Alamgir Mohiuddin :
He was a legend in his own lifetime. A relentless crusader for justice and press freedom, Tofazzal Hossain popularly known as Manik Miah never compromised with people’s right. Till the very last, he remained dedicated to the pursuit of his goal, the freedom of expression.
His newspaper, The Ittefaq, spoke the mind of the people and was on the vanguard of all political movement against an oppressive power. He would marshal the stupendous amount of facts that would uncover the lies and hidden facts to make people aware of their rights.In the process the reader was taken through the ups and downs of their fate and how they were being deprived and exploited to turn them into mute slaves.
He would point out the fate of the press and pressmen during the anti-colonial struggle and the suffering under successive dictators. In fact, he initiated a struggle that seem to be unending. He recorded in detail the draconian laws meant to gag the press, the infamous Press and Publications Ordinance, the institution of “press advice”, the closure of newspapers, the hounding of journalists during the years of the anti-communist witch-hunt and finally the persecution of newspapers and newsmen under the cover of national security.
He spared no one, because his yardstick was freedom. He noted with regret that there were some black sheep among journalists who cooperated with despots in persecuting the press and were rewarded in various ways. Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia (1911 – June 1, 1969) was a politician par excellence, not in popular sense. He did not join any political party but political parties would take note of what he would say. It was well known then that the members and supporters of Awami League which was just born then would take advice from what he said through his famous political column known as Rajnaitik Manch (political platform).
They would ignore the decisions or resolutions of the party caucus. Activists of Awami Leauge would thus follow his editorial advices more than any actual decision of a meeting of the party.
In fact, Manik Miah played a vital role in the rise of Bengali nationalism in 1960s. It was indeed a surprise that Manik Miah, born in remote Bhandaria Thana of Pirojpur, could muster so aptly the intricacies of the complex practical political world and lead the struggle of Bengali nationalism. After graduation from Barisal Brajamohan College, he started working under Sub-divisional officer of Pirojpur as an Assistant. Subsequently he became Barisal’s District Public Relation Officer. While serving in Barisal, Manik Miah came in close contact with Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy who was then a leader of Muslim League.
On his advice, he resigned from service and went to Kolkata in 1943. There, he was appointed a Secretary at the office of the Provincial Muslim League. From that time, he got directly involved in politics. Manik Mia became a close companion of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy.Leaving this job in 1947, he joined as the Secretary of the Board of Directors of Daily Ittefaq, founded by Suhrawardy. Manik Mia was an outspoken person.
As a journalist, he brought in new dimension to the profession, which was reflected in his famous powerful political column in the Daily Ittefaq under the pen-name ‘Musafir’, He would not spare a single lapse of the government and protest. He dedicated his entire life for the cause of emancipation of the people living in the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and establishing the democracy in its truest sense. On his return from Calcutta where he was working in a newspaper, which was closed down towards the end of 1948, he joined the weekly Ittefaq published from Dhaka in 1949, and took over the responsibility of its editor in 1951. In 1953, Weekly Ittefaq was converted into Daily Ittefaq under his editorship.
It focused on the negligence and colonial mindset of Pakistan leaders to East Pakistan. Quickly Ittefaq emerged as the voice of the citizens. As a result, the government acted against its editors and journalists. The paper had a significant role in the 1954 general elections, and it contributed to the victory of the United Front. Under his guidance the Ittefaq always strongly opposed all military rules of Pakistan starting from Ayub Khan to Yahya Khan. Ayub Khan was more worried over what Ittefaq would write and react to any of his acts than any other newspaper. It was Ittefaq that championed the Six Point Program of Awami League during the mid-1960s and took the idea to people and inspire them to join in the struggle that finally led to the emergence of Bangladesh..
It is no wonder that journalist, editor, columnist and pioneer of democratic politics Manik Mia would always use his mighty pen as a weapon of struggle being inspired by patriotism, love for humanity and social responsibility. He was turned into an institution during his lifetime.
Manik Mia was source of inspiration to all struggles then going on against the military rule and even Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would go to him for advice, support and inspiration.
Active in writing against military rule, autocracy and violation of the fundamental rights of people, Manik Mia, jailed several times, would not budge from his stand to speak for the people. Manik Mia and the Daily Ittefaq played significant role in the movement against Ayub Khan’s military rule.
He was imprisoned in 1959 for his alleged violation of Martial Law regulations and was kept confined for one year. He was again arrested in 1962.
Ittefaq turned into mouthpiece of the movement. He was again arrested on 16 June 1963. The Daily Ittefaq was banned and the New Nation Printing Press was confiscated. Under government pressure two of his other periodicals, Dhaka Times and Purbani, had to be wound up.
The Ittefaq reappeared on 11 February 1969 after the embargo on its publication was lifted in the face of mass movement. Manik Miah’s efforts to create public opinion in favour of Parliamentary democracy and regional autonomy in East Pakistan soon fired the imagination of the people. A believer in exploitation-free social system for all, he played a courageous role as the chairman of Riot Resistance Committee.
He was also the president of the Pakistan branch of International Press Institute in 1963 and discharged the responsibility of Secretary of Pakistan Press Court of Honour, as well as the Director of Pakistan International Airlines (1956-58). Notable among his books are Pakistani Rajnitir Bish Bachhar (Twenty years of Pakistani politics) and Nirbachita Bhashan O Nibandha (Selected speeches and articles).
After Independence, the present Manik Mia Avenue of Dhaka city has been named in recognition of his contributions to the Bengali nationalist movement. Tofazzal Hossain died in Rawalpindi on 1 June 1969.
The best tribute to this legendary person would Manik Mia be to strive together to establish an exploitation free society where everyone would be safe, secure and prosperous. He fought for freedom of press and indeed the befitting tribute would be to establish freedom of expression as the sheet anchor of our nation.
(The Author is a former Editor of The New Nation and currently Editor of the Naya Diganta)
