Md. Hasan Khan, Ph.D :
History never told that, Bangabandhu was a language movement veteran and he also led the movement. The conspirators wanted to make people believe that, Bangabandhu was never a language veteran. They tried but they forgot that, history cannot be erased and it will be revealed by itself. Bangabandhu’s contributions in the language movement made it clear in his journal ‘Unfinished Memories’ — where he gave the chronicles of language movement and his role.
Bangabandhu was involved in language movement since the beginning. On 8 February, 1984 Dhrendranath Dutta demanded Bangla as a state language in Pakistani national parliament. But the Muslim League wanted Urdu to be the state language of Pakistan. In his ‘Unfinished Memories’ he wrote that, “We saw, a huge conspiracy was developing to make Urdu as a state language excluding Bangla. The Muslim Student League of East Pakistan and Tamudun Majlis opposed it and claimed both of the language Bangla and Urdu to be the state language. We started our protesting by arranging meeting. Meanwhile, East Pakistan Student League and Tamudun Majlish jointly organized a meeting and formed ‘Rastravasa Sangram Parishad’.”
After forming the Sangram Parishad, Seikh Mujib and other leaders and workers started their work. He wrote, “We went to district to district. I did student meetings in Faridpur, Jessore, Daulatpur, Khulna and Barisal. After that, I came to Dhaka three days before the time. Students who support Muslim League tried to jeopardize our meeting. A big fight happened and some got injured but they did not succeed. I gave my speech to last moment.”
Police assault was a regular activity during the time of Language Movement. When the movement started to gain fire, Bangabandhu along with 70/75 activists were sent to jail on 11 March. But they could not stop the movement. They bailed out on 15th March. In the morning of 16th March, Bangabandhu was presiding a general student council at Aamtala of University of Dhaka. Later many senior leaders left the language movement for the greed of ministry but Bangabandhu along with other activists continue their movement.
In 1951, Khaja Najimuddin declared that, Urdu will be the only state language of Pakistan. That time, Bangabandhu was in jail. In his auto-biography Bangabandhu wrote, “Had a chat on veranda and told them, to from a Sarbadalio Sangram Parishad. I had also sent the news to Awami Leaders. A conspiracy has started again to jeopardize the activity of making Bangla as a state language. If we don’t protest now, the Muslim League will make Urdu as a state language of Pakistan. I’ve also heard that, they will send me to prison again. They think that I am doing politics in hospital.”
In 197 no. page of his auto-biography, he wrote, “Following the next night, everyone came and we all decided that we will organize a State Language Day on 21th February and will from a Sangram Parishad by a meeting. Student League should be the convener of ‘Rastravasa Sangram Parishad’ and we should begin the public opinion from February.”
They formed the Rastravasa Sangram Parishad by the order and fixed 21st February as the Movement day. Bangabandhu believed that, people will come for the language movement. Because they knew that, they will be slave again if the state language won’t be Bangla. As he was in jail but he frequently contacted with the other leaders. They informed Bangabandhu and he gave advice to them. Meanwhile he was sent to Faridpur jail from Dhaka. In his auto-biography he wrote, “In February 21st, we spent the day with anxiety, at night guards told us that, the situation in Dhaka is worse. Some people were shot. They got this news from radio. Strike called in Faridpur. Students came at jail gate. They gave slogans- ‘We want state language Bangla’, ‘No oppression to Bengals’, ‘Free Sheikh Mujib’, ‘Free the political prisoners’, and many other slogans.
Bangabandhu wrote for the shahids who got shot during the language movement, “The Muslim League government did a second-rate work. Bengalis are the first nation of the world who gave blood for the Mother Language Movement. There was no blood shad happened in the world for the mother language. I could not understand Mr. Nurul Alam. Bureaucracy has taken him somewhere else. I thought, I would see it or not, but when our boys gave blood then there is no way to give Bangla as state language. When downfall comes in man’s life, then there is failure in every step.”
Government bailed him from jail because of his hunger strike. He was ill so he went to his native home. He learnt that the news of shooting in Dhaka had spread out to across the country. Strike was called out in every bazaar. Every countryman participated in the movement. So, there was no way without allowing Bengali as a state language. That is not all, those who opposed Bengali language has gone silent. Oppressor fears to go against the public. But they did not stop there. Shaheed Suhrawardy gave a briefing for language movement and the Muslim League papers published the news with distortion. In 212 no. page he wrote, “On the other hand, the Muslim League supported papers wrote Shaheed sahib’s briefing in a way that, people may believe he wants Urdu as only the state language. As a sectary I organized a press conference. Where I demanded Bangla as the state language, free the political prisoners and give compensation to the martyrs’ families and give punishment to those who oppressed us. I wanted the evidence for the statement of government for accusing a foreign country that incited us for the movement.” After all of these, the government still wanted to flow things in different way. That time, the government claimed that, Hindu students from Kolkata came to Dhaka for the movement and they were wearing pajama. Bangabandhu called many press conferences to clear these confusions. After a vast struggle the government obliged to give Bengali as the state language.
On 21st February 1971, Bangabandhu gave a speech to the people that were presented. He said, “Today is the glorious 21st February. You all come here for the Shaheed Day, at twelve past one minute I went to the Mazar. I have come here from there. Bengalis gave a lot of blood. It all started from 1952 and we are still giving our blood and I don’t know when it will end. As today is a Martyrs Day, let us take oath, Bengal’s mothers-sisters and brothers won’t be Shaheed anymore they will be the Gazis until the day the seven hundred thousand peoples can take their rights.”
Bangabandhu knew that, the people will have to fight very soon. For this, every time he told his people to be prepared, because he was a Visionary leader. In 71’s Martyrs’ Day Bangabandhu told everyone, “Today I beg everyone to built fort in every house. We want affection and love.” Some months later after the speech, the Pak army carried out a massacre on Bengalis. Bengalis also built fortresses in every house. The independence of Bengal achieved in exchanged for millions of lives. Bengali were motivated from language movement to freedom movement. Bangabandhu played an important role in the language movement and the freedom of Bangladesh comes under his leadership.
Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu.
(Md. Hasan Khan, Ph.D; An Awami League leader and Columnist)
