Remembering Bangabandhu on his birthday

Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujjibur Rahman was the pioneer of the freedom struggle of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu has played a historic role to liberate the Bengali nation by uniting the people against the exploitative and autocratic ruling class. He dreamed of an independent country to liberate the Bengali people from the shackles of Pakistani colonial power. His life was very insignificant to the struggle for liberation war and materialized the dream of independence people together with people. He is recognized an as undisputed leader not only in Bangladesh but all over the world due to his fearless stance on behalf of the exploited people. It was needless to mention that he was Bangabandhu because he had the minds of demands and aspirations of the common people of Bengal. Bangabandhu devoted his life to cause of the people. He mastered the language of their live from the people. The spirit of independence of Bengalis did not suddenly come to his mind. Bangabandhu’s political philosophy and thinking are inextricably linked with his entire life. It can be understood by looking at his life. Every event in his life can be understood only by reviewing any decision.
In 1960s when Bengalis of erstwhile East Pakistan were subjected to the most humiliating treatment, it would be no exaggeration to state that they were experiencing the tribulations of a colonised people. In an atmosphere of all-pervasive fear and subjugation, it was Bangabandhu who confronted the mighty Field Marshal Ayub Khan and showed the guts to forcefully advocate the rights of fellow Bengalis. During the trial of the so-called Agartala Conspiracy Case in Dhaka Cantonment, Bangabandhu took to task the rogue Pakistani army personnel and cautioned them to behave. He did not agree to participate in the Round Table Conference as a prisoner. The 1960s were, in fact, a time when all Bengalis could justifiably take pride in their courageous manner that drew sustenance from Bangabandhu’s defiant disposition.
Bangabandhu was a real epitome of courage both in the physical and moral sense. The historic Six Point Programme, an explicit embodiment of Bengali nationalism was unfurled at Lahore, the heart of Punjab by Bangabandhu. In Lahore, the bastion of arrogant Punjabi power, Bangabandhu displayed admirable physical and moral courage during the course of a public meeting in 1970 that he was addressing. When Bangabandhu, the poet of politics spoke, it had an electrifying effect on the Bengalis whose spirit soared immeasurably in heightened expectations. Their support for their leader was total as evidenced in the historic landslide electoral victory of the nationalist causes in 1970. When the time came for tough talks across the table, Bangabandhu did not wilt. In fact, the cabal of Pakistani army generals that accompanied General Yahiya Khan for the meeting in March 1971 were awed and surprised by the gutsy presentation and forceful manner of Bangabandhu. The post-partition scenario in Pakistan did not witness much of a change. The military-civil bureaucracy conspired with the business oligarchy and the landed gentry to protect their vested interests. People’s emancipation did not figure seriously in the politician’s scheme of things. It was in these circumstances that Bangabandhu could galvanise a somnolent people to unprecedented political activism for achieving real freedom.
Bangabandhu was gifted with extraordinary organisational acumen and had the inkling of the brutality of the Pakistani military junta. Accordingly, he exhorted the people for an imminent armed struggle. During the nine-months of genocide, armed struggles and untold sufferings, Sheikh Mujib’s name resonated ceaselessly in the hearts of millions of Bengalis, not only within the geographical boundaries of Bangladesh, but all over the world, and he remained a demigod to the people of Bangladesh. In the words of General Rao Forman Ali, “Ninety percent of the people of Bangladesh were taken in by the magical power of Sheikh Mujib, and they were ready to sacrifice their lives for the creation of Bangladesh”. Sheikh Mujib was not a revolutionary guerrilla leader like Che Guevara or Mao Zedong; the source of his strength did not come from the barrel of the gun, rather, from the mandate and trust of his people. He rose to such a stature in the eyes of his people that he realised that it would have been cowardly if he sought shelter in a safe heaven, leaving his people in the midst of death, destruction and genocide. In 1973, at the non-aligned summit in Algiers, Bangabandhu visited Fidel Castro. Embrassing Mujeeb, Castro remarked,” I have not seen the Himalayas. But I have seen Sheikh Mujib. By personality and courage, this man is the Himalayas. I have thus had the experience of witnessing the Himalayas.”
Sheikh Mujib, the father of the nation, is the torch-bearer of peace, prosperity and piousness. We must follow his teachings, ideals and philosophy of life. He was awarded with “Julio Curie world peace Medal”. It was the recognition of this great man towards humanity, struggle against imperialism and expansionists. To establish peace and tranquility, we must follow the long cherished desire, leadership and worldwide relationship of the father of the nation. Sheikh Mujib was a great visionary and mission oriented leader. His greatness and personality as a man must be honored out and out by all Bengalese irrespective of caste, creed and religion. If we carry forward the ideals and dreams of Bangabandhu, we could be able to achieve a real nation with its dignity to other world. So it is our responsibility to implement every dream of the father of the nation. And only then our country will achieve its SDG’s goal within the targeted time.

(The writer is former Deputy Director General, Bangladesh Ansar and VDP).