Hiren Pandit: Bangabandhu was the main leader or hero of Bangladesh’s independence war. The independence war of 1971 is a glorious event in the hundred years history of the Bengali nation. The victory was achieved on December 16, 1971, in return for the fresh blood of three million martyrs, the loss of honor of two million mothers and sisters, and unlimited self-sacrifice. Many valiant sons of the soil may have dreamed of breaking the shackles of the Bengali nation. But that dream was transformed into reality by the great hero of history, Bangabandhu, the father of the nation.
So, it can be said that Bangladesh and Bangabandhu are the same, complementary to each other. One cannot be imagined without the other. He has been the main attraction of the Bengali nation since 1947. The history of liberation of the Bengali nation has revolved around him. Young Sheikh Mujib gradually became the liberator of the Bengali nation. Formed the Chhatra League in 1948 with new political thinking. In 1949, he was elected joint secretary of the newly formed East Pakistan Awami Muslim League. Political activity started by participating in the Dari movement to make Bengali the national language. Then he became the undisputed leader of Bengali through the Great Language Movement of 1952, the formation of the United Front in 1954, the anti-military movement of 1958, the education movement of 1962 and the historic six-point-based movement of 1966.
He was given the title of ‘Bangabandhu’ by the students in the 1969 mass uprising. In the 1970 elections, Bengalis strongly supported the clause. But instead of handing over power to the Awami League, the Pakistani ruling group started politics of conspiracy. Due to his visionary leadership, he realized that war against the Pakistanis was inevitable as early as March 1971. So, he instructed the people of Bangladesh to join the liberation war on March 7, 1971. He said ‘This time’s struggle is our liberation struggle, this time’s struggle is freedom’s struggle’. In this speech, the picture of killing-persecution-torture by Pakistanis towards Bengalis is embodied.
To face the enemy, he instructed the Bengali nation, ‘Be ready with whatever you have.’ Inspired by this hypnotic speech, the Bengali nation started preparing for an armed liberation war. This world-shaking thunderous speech of only 19 minutes on March 7 was a reflection of thousands of years of emotion, dreams and aspirations of Bengalis, which was a firm promise to liberate Bengalis. Bangabandhu pronounced in a deep voice, ‘When we have given blood, we will give more blood, we will free the people of this country, God willing.’ It was this historic speech that motivated the freedom-mad Bengali nation to jump into armed struggle in the great war of liberation against the invading Pakistanis, and through this speech, the future destiny of Bengalis was determined.
Many people say Bangabandhu was absent in our liberation war. Never did they judge, the Liberation War of Bangladesh was a war to drive out foreign invaders-enemies from within an independent country led by an elected representative of the people. After independence on March 26, 1971, it took us 9 months to drive out those enemies. We managed to do that on 16th December so this day is our victory day. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the leader of Bangladesh declared independence on March 26, that declaration is the basis of the declaration of independence of Bangladesh, based on this declaration, the full declaration of independence or the mother cell of the constitution was declared on April 10 and the independent government of Bangladesh was formed. The complete constitution of Bangladesh was written based on this declaration.
Bangabandhu declared independence on March 26 as the elected leader of the people of Bangladesh after the genocide and war were imposed on Bangladesh during the 1970 elections. That is what all the public representatives accepted as a valid declaration on behalf of the people of Bangladesh through the Declaration of Independence. Bangabandhu formed the government for the declared independent country. Bangabandhu was appointed as the head of that government i.e. President and Syed Nazrul Islam as Vice President. The legitimate government then gets all legislative and fiscal rights over the country as per the Declaration. There are only two obstacles in this path. Firstly, several places inside the country were occupied by the Pakistani army and secondly, Bangladesh needed formal recognition by other countries.
