Dr Md Shairul Mashreque :
The death of veteran AL leader Abdur Razzak has saddened me and perhaps all of his admirers so deeply that I feel like taking a few lines to remember this icon who lived through stormy days of the movement for provincial autonomy that in the long run turned into war of liberation. In fact he organised Bangladesh movement from the front being an energetic young man at that time.
Razzak was among young crop of politicians making significant contribution in 1971 liberation war. He served as one of the commanders of Mujib Bahini. He worked all the way to mobilize freedom fighter on behalf of his mentor-Bangabandhu who created an extra-momentum of mass mobilisation with spontaneous support of public officials, technocrats, intellectuals, peasants and industrial labour. Imbued with Bengali nationalism the whole nation stood united under his charismatic leadership to face eventuality
The imperatives for the flaming Bengali nationalism emerged from a series of eventful mass movements. It reached its zenith with volcanic eruption beginning from March episode when the sadist ruling clique that used to mete out colonial treatment to East Bengal with its entire step motherly attitude conspired against autonomy movement based on six points formula.
The country at this moment witnessed spiral of optimism and hopelessness. The ultimate denial of the right of the majority to establish its stranglehold over central power point vis-a-vis the Punjabi ruling coterie provided no room for negotiation and settlement of the impasse. The accentuation of the sense of alienation eventually turned into confrontation.
Bangabondhu with his aids and colleagues masterminded the strategic plan for political action at the critical moment. Among his close young followings rising to the occasion during the tumultuous days of Bangladesh movement Abdur Razzak was very much in the reckoning along with the then youngsters like Tofail Ahmed, Nur-e-Alam Siddique, Fazlul Haque Moni, ASM Abdur Rab, Abdul Quddus Makhan and Shajahan Siraj. Remembering Abdur Razzak is to remember a series of seminal events that set the stage of liberation war.
His was a long chequred political career beginning in sixties. He was a ‘firebrand student leader’ organising mass movement against Ayub Shahi in 1969. He contested provincial assembly election in 1970 and came out victorious. After independence he was MP in 1973, 1991, 2001 and 2008. True he was a versatile leader marked out for extraordinary organizing abilities. He served the country in different positions including the ministerial position in AL government in 1996.
With his progressive stance he contributed to the post-liberation national reconstruction with full respect to the clarion call of Bangabandhu nurturing the values of liberation like nationalism, democracy secularism, and socialism. Post-liberation reconstruction was a complex process than was at first apparent. It called for unequivocal political commitment and mobilization of patriotic forces. The presence of Abdur Razzak at this stage after nine months of liberation war energized development action with popular enthusiasm to rebuild the country.
The gigantic task of reconstruction needed his charisma among the youngsters. In fact, his inspirational political leadership coupled with organisational dexterity mobilised the masses with same zeal and dedication with which they fought liberation war.
In 1972, he took position as commander of a voluntary corps like Lal Bahini.
Abdur Razzak did not believe in politics for politics shake. He set up a glaring example of sacrifice for the people when moments warranted him to do so. He displayed a greater commitment to the people all with his pro-people orientation. His profound love for the people and clinging to fair politics as a dedicated cadre inspired the youth. He was rising above politics as a lucrative trade leading a very simple life with honesty and integrity. He held a clean image far away from contemporary trend in politics soaked with corruption and degeneration. So he was very much a leader with a difference unlike the politicians who are more or less influenced by the dysfunctions of recent political scenario where money, muscle and snobbery dominate.
In fact, Abdul Razzak occupies the foremost place among the leaders ceaselessly fighting for the emancipation of Bengali peasants. Indeed he was matchless and had only a few equals well known in history as humanists and philanthropists. By dint of his extraordinary genius, he created an era. In fact he was a versatile talent making remarkable marks in public life as politician, freedom fighter and a person with incredible
He never compromised on the question of ideology going against the streams of post 1975 politics. He worked tooth and nail for organizing the workers and freedom fighters most of whom were out of open political scene after 1975 changeover in an attempt to revamp AL and more to develop a countervailing force against anti- liberation elements reigning supreme at that time. He had a bitter taste of merciless political persecution for not yielding to the anti-liberation forces. He was not bogged down by the events going against him after the assassination of Bangabandhu. So Razzak was a devotedly stalwart but for which ceaseless efforts it was impossible to revive AL in post-1975 politics.
.He breathed his last at London on 28th December, 2011 thus ring down curtain on illustrious political career Before his eternal departure he was undergoing treatment in King’s College Hospital, London suffering kidney and liver ailments..
We cannot afford to miss him now. Alas he passed away at the moment when the country needed a freedom fighter and a watch dog of the legacies of liberation war like him. His departure created a vacuum in the country especially at the moment when trials of the war criminals were going on
In his death he came closest to us for his plain living and high thinking. In life and more so in death he is our leader. There may be other leaders but few so fair in politics abiding by the norms and decencies as a real role model. n
The death of veteran AL leader Abdur Razzak has saddened me and perhaps all of his admirers so deeply that I feel like taking a few lines to remember this icon who lived through stormy days of the movement for provincial autonomy that in the long run turned into war of liberation. In fact he organised Bangladesh movement from the front being an energetic young man at that time.
