of March 26, but faced strong resistance from the East Bengal Regiment (EBR), the East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) and the East Pakistan Police (EPP). Rajarbagh Police Lines, the EPR headquarters at Peelkhana and the EBR rose in revolt. Nothing could stop them from their single mission of Independence.
Although the Pakistan Government arrested Sheikh Mujib from his Dhanmondi residence on the night of March 25, he was present in the heart of every man and woman of this country and his March 7 speech was the guideline of war for independence of Bangladesh.
On April 17, the Bangladesh government was formed at Mujibnagar with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as President, Syed Nazrul Islam as Acting President and Tajuddin Ahmad as Prime Minister. The three other members of the council of ministers were Captain Mansur Ali, Khondaker Mushtaque and AHM Qumruzzaman.
Bangladesh forces command was set up on 11 July, with Colonel M. A. G. Osmani as Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) with the status of Cabinet Minister, Lt. Colonel Abdur Rabb as Chief of Staff (COS), Group Captain A K Khandker as Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) and Major A R Chowdhury as Assistant Chief of Staff (ACOS).
The country was also divided into 11 military zones under 11 sector commanders. They were: Sector 1: Major Ziaur Rahman (April 10 to May 15), and Major Rafiqul Islam; Sector 2: Major Khaled Mosharraf and Major A.T.M. Haider; Sector 3: Major Shafiullah and Captain A. N. M. Nuruzzaman; Sector 4: Major C.R.Dutta; Sector 5: Major Mir Swakat Al; Sector 6: Wing Commander M Khademul Bashar; Sector 7: Major AK.M. Nazmul Haque (April 10 – September 27), and Major Quazi Nooruzzaman; Sector 8: Major Abu Osman (April 10 – July 17) and Major Abul Manzoor, Sector 9: Major M.A Jalil (till December 24) and Major Joynal Abedin, Sector 10: Commander HQ BD Forces and Sector 11: Major Ziaur Rahman (from June 26 to Oct 10), Major Abu Taher (from October 10 to November 2) and Squadron Leader M. Hamidullah Khan.
India finally involved herself in a full-scale war with Pakistan both on her her western and wastern borders on December 3. The Eastern Command, a Joint Command of the Indian Army and the Mukti Bahini, was established with Lt. General. G.S. Arora of Indian Army as its Chief Commander. Pakistan Army eventually conceded defeat and surrendered on December 16 at the Historic Ramna Race Course, Dhaka. East Pakistan finally became Bangladesh, Pakistan broke down, and we became citizens of a free country.
In our war for independence, India and former Soviet Union played a courageous, praiseworthy and needful role and stood by us. In this connection, I must mention the name of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, whose contribution cannot be forgotten.
The great leader writes in his book Ausumapta Atmajiboni (Unfinished Memoirs) at page No. 47 that we, as Bangalis have two identities. (The first one is) that we are Muslims, and (the other is) that we are Bangalis.
