Muhammad Quamrul Islam :
Frankly speaking it is a matter of pleasure and pain for septuagenarians and above who have seen or followed Bhashani’s politics and National Awami Party (NAP) founded by him in 1957 till his death on 17th November 1976, as compared with what now prevails. Bhashani followers, say neither Bangladesh nor bordering Indian states of Paschim Banga and seven sister states are in happy mood, as current reports show despite barbed wire fencing along the porous borders by India and transit without any fee given by Bangladesh, there is no respite in border killings, cross border smugglings, cross border crimes as evidenced by seven murder case at Narayangonj. Now Burdwan blast in Paschim Bang`a has brought to fore cross border religious militancy terrorism, which is now under investigation by Indian authorities.
There is no political leader like Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani to pronounce khamosh (Be silent) in prevailing sufferings and undertake March for socio-economic emancipation of the masses and region. But a new wealthy leading class of Bangladesh tends to leave this country and settle family in developed West. Why? They have neither love for nor faith in future of own country they rule! There is none to book perpetrators of share market scam, banking scandals etc and heed the reports of corruptions by Transparency International Bangladesh. Prosperity of some, as a result of remittance inflows by wage earners, low wages of garment workers, is not shared. Extreme inequalities of income, black money, cries of unemployed produced by Universities and campus crisis are not noticed.
It is heartening to note here neighboring former Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam said on October18, 2014 in Dhaka a sustainable economic development in a country can put an end to terrorism, as people get involved in terrorism out of frustration and failure to meet their economic needs. He echoed the voice of leader of the oppressed Bhashani who all through worked for meaningful democracy within the country and peace in the region and world.
Maulana Bhashani made his mark in pre- partition Assam under British rule for his peasants’ movement and role in Assam Legislative Assembly. He was at the center of politics in undivided India under British colonial rule, which was divided into Indian Union and Pakistan in August1947 by British communal Award accepted by Congress and Muslim League ignoring Cabinet Mission Plan 1946. It was revealed after partition Pakistan was a subdivided, truncated and moth eaten state; its eastern wing was separated from western wing by thousand miles and had porous borders of 4200km. Muslim League Government instead of meeting its pre-partition pledges indulged in selfish aggrandizements, talked religion most and practiced least, launched attack on mother tongue movement for making Bengali a state language in Dhaka in 1952.It led to Ekushey February martyrdoms.
All strata of society – politicians, lawyers, teachers, students and guardians, started movement for regional autonomy from 1950s, without interrupting traditional education campus, which was spearheaded by leader of the oppressed Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman upholding Bengali nationalism. It had genesis to Greater Bengal movement in Kolkata till last moment of partition. We saw a reminiscence of this in the article of Krishna Basu on politics now and then, published in last Sharadia Anandabazar 1421, Kolkata.
The long drawn liberation struggle led to emergence of sovereign Bangladesh 1971 in erstwhile East Pakistan after 9 months bloody war in the spirit of Bengali Nationalism. Refugees in millions took shelters in Indian camps, which were supported by Indian Government and drew sympathy of international community. Maulana Bhashani had to cross the border to India, saw the activities of exile government of Bangladesh and Indian authorities. During this 9 month Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, elected leader of Parliament was in Pakistani jail. The people within this country and those who sincerely left to join the Liberation War made immense sacrifices for which war was won. But all were not in that spirit in camps; many were opportunists. In this melee NGOs emerged as a post Bangladesh phenomenon on foreign help!
Bhashani felt immensely perturbed seeing the activities of the sovereign Government of Bangladesh in Dhaka in the face of pitiable conditions of the People. He exclaimed how leaders could be so unmindful about miseries of the people who crossed sea of war for independence! He said it is easy to sacrifice at the spur of moment but difficult to control lust for power and pelf when seated in government if not morally developed.
He decided to go for constitutional opposition to the government to which we responded in his programmes such as Hunger March and fast unto death meant to raise the consciousness of the Ministers, MPs and others. Few months before his death he led Farakka long March to raise environmental concerns and need for devising a framework by Bangladesh, Pashchim Banga and Assam for sustainable development. We felt aggrieved when Khandaker Mustaq Ahmed Minister bifurcating erstwhile WAPDA meeting his selfish designs, at the cost of Water and Power development according to Master Plan.
People were ashamed to see activities of underground leaders in open Communist Parties; and brewing Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) by sections of lower ranks of Awami League and higher ranks of Students League. I asked veteran politician and journalist Nirmal Sen who’re those scientific socialists. He smilingly said it was born in Indian relief camps.
Over the last 38 years since Bhashani left this world, traditional politics lost the track as divisive and confrontational politics gained grounds in Bangladesh. NAP was splintered, leaders joined Awami League, and new power based parties Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party. Reviewing position till 1980s a national conference reorganised NAP at National Press Club, Dhaka on August 31, 1990; elected National Committee with Barrister Abdul Haq as President, who was a founding member of NAP 1957 and its Parliamentary Party leader. But all efforts to unify factions of NAP went in vain. And as new leaders were not coming up due to campus terrorisms ridden by partisan teacher-student politics since 1973, it was wounded up on November17, 2006.
Let political parties and academics consider to be imbued with Maulana Bhashani’s politics and step forward in the interest of new generations.
(The writer is an economist, advocate and columnist. E-mail:[email protected])
