Following article by a patriot will describe and solve the predicament of new generation about the facts of Mujib's Killing . For those who are gone case nuts of Mujib and Indian well wishers , it will only be a no answer or change of subject thing.

(This write-up is primarily for the 2 million new Bangladeshi voters, as well as those who are in their forties and below. These new generations have heard, read and assimilated facts about our liberation war and the disastrous formative days of Bangladesh the way their sponsors told them. They could neither see the birth pangs of Bangladesh, nor go through those tumultuous times, leaving a huge void in their understanding of the reasons why August 15, 1975 took place. They are not aware of a great deal of the UNTOLD FACTS. They need to go back to the Bangladesh of 1974/75.

Again, this letter is not for a section of our so-called enlightened personalities who think Shiekh Mujibur Rahman was a near God and could do no wrong.)

In a press briefing on January 8, 2009, the new State Minister for Foreign Affairs said that they had taken steps to complete the ‘murder’ case of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They would also start diplomatic pressure to bring the remaining ‘accused’ from abroad. This in effect means executing those who are presently the Dhaka jail for the last 13 years and following suits with others now living abroad.

Hasina’s Silence During Campaigns

It goes without saying that the “Bangabandhu Murder Case” is the closest thing to Hasina’s heart. Yet, it had never been included in the AL’s election manifesto ever. Has anyone wondered why? Has anyone heard of Hasina talking about it during the election campaigns? Not that I know of, not in 1996, not this time either.

Was she afraid that treading in such a controversial and divisive issue might deflect the voters and result in their rejection of Awami League? Those who remember the election campaigns during the times of Zia and Ershad will recall that AL did try to raise the Shiekh Mujib ‘Murder’ issue but was rejected by the electorate miserably. Thus, during 1996 election campaign, Hasina’s AL totally avoided the ‘murder’ or ‘trial’ question. She narrowly won the elections, thanks to the helping hands from the media and bureaucracy and formed the government, thanks to a shady deal with convicted and jailed former dictator Erahad.

The first thing Sheikh Hasina did as the Prime Minister in 1996 was to avenge the death of her father in a military coup on August 15, 1975. She rounded up everyone even remotely connected with the August coup, repealed the Indemnity Act 1975 unconstitutionally and orchestrated a ‘trial’ that ordered ‘firing squad’ for the coup leaders, who were otherwise known as “Surja Santans”(divine children) for the past 21 years. A weird, make-belief story about the coup had been fed to the public since 1996, and the same was dramatized during the pseudo trial, keeping the truth and real facts out of public mind. Defense arguments were summarily thrown away in that circus. Any sane and objective observer would vouch that the ‘trial’ was highly political, partisan and totally one-sided. The accused are rotting in their death cells for the last 13 years; some of them on the verge of death due to neglect and mistreatment.

Sheikh Mujib’s Greatness and Fall

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was one of the great leaders of Bangladesh. Few contributed towards the Bengali nationalism as did Mujib. He appeared in our political arena at the right moment of history.

In the wake of 1970 coastal disasters that killed a few hundred thousand Bangladeshis, Mauling Bashan was the first person to call for independence, saying to the Pakistani leaders, “As-Salamualaikum to you. From now on, my movement is for an independent ‘East Pakistan’.

Yet, few could deliver a speech like the one Mujib did on March 7, 1971. One however wonders, why then he went and continued to negotiate with the Pakistani leaders from March 15 to 24?

Mujib was the most loved person when he arrived from Pakistani custody on January 10, 1972 in the independent Bangladesh. People prayed and fasted when he was sick. They looked towards him as a messiah, a savior of the war ravaged country. Unfortunately, the great leader faltered at every step and failed them miserably. Surrounded by sycophants, he was drawn away and away from the common people.

By 1975, the most loved person became the most hated. When the fall of Sheikh Mujib came on August 15, it was not “Inna-Lillah”, it was “Al-Hamdulillah” that was heard. Those who lived in Dhaka and elsewhere that day will bear it out.

The writer was travelling in a Rickshaw in Comilla town in mid-March 1975. A loudspeaker in another Rickshaw in front was shouting “Agami Chabbishey March, Bangabandhur Guruttapurna Bhasan. Daley Daley Dhakar Suhrawardi Uddaney Jog Din (Very important announcement of Bangabandhu on March 26. Please join in great numbers at the Suhrawardi Uddan in Dhaka) ---etc.” Out of curiosity, I asked my rickshaw puller if he would like to go to Dhaka. I was shocked at his response.

“Raikkha Den Sab, Oi Betar Janaza Hoiley Jaitey Pari (I can only go if it is his funeral)”, the rickshaw puller said.

The reasons for Sheikh Mujib’s fall from grace were not far to seek

Rakkhi Bahini

Sheikh Mujib was never fond of the military. Its leaders, particularly then Major Ziaur Rahman, took the lead in the liberation war, in absence of any political direction. In addition, Zia had the ‘audacity’ to announce independence; an honor reserved for him alone, and stole the show. So, Rakkhi Bahini, under the direct command and control of Mujib, was created to contain the military dominance. In affect, the Rakkhi Bahini became a torture tool for the political opponents of Sheikh Mujib and AL. Stories of its atrocities are abound and used to be cited to quell the unruly children. In addition, there were Lal Bahini, Sabuj Bahini, Mujib Bahini, Awami Sechha Sebak Bahini etc geared to quell the ‘unruly’ people. According to ASM Abdur Rab of JSD, some 40 thousand of his cadres were killed by these bahinis. The late Enayetullah Khan of Holiday, put the total death figure at 35 thousand. Mujib himself bragged in the parliament about the killing of Siraj Sikdar, a left leader.