Bangabandhu was born in Tungipara of Gopalganj on March 17, 1920. He was the third among four daughters and two sons of father Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and mother Saira Khatun. The name Khoka was given by the parents. His rebellious character was identified in his teenage years. Studying in the village school. Then Gopalganj Public School. Protest mentality against injustice, love for poor and suffering people and promise to remove their suffering brought him into politics. He got involved in politics right from school. Bangabandhu did politics more than studies. His father did not stop him from joining politics.
According to Bangabandhu’s unfinished autobiography, his father told him, “Father, I will not object to politics, you are fighting for Pakistan so much happiness, but do not forget to study.” If you don’t learn education, you can’t become a human being.” Kishore Mujeeb went to
Kolkata after his matric examination. The major changes in his political life began while he was a student at Islamia College, Kolkata. He took an active part in the Pakistan Movement and came close to Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy. After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Sheikh Mujib moved to Dhaka. Admitted to Dhaka University and joined Salimullah Muslim Hall. In 1949, Bangabandhu was expelled for participating in the agitation of DU’s fourth-class employees, although 61 years later, on 14 August 2010, in independent Bangladesh, the decision was revoked as undemocratic and contrary to justice.
In 9 months of 1971, he won most of the battles from the jail of Pakistan, he also transformed himself in jail like the Agartala case; His shape became more massive. The democratic world is questioning whether the Pakistani military authorities have the right to arrest this elected leader. The US President took Pakistan’s side but was repeatedly blocked in the Senate for taking a stand on Pakistan’s side. Everyone says only Bangabandhu has the right to decide about his country. Not Pakistani military authorities. Therefore, just as Bangabandhu was everywhere in the freedom fighters’ rifles, mines, and grenades through the voice of thunder, the arrested leader Bangabandhu fought almost alone in the international world. As with any liberation war, freedom struggle is through the self-sacrifice of the people of the country, so the freedom-seeking people of the whole world stand beside it as fellow fighters.
Bangabandhu justified the freedom-seeking people of the whole world to stand for Bangladesh that day. Bangabandhu defeated Yahya that day in diplomacy. The Pakistani authorities lost to Bangabandhu’s diplomacy in the battle to drive out the invaders by armed means, forming the government through systematic politics. Bangabandhu won, transformed from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Many people mistakenly say that Bangabandhu was absent in the liberation war. A leader cannot declare the independence of a country at will. Have the right to declare independence. The one who declares should have the support of the country and the international world. People will not support it if they call for independence. As the leader of the winning party in the 1970s elections, only Bangabandhu had the right to declare independence.
Bangabandhu returned home on January 10, 1972. Bangabandhu reached home at 6 in the evening from the crowd of millions at the race course. After a long journey, long ceremonies, public meetings, exchange of emotions, Bangabandhu ignored all fatigue and emotions and started running the country without a moment’s delay. On that day, he held two meetings with the cabinet, and many important decisions including the drafting of the constitution were taken in the meeting. He said the constitution will be based on Bengali nationalism, democracy, socialism, and secularism.
Bangabandhu had some medium and long-term goals, achieving self-reliance, maximum utilization of internal resources of the country, acceptance and use of foreign aid, which should be unconditional and gradually reducing the share of dependence. Involve the private sector in development activities and industrialization. Development of local governance institutions, and participation of women in national life. Reconstructed the war-torn country and successfully tackled various challenges in economic and other sectors. Returning to the newly independent Bangladesh, he saw that there was no food in the warehouses, no crops in the fields, and zero reserves in the central bank. Virtually no bank function. Roads and railways were cut off, and naval and seaports were destroyed.
The schools and colleges were abandoned army camps. Knowing that defeat was certain, the Pakistani invasion forces destroyed everything possible. Bangabandhu gave importance to gaining recognition from most countries of the world and membership in various international organizations in the fastest time while maintaining a non-aligned position. The aim was to make Bangladesh stand in the international arena. In just three and a half years of his rule, Bangabandhu got recognition from 131 countries and membership in 36 international organizations including the United Nations. The transport system was almost destroyed in the war of liberation. As a result, the post-liberation war economy almost stopped importing and distributing food grains, industrial raw materials, agricultural products, and daily necessities.
