Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the pioneer of the freedom struggle of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu has played a historic role to liberate the Bengali nation by uniting the people against the exploitative and autocratic ruling class. He dreamed of an independent country to liberate the Bengali people from the shackles of Pakistani colonial power. His life was very insignificant to the struggle for Liberation War and materialised the dream of independence together with people. He is recognised as an undisputed leader not only in Bangladesh but all over the world due to his fearless stance on behalf of the exploited people. It was needless to mention that he was Bangabandhu because he had the minds of demands and aspirations of the common people of Bengal. Bangabandhu devoted his life to the cause of the people. He mastered the language of their lives from the people. The spirit of independence of Bengalis did not suddenly come to his mind. Bangabandhu’s political philosophy and thinking are inextricably linked with his entire life. It can be understood by looking at his life. Every event in his life can be understood only by reviewing any decision.
Prof. Rafiq was not a political fellow like others. He never did active politics. But three times he met Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in three special occasions. In 1957, Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy became the Prime Minister of the Central Government of Pakistan. In East Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib was a State Minister in the provincial government led by Ataur Rahman Khan. The convocation ceremony of Dhaka University was being held at Jagannath Hall. The students of the university performed dances and songs in a befitting manner. Seeing this, Mr. Suhrawardy was surprised and commented the grand ceremony. He called Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and asked if they had any demands. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman pretended to talk and informed the Prime Minister that they wanted to show their cultural program by holding such events at various universities and exhibition stages in West Pakistan. Prime Minister Suhrawardy accepted Bangabandhu’s demand and later arranged to visit West Pakistan to perform in various universities and cities there. At the same time Bangabandhu also visited West Pakistan. He met with the cultural team in Karachi and had a private discussion with the cultural team. Prof. Rafiq clearly mentions that Bangabandhu was sitting on his bed like a normal person. Bangabandhu told about the development picture in West Pakistan. Sheikh Mujib, then started to raise questions for the cultural team members. Everyone in the group was grateful to him for his sense of nationalism and was waiting for everything with the necessary inquisitive eyes.
In 1967, Pakistani President Ayub Khan filed a conspiracy case in Agartala involving Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and a few others. The case officially alleged that Sheikh Mujib and others secretly colluded with India to inflict serious damage on the state of Pakistan. The West intended to hang Sheikh Mujib with a sedition case. At that time, Pakistan’s diplomatic relations with India became very fragile. The Pakistani government stopped broadcasting Rabindranath Tagore’s songs and poems on Pakistani radio and television. The name ‘Rabindranath Tagore’ could not be mentioned by any campaign. Then some teachers, intellectuals and cultural activists of Dhaka University protested against this decision of the government of Pakistan. In this situation, a class of hard-line pro-Pakistan teachers and cultural activists were persuaded by the government to welcome the ban on Rabindra Sangeet. The days were passing through very political tensions. In the meantime, as a result of the united movement of the students and people of East Bengal, the government of Pakistan did not dare to hang Sheikh Mujib. One of the slogans of the united movement was – ‘We will break the lock of the jail, we will bring Sheikh Mujib’. Thus, on 22 February 1969, the government of Pakistan was forced to release Sheikh Mujib by dismissing all kinds of treason cases. On the eve of his release from jail and addressing a large gathering at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan, the then Ducsu VP Tofail Ahmed declared Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as ‘Bangabandhu’. Due to his nationalist spirit and militant role, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman of Tungipara became a true friend of the people of East Bengal.
Bangabandhu went to the meeting of the cultural team. Prof. Rafiq also went and took a seat behind everyone. All the artists and writers were singing and praising Bangabandhu, and in between they were always quoting Rabindra Rachna or poems in their warm voices. Bangabandhu listened in silence for so long, neither with a pale face nor with exuberance. This time he got up to give a speech, said something. Then he took the file in his hand and said to everyone, ‘When the government of Pakistan imposed a ban on Rabindra Sangeet, Prof. Rafiq had a cutting of the news who made the statement in protest and welcomed this heinous decision. There is a saying that when the wind changes, people change. But the nation will get benefit only if their purity comes in this change. The organizers were all shocked to hear from him. Bangabandhu again said, “I will tell everyone to stand in a line and work. But I have a condition for you. You listen to Rabindranath Tagore’s song ‘Amar Sonar Bangla, I love you’.” None of the organizers knew this song or poem since. Then the song was played to Bangabandhu by Ajay Roy and another person.
The third and last incident was in 1972 after Bangladesh became independent. As the head of the newly independent country plagued by problems, Bangabandhu had to deal with many unwanted problems at every moment. At the same time, the students of Dhaka University demanded from the authorities that they were engaged in agitation and war throughout the year. Their homes and families have been destroyed. In this case, they cannot appear exam. That time, they will have to pass or promote without examination. A meeting of the Academic Council of the University was going on and the students did not accept this demand. The students were outraged by this. The doors of the meeting room were locked from the outside and the collapsible gate of the building was also closed. All the senior teachers including the vice chancellor were trapped there. None of those from inside were appearing in front of the agitated students. Prof. Rafiqul Islam ran to Ganobhaban with a colleague. It was not difficult for him to appear before Bangabandhu, though he was always surrounded by people. Seeing his sadness, Bangabandhu said, ‘What happened, Professor?’ After telling him all the facts, Bangabandhu ensured him for a solution. Hearing all from Prof. Rafiqul Islam, Bangabandhu took the two of us and a total of six people including Mr. Tajuddin in his car and rushed to the university. He immediately broke down the collapsible gate and went inside the building and pushed himself to open the door of the room. Bangabandhu ensured the security of the respected teachers and said, ‘Forgive me; I am the one who apologizes to you for this mishap of the students. You go back to your respective positions. I am taking steps to solve this problem. Saying this, he went back. From the above discussion, it is proved that Bangabandhu was a great leader with boldness and highness of mind. The way Prof. Rafiqul Islam depicts Bangabandhu will speak the greatness of the father of the nation which does not limit in a particular place but crosses beyond the boundary.
(Former Deputy Director General, Bangladesh Ansar VDP & Editor, Publisher ‘The Monthly Bisswayan’).
