Special Report :
In an explosive interview conducted by journalist Elias Hossain on YouTube Live, Lieutenant Colonel Dalim who was awarded the title Bir Uttam by Mujib himself shared his perspective on some of the most controversial and sensitive chapters in Bangladesh’s history.
The interview, which attracted an unprecedented 8 million views within 24 hours, sparked heated discussions across social media and news outlets, underscoring its far-reaching impact.
The authenticity of the interview has been confirmed to The New Nation by the family sources of Major Dalim.
Major Dalim described the “Revolution of August 5” as unfinished, urging students and the youth to remain vigilant against what he called the “India-backed racist regime” of Sheikh Hasina.
He labeled the movement as the “second independence of Bangladesh,” suggesting that the challenges to Bangladesh’s sovereignty and democracy are far from over.
Dalim’s sharp critique of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman began with an assertion that Mujib became a different leader after March 26, 1971. According to Dalim, the leader who once championed the freedom and rights of Bangladeshis turned into a “stooge of India.”
He further accused Sheikh Mujib of volunteering to be arrested by the Pakistan Army during the critical period following Operation Searchlight in March 1971.
Dalim claimed that Mujib chose to leave for Pakistan, taking Dr. Kamal Hossain with him, while leaving his family, including Sheikh Hasina, in the hands of the Pakistan Army in Bangladesh.
Dalim labeled this decision as an “irresponsible move” that left the nation leaderless and contributed to the deaths of over 300,000 people during the war. He further accused the political class of abandoning the people during the critical moments following Operation Searchlight in March 1971.
Dalim highlighted Zia’s historic declaration of independence on March 26th, 1971 from Chittagong as the rallying cry for the nation’s liberation movement and fill the void left by the fleeing politicians.
One of the most contentious claims made by Dalim was regarding the number of casualties during the 1971 Liberation War. He alleged that the actual number was around 300,000, quoting a prominent Awami League leader.
He accused Sheikh Mujib of exaggerating this figure to 3 million due to a miscommunication with the poet Robert Frost, stemming from Mujib’s limited English proficiency.
Dalim characterized Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s governance from 1971 to 1975 as a “reign of terror.” He accused the regime of rampant corruption, including bank looting and the circulation of counterfeit currency.
The assassination of Mujib on August 15, 1975, was portrayed by Dalim as a moment of relief for many who, he claimed, celebrated the end of what they saw as a dictatorship.
Perhaps the most controversial part of the interview was Dalim’s assertion that the intellectual killings in December 1971, just before the Pakistani surrender, were orchestrated not by the Pakistani Army but by Indian intelligence.
According to Dalim, the objective was to deprive Bangladesh of its brightest minds and weaken its capacity to function independently, turning it into an Indian satellite state. Elias expanded on this thought by stating the Awami League is not a political party.
It is a religion with Mujib it’s only prophet. Dalim did not hold back in his criticism of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accusing her of overseeing the killing of thousands of students and looting over $100 billion during her tenure.
He went as far as to call her a more ruthless and vindictive dictator than Sheikh Mujib, drawing parallels between the two regimes but placing Hasina’s alleged actions on a more severe scale.
He further asserted that no civilized democratic nation uses the term “Founding Father” to idolize a person giving all credit of a revolution. He further stated that even Jinnah never claimed he was the father of Pakistan.
The interview has triggered intense debate. Supporters of Major Dalim hailed him as a truth-teller shedding light on neglected historical perspectives, while critics accused him of revising history and spreading misinformation.
The claims about the casualty figures and the role of Indian intelligence in the 1971 intellectual killings have particularly stirred controversy, drawing sharp rebuttals from various quarters
