Intrepid Bangabandhu

AS the nation celebrates the forty-fourth Independence Day grateful Bangladeshis need to remember Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the intrepid architect of our freedom struggle. In particular, the post-liberation generations must be enabled to understand and appreciate facts in its proper historical perspective; of special significance is the ludicrous attempt by a quarter to belittle Bangabandhu by raising a motivated controversy about the proclaimer of our independence. 

Coming to facts, it is the myopic elements that would focus their attention on the charged protests of March 1971 in Chittagong and credit a military commander with the declaration of independence although the same figure made a proclamation in the name of Bangabandhu. Such deliberate distortion ignores the broader canvas of our independence movement traversing four decades.

If one has a caring mind to know the supreme leader and also the proclaimer of our independence, one needs to hear Bangabandhu's historic speech of 7th March 1971wherein he explicitly said: "The struggle this time is for our emancipation. The struggle this time is for independence." What greater clarity could one seek in locating the proclaimer of our independence movement?

The intrepidity of Bangabandhu can be gauged by understanding the socio-economic realities of post-partition East Pakistan. At a time when there was real dearth of educated and conscious Bengali activists, Bangabandhu was Bengal's fearless spokesperson continuously defying the establishment. Here was a leader who spent two-third of his youth in jail for advocating Bengal's causes. History testifies that he never compromised with his political commitment and the decade of 1960s witnessed proud and forthright Bengalis protesting and dominating Pakistan's political landscape. Bangabandhu's deft political stewardship galvanised the entire Bengali population and the rest is history.

One needs to imagine the initial years of the decade starting 1960, when the jackboots of the military junta took upon itself the task of teaching the nation about the basics of democracy and found spineless collaborators from this part of the world; think of that time when East Bengal's political world was pathetically lackadaisical and courage was in short supply. It was in such circumstances that the Bengalis had to be awakened from their somnolence, if not deep slumber.

The sensitive and sentimental Bengalis awoke, but only after the poet of politics took charge of a fledgling party and declared the historic Six Points that, by all estimation, were a prelude to our total economic and political self-rule. Let any discerning mind take a look at the Six Points and try to understand why Bangabandhu was repeatedly incarcerated. The architect of our freedom could look beyond his times. Was there anybody in the political landscape at the relevant time that had the gift of such courage and farsightedness?

Bangladeshis, particularly those born after 1970, must know that Bangabandhu was not one of those "boneless wonders" for whom expediency was all. He had the courage to never submit or yield and was a solid rock in the wilderness of shifting sands. He spoke loud and clear for his convictions and had the resolute courage to stand up in support of his views. His inner strength enabled him to be dignified and hold his head high despite the adversity. He faced repeated imprisonment with ease while others did not venture to wander beyond the safe provision of personal gratification.

The 1960s were a time when we were helpless and in the grip of some all-powerful autocrat; our limbs were paralysed and our minds deadened. At that time the dominant impulse in the then East Pakistan was that of pervasive, oppressing, strangling fear; fear of the army, the police, the secret service, fear of the official class; fear of laws that suppress and of prison. Deliverance from such fear was possible because of the manifestly energising fire that Bangabandhu lit each time he spoke.

All citizens, particularly students of history, may recollect the brave stance that Bangabandhu took to ensure the exit of the last Indian soldier from Bangladeshi soil by March 1972. It is rightly doubted whether any other leader would have succeeded in accomplishing such an onerous task. If not for anything else, at least for this supreme act of courage and statesmanship Bangabandhu's memory will remain ever enshrined in the hearts of grateful Bangladeshis. The sector commanders of our Liberation War know that better than anyone else.

The way Bangabandhu conducted himself while confronting the overbearing and scheming top Pakistani military brass in Dhaka in March 1971 spoke volumes of his courage and sense of honor. Persons who have seen the transcriptions of those historic meetings bear testimony to Bangabandhu's bravery and candidness. Both in incarceration and in facing the assassin's bullet Bangabandhu did not wilt or cower.

"Undismayed by disaster or the trumpet sounds of a doom" Bangabandhu confronted life with a tight-lipped courage. His unquenchable spirit was to set sail beyond the sunset. The walls were crumbling and the fabric of a mighty state was collapsing but at the gates of dawn he stood like a heroic figure challenging the new day.

The writer is a columnist of The Daily Star.