Razzak was among young crop of politicians making significant contribution in 1971 liberation war. He served as one of the commanders of Mujib Bahini. He worked all the way to mobilize freedom fighter on behalf of his mentor-Bangabandhu who created an extra-momentum of mass mobilisation with spontaneous support of public officials, technocrats, intellectuals, peasants and industrial labour. Imbued with Bengali nationalism the whole nation stood united under his charismatic leadership to face eventuality
The imperatives for the flaming Bengali nationalism emerged from a series of eventful mass movements. It reached its zenith with volcanic eruption beginning from March episode when the sadist ruling clique that used to mete out colonial treatment to East Bengal with its entire step motherly attitude conspired against autonomy movement based on six points formula.
The country at this moment witnessed spiral of optimism and hopelessness. The ultimate denial of the right of the majority to establish its stranglehold over central power point vis-a-vis the Punjabi ruling coterie provided no room for negotiation and settlement of the impasse. The accentuation of the sense of alienation eventually turned into confrontation.
Bangabondhu with his aids and colleagues masterminded the strategic plan for political action at the critical moment. Among his close young followings rising to the occasion during the tumultuous days of Bangladesh movement Abdur Razzak was very much in the reckoning along with the then youngsters like Tofail Ahmed, Nur-e-Alam Siddique, Fazlul Haque Moni, ASM Abdur Rab, Abdul Quddus Makhan and Shajahan Siraj. Remembering Abdur Razzak is to remember a series of seminal events that set the stage of liberation war.
His was a long chequred political career beginning in sixties. He was a ‘firebrand student leader’ organising mass movement against Ayub Shahi in 1969. He contested provincial assembly election in 1970 and came out victorious. After independence he was MP in 1973, 1991, 2001 and 2008. True he was a versatile leader marked out for extraordinary organizing abilities. He served the country in different positions including the ministerial position in AL government in 1996.
With his progressive stance he contributed to the post-liberation national reconstruction with full respect to the clarion call of Bangabandhu nurturing the values of liberation like nationalism, democracy secularism, and socialism. Post-liberation reconstruction was a complex process than was at first apparent. It called for unequivocal political commitment and mobilization of patriotic forces. The presence of Abdur Razzak at this stage after nine months of liberation war energized development action with popular enthusiasm to rebuild the country.
The gigantic task of reconstruction needed his charisma among the youngsters. In fact, his inspirational political leadership coupled with organisational dexterity mobilised the masses with same zeal and dedication with which they fought liberation war.
In 1972, he took position as commander of a voluntary corps like Lal Bahini.
Abdur Razzak did not believe in politics for politics shake. He set up a glaring example of sacrifice for the people when moments warranted him to do so. He displayed a greater commitment to the people all with his pro-people orientation. His profound love for the people and clinging to fair politics as a dedicated cadre inspired the youth. He was rising above politics as a lucrative trade leading a very simple life with honesty and integrity. He held a clean image far away from contemporary trend in politics soaked with corruption and degeneration. So he was very much a leader with a difference unlike the politicians who are more or less influenced by the dysfunctions of recent political scenario where money, muscle and snobbery dominate.
In fact, Abdul Razzak occupies the foremost place among the leaders ceaselessly fighting for the emancipation of Bengali peasants. Indeed he was matchless and had only a few equals well known in history as humanists and philanthropists. By dint of his extraordinary genius, he created an era. In fact he was a versatile talent making remarkable marks in public life as politician, freedom fighter and a person with incredible
He never compromised on the question of ideology going against the streams of post 1975 politics. He worked tooth and nail for organizing the workers and freedom fighters most of whom were out of open political scene after 1975 changeover in an attempt to revamp AL and more to develop a countervailing force against anti- liberation elements reigning supreme at that time. He had a bitter taste of merciless political persecution for not yielding to the anti-liberation forces. He was not bogged down by the events going against him after the assassination of Bangabandhu. So Razzak was a devotedly stalwart but for which ceaseless efforts it was impossible to revive AL in post-1975 politics.
.He breathed his last at London on 28th December, 2011 thus ring down curtain on illustrious political career Before his eternal departure he was undergoing treatment in King’s College Hospital, London suffering kidney and liver ailments..
We cannot afford to miss him now. Alas he passed away at the moment when the country needed a freedom fighter and a watch dog of the legacies of liberation war like him. His departure created a vacuum in the country especially at the moment when trials of the war criminals were going on
In his death he came closest to us for his plain living and high thinking. In life and more so in death he is our leader. There may be other leaders but few so fair in politics abiding by the norms and decencies as a real role model. n
(Dr Md Shairul Mashreque, Professor of Public Administration Department, Chittagong University)