Man-Made Famine

The famine that followed the floods, coupled with administrative corruption of the highest order, killed nearly half a million people in 1974/75. Local and international observers termed the famine man-made because there was no dearth of relief materials which were either selectively distributed for political purpose or sold in the black markets, locally and across the border. Please turn pages of any local and international papers of the time to ascertain facts. Then US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger termed Bangladesh as a “bottomless basket”.

Whereas, around the same time, Sheikh Kamal and Jamal were married in royal style and with much fanfare at Gonobhaban.

Emergency

In December 1974, emergency was clamped. All fundamental rights were suspended, all but 4 government owned newspapers were closed and political activities were totally banned. Anyone not towing the Awami line, was either eliminated or jailed.

4th Amendment

In January 1975, Sheikh Mujib declared himself president, amassing all powers and state control in his hands. There was hardly any debate in the floor of the parliament and none was allowed to challenge the passage of the 4th Amendment within 20 minutes, changing the administration from parliamentary to presidential system, as well as making Sheikh Mujib the Bangabandhu, the Father of the Nation and the President. Poor Mohammad Ullah was shown the exit gate of the Bangabhaban unceremoniously.

One Party BAKSAL

In March 1975, BAKSAL—Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League--- was created on a Soviet one party style. All other political parties were banned. For the first time, military and bureaucracy could join a political party--the BAKSAL, making these state organs part of politics.

These are no inventions. Ask the elders, go to the newspaper archives and ascertain the true facts. Do not just buy the stories told to you by the blind followers of Shiekh Mujib.

A ONE-PARTY DICTATORSHIP surrounding Sheikh Mujib was established. People were groaning under that suffocating situation and were looking for an alternative.

Alternative to Change Government

Was there an alternative to change the government or leadership? Constitutional: impeachment, that is vote of no confidence in the parliament. Not possible in an Awami-Baksali controlled rubber stamp parliament. By election: under the situation, Sheikh Mujib looked destined to rule for perpetuity. Reportedly, the Chatra League was to make a proposal to make Mujib the life-long president at its national convention on August 15, 1975. It was a matter of formality then after.

Only alternative to change the government was an extra constitutional one. The silent majority looked forward to the military. So, the patriotic and democratic elements of the military came forward to bail the nation out. They took initiative on March 26, 1971, they did it again on August 15, 1975.

It was unfortunate, however, that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some of his family members and relations died in the short military action on August 15, 1975. The post coup reaction among the general public was known to all. It was like the victory day, a day of deliverance. Please go to the archives of any local newspapers and dig out the pages of August 16, 1975 and following dates, and see for yourselves the facts. A local commentator once put it like this: to prevent killing of thousands, a death of 22 is insignificant.

Coup or Killing?

Was the death of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others on August 15, 1975 a murder? It was a military coup and some persons from both sides died during the action. I am not aware if the deaths were intended or circumstantial. The coup leaders and planners perhaps can answer that question. Nobody for 21 years raised any question about the coup.

Chiefs of army, navy, ariforce, Bangladesh Rifles, police and even Rakkhi Bahini rushed to the new president and made public announcements of their support, allegiance and loyalty to the new administration.

Notably, the new cabinet was composed entirely of the AL elected representatives; and none of the coup leaders were seen in any leadership position.

It is ludicrous to hear some of those military chiefs now saying that they were forced to do so. What happened to the huge forces under their respective commands? Why couldn’t they just move immediately and crush the handful men that staged the coup? One does not need rocket science degree to understand that it means either i) the coup had their silent blessings or ii) the troops deserted them and aligned with the August Revolution.

Since 1996, Sheikh Hasina and her followers have been telling the nation and the world that Sheikh Mujib and others were ‘murdered’ on August 15, 1975 and needed to be punished. Yes, any killing needs to be punished. I believe killing does not solve any problem, rather it aggravates the issue. But, August 15 was not a killing mission, it was a successful military coup, a revolution that saved the nation from an imminent catestrophy. The new generations need to know that.

Travel Back to 1974/75

We are living in 2009, in a rather democratic and reasonably peaceful environment, in a kind of affluent and better social order. Bangladesh was very different during the “Golden Period” of Sheikh Mujib. As such, looking at things of 3 decades past at the present perspective would be wrong.

To understand August 15, one needs to travel back in time to the early 70s of Bangladesh. One needs to visualize the scenario that prevailed in the country then. One needs to question the following:

• Why half a million people had to die for want of food, shelter and clothing in 1974/75 when cash donations were aplenty and warehouses of AL leaders were full of relief materials?

• Why emergency had to be clamped in 1974, suspending fundamental rights and freedom, banning political activities, restricting press freedom?

• Why no opposition was tolerated then?

• Why thousands of innocents died under the heavy hands of Rakkhi Bahini and other Baksali forces in 1972-75?

• Why the common people suffered under one man, one-party dictatorship?

If Hasina and the AL can answer these questions to the satisfaction of the Bangladeshis, and the Bangladeshis are convinced that August 15, 1975 was a “murder”, not a coup, not a revolution, and then I should say the murderers should be punished.

A caution: if Hasina hangs these saviors to satisfy her personal ego or, as she said recently in London, “what am I going to respond to my late father for my unfinished tasks”, perhaps hinting at the execution of the August revolutionary leaders, it would be very unfortunate for the nation. The nation will in turn torment itself for the rest of its history for its ungratefulness to the “Surja Santans” that saved it.

Hasina should not be allowed to follow her “Hidden Agenda”, side-stepping the mandate people gave her.

R Chowdhury
San Jose, California
USA
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