ASM Abdul Halim :
The ‘Revolt’ is not only a word in itself, it is a history, a history of downtrodden mankind, history of unfortunates who suffered due to injustice, inequality, innumerable sufferings and torture both physically and mentally. In a sorrowful and dreadful black night hundreds and thousands of innocent people including women and children were killed, raped and burnt to ashes in Bangladesh. How cruel and brutal those beasts in the name of men? This is not only in my motherland, history tells us about many such happenings in the world, in many countries over the ages.
Thus, history was made in different countries namely in the USA, Africa, South East Asian countries including Indo-Pak subcontinent. The word ‘Revolt’ went along with those countries in different meaning. But the philosophy underneath the word ‘Revolt’ remains almost same.
However, the declaration hidden in the courageous majestic, gorgeous heroic and romantic “clarion call” “We Revolt” pronounced and enunciated by Major Ziaur Rahman was imbibed and inscribed in it. A full paradigm of political, social, economic and human dignity lies in this philosophy “Revolt” and following this ideology, the provisional Government of Bangladesh on 10th April, 1971, which served as the interim 1st Constitution of Bangladesh declared “equality, human dignity and social justice” as the fundamental principles of the Republic. This declaration reckons and followed the philosophy inbuilt in the declaration of “We Revolt” by Major Zia. He took up arms in his hand defraying authority of Pakistan’s autocratic government saying, “We Revolt”. Zia’s clarion call, thus, led us to recall the history of American Revolutions. After the long revolution, the American leaders declared the famous historic declaration of independence for the whole of the human kind.
It says, “we hold the truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life and the pursuit of happiness”.
Thus, these are the ideas, exactly for which Major Zia revolted and I had a long cherished desire to salute this great man which inspired me to say something in writing, Therefore, I composed a poem, “We Revolt” and also this attempt of concise writing.
However, the Revolt of Zia was not an act of violence or destruction but a moral uprising against injustice, corruption and inequality. I tried to focus a right cause and therefore, emphasized upon the righteous nature of rebellion when it is guided by noble purpose such as peace harmony and dignity. “We Revolt” having a noble, wise and virtuous intention, as if he said,
“We revolt not to kill any
We revolt not to destroy humanity”
Thus, no malafide intention, but a noble cause chased this noble man to stand as a war leader, as a virtuous and triumphant which conveys strength, valor, and moral righteousness, though it was an armed battle and last of all became guerrilla warfare, but the ideas of the revolt basically explicitly reject violence for its own sake; not to kill any, not to kill humanity. This distinguishes the movement as one rooted on ethical principle, aligning it with the ideals of leader like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. who championed peaceful resistance to achieve a just society, an independent Sovereign nation.
Zia’s ‘Revolt’ did not stop going further. He did not forget his call ‘We Revolt’ even after he became president. He continued to rebuild the broken thatched huts of the millions of unfortunate farmers.
He shed tears for the poor farmers when he saw dearth of water for crops to grow, drought used to damage crops everywhere causing poor farmer poorer, hunger and thirst made their lives miserable. I wrote a poem ‘Not a drop to drink’ highlighting this theme,
“No crops arise in the meadows wide
The farmers hope all but died”.
The poem vividly described the devastating impact of drought on nature, and humans. These perhaps made Major Zia (Later president Zia), to call upon the people to voluntary works to dig canals for keeping water always ready for irrigation of farmer’s firm land. This was one of his tremendous and brilliant historical work to keep in mind and following this ideology of Zia makes people to love their country.
Long after the ‘Revolt’ and independence and dignity of women are still on stand still. Social apathy towards them exist as was, it was long ago.
Zia rightly and strongly took up the case of women’s emancipation and he enshrined the idea into his l9 points programme stating that women’s due status must be upheld in this society.
In this way, slowly but uprightly and gradually, Zia lifted the nation from collapse to the path of development and self-reliance leaving an undeniable mark on agriculture and the lives of farmers. Zia’s legacy extends beyond Bangladesh. His charismatic leadership ensured the protection of independence, integrity and sovereignty of the country. Also four fundamental principles of state as were derived from the spirit of “We Revolt”, have rightly been incorporated in his l9 points programme. Those four points are (i) Complete faith and trust in Allah (ii) To establish democracy (iii) To safeguard Nationalism and (iv) socialism of social and economic justice.
Most important component of the “We Revolt” philosophy was incorporated in the last point of l9 points of Zia’s thought runs thus-
“To fully protect the rights of all citizens regardless of religion, caste and creed or tribe and to strengthen national unity and solidarity”.
Now must we go along with this philosophy of “We Revolt” and abide by these principles as guiding force.
(The writer is a former cabinet secretary and now Chairman, Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation. He is also a member of the Advisory Council of BNP).
