Can Tajuddin be elevated by belittling Mujib, or is that even possible?

Opinion

‘Father returned home at around 9 pm with a troubled heart after Mujib Kaku was unable to convince him to declare independence. He told his mother everything that had happened.’… Written by Sharmin Ahmed (Tajuddin Ahmed: Father and Leader)

‘On the midnight of March 25, our beloved leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, calling for the prevention of the new massacre that Yahya Khan unleashed his bloodthirsty armed forces on the unarmed people of Bangladesh’… said Tajuddin Ahmed, on April 11, 1971, in his speech as the Prime Minister of the Bangladesh government during the Liberation War from the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra

It is clear that Tajuddin Ahmed is referring to the copy of Bangabandhu’s Declaration of Independence, which clearly states:

From Dhaka

to

People’s of Bangladesh and all of the world

Pakistan arms forces suddenly attacked EPR of Peelkhana and Police forces at Rajarbag from 00 hours of 26th March killing lakhs of unarmed people [.] fierce battle going on with EPR and police forces in the street of Dacca and people are fighting gallantly for the freedom of Bangladesh. Every section of people of Bangladesh asked- attack enemy force at any cost of Bangladesh. May Allah bless you and help you in your struggle of Freedom

Joy Bangla

Sk. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib

Here, the father is rejecting the unreasonable demands of his daughter, who is suddenly interested in the history of the Liberation War 39 years after his death. Mom said or Dad told Mom that the National Statement is never recognized as historical data, document or reference. It is not found anywhere.

Sharmin Ahmed, who has been immersed in this whirlwind of information and historical distortion, has found countless predecessors who have been creating the background for her incoherent statements for a long time. These intellectuals, who are on the payroll of an influential daily, have given birth to this trend and that trend, a neutral trend, a national discourse on the Liberation War from their publications. There we see two ideologies being cleverly mixed up that the Bengalis were not ready for independence and that Bangabandhu, instead of leading the Liberation War, accepted voluntary captivity by being captured by the Pakistanis. As a byproduct of this, Khaleda Zia’s son Tarek Zia has recklessly declared Bangabandhu’s government as illegitimate. And Sharmin wrote on the night of March 25 that Bangabandhu was telling Tajuddin Ahmed that he had called a hartal on the 27th and that he should observe it. The Awami League press conference on March 25th announced the strike, which was given by Tajuddin on behalf of Bangabandhu.

Here are some points to understand with a cool head. The continuity of the political program of 1971. Assuming that all the events took place in March, we forget about one of the landmark days of 1971, where the foundation of the Mujibnagar government or the outline of the Bangladesh government during the Liberation War was laid. It is not sure whether the Pakistanis would make the excuse of holding the National Assembly in March out of foresight, but on January 3, 1971, the oath-taking day was held at the Race Course Maidan. There, all the members of the Awami League, who had won the national and provincial elections, took an oath to establish a constitution based on six points. The six points were the main charter of Bengali independence, and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman announced that his fight would be under the political leadership of the Awami League. And on March 7, he added, ‘If I cannot give orders’.

The Bangladesh government that was formed during the April 10 Declaration of Independence and the Liberation War was led by those elected MPs of the Awami League, who took an oath at the racecourse on January 3 to give their lives in the struggle for Bengali independence. That government led the Liberation War. Tareq Zia’s famous proclaimer father and first president father served there as an army officer with a monthly salary of 500 taka, and pledged allegiance to that government.

In the context of the story that Sharmin has presented in a new bottle about voluntary imprisonment, I am sharing a relevant part of an old article of mine: There are also various rumors about Bangabandhu’s arrest on the night of March 25. One group says that if Sheikh Mujib wanted independence, then why didn’t he run away! Why didn’t he stand up and lead the liberation war himself! Why did he accept arrest! Another group is even more angry. After drowning the country in blood, Bangabandhu has become a guest in Pakistan to carry out the plan to become the Prime Minister. Oh, wickedness! These fools don’t understand what a big gamble Bangabandhu took with his life for independence. Will he run away? Has he ever run away? Has he ever run away in his long political life? On that dark night of ’75, when the assassins were coming forward with their stun guns, did he run away? Or did he face it fearlessly?

Hey, this man is the leader of the Bengalis. The honor of the Bengalis is in his hands. If he runs away, he will be fine? And the word must be in his dictionary! It never was. The liberation war was recognized as a just struggle because he was arrested. The whole world has come to know how desperate Yahya was to maintain colonialism in East Pakistan by trampling on the people’s verdict, playing Holi in their blood, and handcuffing their leader. Our liberation war was recognized as a just protest against that conspiracy to destroy the democratic system with bullets. The struggle of the government in exile led by Tajuddin Ahmed was justified. They were all elected representatives, elected by the people of the country. They were not rebel factions, not fighting part of the civil war. If Mujib had not been arrested, the Pakistanis’ task would have been much easier. They could have identified him as the leader of the separatists and justified the genocide. They could have been killed at any time. The word independence would not be uttered from East Pakistan for the next hundred years.

Sharmin is involved in a very dangerous game, do you know what is the benefit of playing this game? Your credibility is decreasing. The liberation war cannot be fought by making Bangabandhu controversial or excluding him, your father also became non-existent then, and so did you. That Evil Axis is still stuck in the seventies and eighties. They don’t know that the younger generation and history are not stupid. It is good for everyone if you keep that in mind…

-Omi Rahman Pial