Bangladesh Ansar In Mujibnagar Govt’s Oath Taking Ceremony
Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
The Ansar have been engaged in maintaining law and order and mobilizing resources for socio-economic development since 1948. During the early days of Pakistan, when the number of police stations and police personnel was very limited, the Ansars used to maintain public order in the remote corner of the country.
Language martyr Abdul Jabbar was a platoon commander of Ansar. In fact, historically Ansar had always been within the people, with the people and on the side of the people, by the people and of the people. Back in 1954, the United Front proposed to equip Ansars as a Military Force under the provincial government. The nineteenth point of the Historical 21 points demand was to fully equip Ansars as a millesa force. The historical six points presented by Bangabandhu were entrusted upon the 21 points. The sixth point of six points was- “Federating must be apart empowered raised their own millesa as paramilitary force freely for enhancing the regional and national defence effectively.” All this generated hopes within the minds of thousands of volunteer Ansars to be enrolled as members of a well equipped melissa or paramilitary force. Most probably, this is the outcome of the present Ansar VDP force. In the present so called set up, its top echelons are from the army which is a violation of BCS recruitment rules.
During the fierce days of late sixties everything in East Bengal is guided by what the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman thought and what he said. Ansars were highly inspired by the guardianship of the father of the nation who always had been rooted amongst the grassroots people where the entire Ansar organization lived in. During the election of 1954 and 1970 a total number of 70,000 and 1,20,000 Ansar respectively took the path to ensure a peaceful environment of the following centers.
The Ansars witnessed the will and wave of the people. They owned the thoughts of the masses; as they are part of them. They also joined the minds of the people to form social capital in favor of Bangabandhu’s dream. They owned everything that the father of the nation was directing for. It was always easy for the Ansars to read the mind of the people around them. There has been no reason for them to get away from the common understanding for the common people where they belong to.The Ansar act 1948 was repealed and eventually all posts of Ansars were abolished. During the War of Liberation only Ansar Organisation was banned and replaced for revolting against the occupation forces. Mr. Mesbah Uddin, PSP took the charge of Bangladesh Ansar who played a vital role to recognize the Ansars in newborn Bangladesh.
Ansars played a vital role in the history of the struggle for Liberation which had accumulated in the war of Liberation. Through their contribution in conducting free and fair polls both in 1954 and in 1970, they laid down the democratic foundation for demanding Independence a total of nine officers and 661 Ansar members sacrificed their lives in the war of Liberation. Among them one was awarded the Gallantry awarded ”Bir Bikram” and the other two as “Bir Protik”. The father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman revitalized the Ansars, the organisation he had known throughout his besieged Political career rotate within the mass people. The Ansar continued functioning under Ansar act 1948 disregarding the banning order of Lt. Gen. Tikka Khan. Ansars Act 1948 was put in place again.
The ceremonial guard of honour to the first-ever acting president of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was presented by 12 members of Ansar. With the command of Captain Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, SDPO and additional Deputy Commandant of Ansars Jehinidha, who was one of the organizers of the ceremony along with Touofiq Eliahi Chaudhary, BB, SDO and Deputy Commandant of Ansar Meharpur, Major Osman Chaudhary of EPR. At present only four members out of 12 members presenting the guard of honor are alive as the witness to history.
The first government was empowered with all the authority by formal declaration of independence after the People’s Republic of Bangladesh which was read out in the ceremony followed by the oath taking address of both the newly appointed Prime Minister and the acting president. The national anthem was sung. The national flag was hoisted. The guard of honor was presented. How all these formal events were organized by some dedicated political leaders, government officials, local people, volunteers, law enforcers, trained Ansars and people of all walks of life deserve from inside full research in order to the spirit of the people generated through a long historic struggle for emancipation.
Mujibnagar Day is an event marking a unique or important historical change of course, or one on which important developments depend and shape the history of Bangladesh’s War of Independence in 1971. It is truly an epoch-making event for the freedom-loving people of Bangladesh.
The formation of Bangladesh’s provisional/first government and the oath taking ceremony both were a milestone in the history of a Bengali nation. To make the event successful there were many stakeholders and they had their contributions. But Bangladesh Ansar had their unique contribution. To organize the program, they had their active participation from first to last. The guard of honor program was supposed to be completed by EPR people. But EPR people could not turn up for some reasons. Instead of EPR people guard of honor formality was done Ansar people. So, Ansar has again made the part of history. But it is sad to mention that some people are confused by the fact whether the guard of honor event is being performed by EPR people or Ansar people. However, people may not know the facts but Bangladesh Ansar must have their recognition and deserve national awards.
(Dr. Forqan is former Deputy Director General, Bangladesh Ansar & VDP)
