Mohammad Amjad Hossain :
It was really surprising to the note that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was received at 10 Downing Street of London by no less a person but by Prime Minister of the Great Britain Mr. Edward Heath on 8 January of 1971 by breaking all the protocol when he was flying on release from prison of Pakistan by Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Z.A.Bhutto. It was unprecedented because the Great Britain in fact did not accord recognition to Bangladesh, a newly emerged country in South Asia sub-continent following war with Pakistan in 1971.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was in fact provided with the Royal Air force comet by the British Government to reach him to Bangladesh via New Delhi on 9 January of !971. In New Delhi, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was received by no less a person than by Prime Minister of India, a largest democracy of the world, Madam Indira Gandhi who conducted war against Pakistan in favour of Bangladesh for about nine months. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was given a guard of honor at Palam airport by 150 contingents of armed forces. Apart from Prime Minister Indian President Mr.V.V.Giri was also present at the airport. In his short speech Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur Rahman is reported to have said” acknowledging the work of magnificent prime minister for making this journey possible—this journey from darkness to light, from captivity to freedom from desolation to home”. In his speech Sheikh Mujibur Rahman expressed that his country and their country would be bound in eternal friendship as brothers. He further said the people of India stood by us in our darkest hour and we will never forget it. He further to have said the people of India are the best friend of Bangladesh. In fact, this speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reflected of the speech by 18th President of the United State of America Mr. Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg on 19 November 1863.
India was seen as messiah. A tremendous amount of goodwill was generated towards the people of India, which contributed practically to the shaping of the foreign policy objectives of government of the Awami League in 1971.
On 4 February of 1972 the Great Britain recognized Bangladesh while followed by Other European countries and Bangladesh was inducted into the Commonwealth.
The speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 7th March of 1971 at Paltan Maidan was considered as historic by UNESCO on 30 October, 1977. The speech of Bangabandhu is on record which is reported to have said that this time the struggle was for our freedom now, the struggle was for our independence. Sheikh is stated to have called for every home to turn into a fortress within the province. The speech effectively declared the independence for Bangladesh while Mr. Anthony Mascarenhas, an Assistant Editor of Morning News of Pakistan said that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is reported to have said that at the top of his voice: “our struggle this time is a struggle for freedom. Our struggle this time is a struggle for independence. Joi Bangla”. Mascarenhas’ report was carried out by Sunday Times of London on 13 June 1971.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the first head of government to speak in Bangla at the general assembly of the United nations on 24 September of 1974 following the People’s Republic of China did not exercise veto against Bangladesh to become member of the United Nations but the People’s Republic of China recognized Bangladesh in 1976.
The admission of Bangladesh to the United Nations on 17 September 1974 was indeed a great day. By 1973, 99 countries, including the United States of America, which was the deadly against liberation of Bangladesh, accorded recognition to Bangladesh. During the liberation struggle, India’s unstinting support and cooperation for the Awami Leaguers in particular and for freedom-loving people in general, particularly to those who crossed over to India, built a bridge between the two neighboring countries.
It is equally true that it would not have been possible to liberate Bangladesh in nine months’ time. Similarly, it would not be fair to minimize the role of the freedom fighters in the fight against the occupation forces. It is equally true that freedom fighters alone could not have succeeded in defeating the Pakistan forces without the Indian troops. In this connection, one is tempted to quote from Mr. André Malraux, a France thinker,warrior,statesman and novelist, at the Press conference on 24 April 1973 in Dhaka before the departure from Dhaka on the conclusion of his visit to Bangladesh. When asked whether the Indian troops had been necessary in Bangladesh. André Malraux replied, it is as if I were asked: were the American troops had been necessary in France? We do not know for sure. What is certain is that if there had been no France, there would have been a colony. If you had not fought, the arrival of the Indian tanks would not have served at all because there would not have been a Bangladesh. During the visit of Mr. André Malraux to Bangladesh this writer accompanied with him to Chittagong to attend a civic reception and Suhrawardy hospital in Dhaka to see wounded freedom fighters.
During the era of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as many as twelve heads of state and government and foreign Ministers from many countries paid visits to Bangladesh to establish rapport with the charismatic leader of 75 million people in Bangladesh. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman could be compared with Dr.Sukarno of Indonesia, whose popularity was at its peak from 1949 to 1953.Dr Sukarno became Bapa Sukarno ( Father of the Nation) in Indonesia.
(Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat and former President of Nova Toastmaster International club of America, writes from Virginia)