In this situation, he gave utmost importance to the reconstruction work, undertook all kinds of facilities, shipping, and other reparations, and gave importance to civil aviation. The power system was also badly damaged. Electricity is provided by the construction of transmission and distribution lines in quick time. He introduced mechanized methods of farming by subsidizing food production the most. Fertilizers, medicines, and high-quality seeds are provided to the farmers. He formed the National Education Commission by planning to make educated and skilled human resources. He nationalized the schools and colleges and set up the Grant Commission for Higher Education. This reconstruction was aided by many friendly countries, which were not required to be repaid. India, Russia, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands are among them. The goal was to achieve self-sufficiency in food production as quickly as possible. After fifty years of victory, Bangladesh stands tall in the world. Bangabandhu planted the seeds of digital Bangladesh. He made Bangladesh a member of the International Telecommunication Union in 1973. On June 14, 1975, he inaugurated the Ge-satellite Center at Bethbunia. See the development of the saplings born from these planted seeds in 1996 when the leader Sheikh Hasina assumed the duties of the Prime Minister for the first time. In a speech on January 18, 1974, he declared war against corruption. The future of the nation is bleak if we cannot build an effective resistance against corruption. If the corruption, bribe takers, smugglers, hoarders, black marketers, and profiteers are the enemies of the society and the state, if the national life is not tainted by disciplining them, the glory of Awami League’s two eras of sacrifice and leadership of the freedom movement may fade.
He had a lot of dreams about the youth, thinking that the youth should be developed as ideal people. Youth will become an ideal force. This ideal will contain human qualities that are amenable to others. That is, everything that is socially good, best, noble, and welfare will be in the youth. The youth is asked to be honest, devoted, hardworking, philanthropic, compassionate, selfless and courageous. It is the youth who are physically and mentally strong, have enlightened knowledge, and are the vanguard of change and struggle in the state society. A large part of those who sacrificed their lives in the Great War of Liberation were the youth. Bangabandhu’s classroom was Bangla, Bengali, and Bangladesh. He imbibed the Bengali’s thousand years of hope, pain, protest, and tradition in his consciousness. The youth was his soul. He drew the design of success by relying on the youth. Golden Bengals can be built by making themselves efficient, action-oriented, and aware of their responsibilities, they have wished for this for a lifetime.
He urged a people-oriented, science-based, and technical education system as well as fulfilling various responsibilities. In a meeting on August 19, 1973, he said to the youth, “Fathers, learn a little education.” No matter how much you live and die, there is no use if you don’t learn properly. And the time he gets to study will help his parents. Don’t be shy to support your parents because you’re learning how to wear pants. Look at the world. Plant brinjal, pepper, gourd, and some coconut saplings near the house in the village. Help your parents. Just passing BA-MA is of no use. We have to work for the welfare of the people of the country”. He used to give advice and instructions to inspire the youth in the ideal of patriotism. In 1973, on the foundation anniversary of the Chhatra League, he said, “The people of Bengal, especially the young community, should know our history.
A Bengali boy who does not know about the traditions of his past descendants cannot be a true Bengali.’ He adopted various plans in this regard. After the brutal killing of Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975, his family members were also killed so that no one could take control of the Awami League. For killing Bangabandhu’s ideology, four national leaders of the party were also brutally murdered in jail on November 3. By killing Bangabandhu, the dreamer of the Bengali nation on August 15, the brave Bengalis introduced themselves to the world as a traitorous, cowardly-suicidal nation. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the name of the consciousness of the Bengali nation, the name of a dream, the name of the history of creation, the name of aspirations, the name of struggle, and the name of success. He is the hero of history. Bangabandhu is and will remain immortal in the hearts of Bengalis forever.
Hiren Pandit is a columnist and a researcher