Wings of A Butterfly

Bangabandhu and Bangladesh (By Muntasir Mamun)

The inhabitants of Bangladesh had dreamt of a free land for long.
Many individuals had sought to materialise this dream in the past. Many had
spoken about that land during the first forty years of the last century. That
plan was once again drawn during the partition of India.
Moulana Bhashani had spoken about an independent territory for the
Bangalis during the decade of 1960s. But none could give complete shape to
that dream. That dream was finally realized on 16 December 1971 under the
leadership of a pure Bangali – Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. It was he who could
erect for the Bangalis the geographic boundaries of a free state.
Bangabandhu, Father of the Nation, or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – in
whatever name we may call him – his iconic figure looms large whenever
we talk about Bangladesh. That is why, his name has become ingrained in
our history and because of that we repeatedly reminisce about him.
There are numerous claimants to the Bangladesh dream. Many might
have dreamt it; many had talked about Bangladesh through signs and
gestures; but Sheikh Mujib had completed the task like an architect. Like
many others, he also thought of Bangladesh, but preparations for the purpose
continued up to 1971. Moulana Bhashani had also spoken about Bangladesh
in open forums. But his role was negligible in this field. However, all those
dreams and speeches had prepared the people. Journalist Abdul Matin had
written in his autobiography: “He met Mujib one day at noon during the
military rule of Ayub Khan. Sheikh Saheb said that he did not care Ayub
Khan. He knew the minds of the people. After remaining silent for a few
moments, he talked about using the Agartala case in the anti-Ayub
movement”. It can be said in this context that the Agartala conspiracy case
might not have been fully cooked up.
That dark gentleman had emerged from the very midst of our rural
paddy culture. His heart was vast like nature itself, and he wanted to cover
the Bangalis with that – the whole of Bangladesh. The Bangalis had repaid
that gesture as long as he lived.
One day on 27 March 1971, a Major suddenly told the Bangalis to
snatch freedom and they jumped for that – the Bangalis are not made of such
stuff. It took a long time to awaken them and it was Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman who succeeded in doing that. Consequently, whether one
likes it or not, can there be any option other than calling him the ‘architect of our freedom’? And it was not that Sheikh Mujib became ‘Bangabandhu’
overnight in 1970 and ‘Father of the Nation’ all of a sudden in 1972. It took
him three decades to become Bangabandhu. If we consider the period
between 1940 and 1974, we shall see that Sheikh Mujib became
Bangabandhu and Father of the Nation for several reasons. These were: the
vastness of his heart, his humanism and tolerance, his appearance, dresses
and words; all of these had demonstrated his intention to maintain
everlasting bonds with a huge population.
Some information and proofs could be obtained about the long-drawn
conspiracies of the villains of 1975 for seizing power. Khandakar Mostaque
is an example. Evidence of the conspiratorial mentality of this principal
villain in our history could be observed even before the liberation war. The
frontline leaders of Awami League had visited Bangabandhu at his
Dhanmondi residence on 25 March 1971 and asked him to remain cautious.
Only Khandakar Mostaque was not seen there. After independence, he
lobbied with Dr. Wazed Miah to become Foreign Minister with seniority.
Later, in 1974, Dr. Wazed Mia saw after going to Khandakar Mostaque’s
residence that one Major Rashid was going out of the house after secret talks
with him.
There has been much debate about the message of Sheikh Mujib
broadcast by Mr. Hannan from Chittagong on 26 March 1971. Dr. Wazed
Miah had written: “Bangabandhu’s message was in a taped form. After
transmitting that message from Dhaka’s Baldah garden, that brave member
of EPR had sought fresh orders by contacting Bangabandhu’s residence over
telephone. Bangabandhu then directed the EPR member via Mr. Golam
Morshed to leave that place instantly after throwing the transmitter into the
pond of Baldah garden.”
I shall not go into the debate on whether this information was correct
or not. I understand as an ordinary student of history that the country called
Bangladesh was founded at the very start of March 1971 and that had
happened at the directive of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Professor
Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir highlighted this in a very clear and logical
manner in his essay titled ‘Accountability of the State’. He wrote: “The 35
directives issued by Sheikh Mujib had laid the ground for all-out non-
cooperation with the Pakistani state through resistance and rejection of its
authority and complete cooperation of the Bangali masses with their
administration through establishment of a pro-people authority. ------ The
Bangali people had nurtured the thought of becoming the inhabitants of a
separate, different and independent state in their bosom, head and heart even
before the commencement of the war.”