Fifty-one years have elapsed since Bangladesh was born with the help of India’s war against Pakistan in 1971. India defeated Pakistan, but in no time, India forgot the contribution of freedom fighters. They were denied a place at the occasion of accepting surrender of Pakistan army jointly with the Indian army.
To be honest with history, we did not think of war over our demand for autonomy as mandated by the people and sought by Bangabandhu.
Freedom fighters were organised in India not only for ousting Pakistan’s beastly army, but also for replacing autocracy with democracy. Our struggle was not against Pakistan we had created. Bangabandhu’s six-point autonomy was to practice democracy in our part of Pakistan.
We needed India’s support for the war thrust upon us as part of Mr Bhutto’s design to divide the country so that he could claim the position of the prime minister even though Bangabandhu had the majority in election in the context of united Pakistan.
To get rid of Pakistan army who were committing genocide in East Pakistan, the freedom fighters got weapons from India to start guerrilla type of fighting against the Pakistan occupation army.
Awami League leaders never contemplated Pakistan would go to war for internal politics in spite of their brave fighting words especially by the student leaders. After the election, student leaders should not have been taken seriously if the Pakistan government was interested in a united Pakistan.
A section of hawkish army was in agreement with Mr Bhutto’s plan to give up East Pakistan and let loose the bloody military operation on the unarmed and peace-loving people. The leaders went to India as refugees without instructions as to what to do. Our freedom fighters were fighting for freedom under democracy.
So the victory of our freedom fighters is yet to be achieved after more than 50 years. The freedom fighters both in India and those who did not leave the country should have remained united to attain the goal of our freedom. Pakistan was our coveted land of peace. Our fight was to ensure our economic and political rights under democracy.
India’s victory against Pakistan is an occasion of great pride. We also observed the victory day of Indian army defeating Pakistan. It is also true that Pakistan army refused to fight a war and surrendered. This section of army was also happy that their purpose of separating East Pakistan had been achieved shifting the blame.
Nothing could be more humiliating than the efforts of elimination of democracy in a free Bangladesh. Our freedom fighters and the people must have human rights of democracy to celebrate our victory. When Pakistan started war against us then we also wanted Pakistan to be defeated and punished. But we did not have the means or leaders to fight a war. So the India’s war against Pakistan was also our war.
We found it shocking when the Pakistan army surrendered to India our freedom fighters were not present, and they went back to Pakistan unpunished for war crimes.
We are surely grateful to India for saving our people from the brutal Pakistan army. But our liberation war was not simply to witness retreating Pakistan army in a humiliating defeat.
India’s victory was a military victory. But our liberation war was political. In this regard the weakness of our political leadership was so glaring that it cannot be denied. All our leaders left us when the Pakistan military began their operation on our people. They left the country in haste. They thought of their safety first. They swallowed their brave words.
Depending absolutely and shamefully, the freedom fighters prepared themselves with the Indian weapons for resistance against Pakistan army. But however hard they tried they could get weapons only for guerrilla type of fighting. In the leaderless situation, they often felt frustrated and angry.
During the liberation war, our supreme leader Bangabandhu was not present with us and was in a jail of West Pakistan. As a result, we were leaderless. This was intriguing.
We do not know when we shall be able to make democracy safe in our country and we shall be happy to celebrate jointly with India the victory day. But without democracy the goal of our liberation war will not be won.
