Chittagong College’s pivotal role in 1971

In May 1971,  Abani Mohan Dutta, a professor of the Department of Philosophy of the then Chittagong College, was picked up by the Pakistan army from the college quarter. His crime was that he was a progressive-minded teacher, who supported the Liberation War of Bangladesh, said his then student  Dr Shafiqul Alam.

"I was a student of Chittagong College in 1971. Abani sir was my direct teacher. He was such a nice person that everybody used to love him. But he became a target of the Pakistan army as he supported the Liberation War of Bangladesh,"  said Dr Alam.

The professor's example is not a stand alone incident. Chittagong College, established in 1869, played a pivotal role in Bangladesh's struggle for freedom, especially during the tumultuous times of March, 1971.

The college teachers met on March 9, 1971, with Principal Abu Sufian in the chair, to voice their support for the freedom movement of Bangladesh, after Bangbandhu had instructed the Bangalees to be ready to fight in his 7th March speech.

Echoing the same, Freedom Fighter Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, a group leader of Bangladesh Liberation Force, Karnaphuli Contingent-3, said teachers and students of Chittagong College played a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of Bangladesh.

On March 15, 1971, a rally was organised at Laldighi Maidan in the city, where Professor Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed of the college's Bangla Department delivered a speech supporting the liberation struggle.

A play named "Ebarer Sangram" written by Prof Ahmed was also staged at the event.

On March 24, 1971, another rally was held at Chittagong College ground, popularly known as Parade Maidan, where around 80,000 people attended. A play named "Swadhinotar Sangram" written by Prof Ahmed was staged, and news of Pakistani rulers unloading arms at Chattogram Port from the ship "MV Swat", spread among the people on the ground,  said Prof Dr Anupam Sen, then a teacher of Chittagong University.

The people, inspired with patriotic zeal, rushed towards Chattogram Port to resist the invading forces, he added.

Echoing the same, freedom fighter Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, a group leader of Bangladesh Liberation Force, Karnaphuli Contingent-3, said teachers and students of Chittagong College played a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of Bangladesh. They organised rallies and cultural programmes  from the beginning of March, 1971, he said.

"Many students of the college took part in the Liberation War actively," he added.

Information for this piece was also collected from the articles "Aaj o Diptimoy Chattogram College" by Belal Hossain, published in Prothom Alo on January 09, 2019 and "Muktijuddhe Chattogram Bishwobidyaloy" by Anupam Sen, published in Bhorer Kagoj, on February 28, 2019.