Scattered thoughts on Independence Day

Prof Panna Kaisar:Months like February, March or December strike a raw nerve in me. A kaleidoscope of the past makes me reflect on events that are both happy and sad. On February 21, 1952, Bengali nation began its pursuit of freedom, which saw blood in every twists and turns. The man who made the clarion call is none other than Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the epic figure with unrivaled vigour. The father of the nation guided his people with his clear vision, supplied them with indomitable courage and gave them the much needed self-esteem. He gave the nation the belief that their freedom fighters could beat the enemies and earn freedom at the shortest possible time. He ignited the fire in every soul that burnt the Pak army and force them to retreat. These are instances that give birth to stories of pride and that strengthen our national conscience.

March is here once again. The month of pride is here. The fiery March, the month of struggle and resistance, is here. The polls in 1970 gave landslide victory to Bangabandhu. Bengali nation was jubilant. It dreamt of the day when Bangabandhu would lead the whole Pakistan. He would become the Premier and end the tale of deprivation and oppression. Yahya would yield power in favour of Bangabandhu at the National Council on March 1. The wait for the august moment was tinged with anxious anticipation. The light at the end of the tunnel seemed within reach when Bengali would have access to privileges and rights that it had long been denied.

Bangabandhu’s ascension to power excited our thoughts. The dream of Golden Bengal seemed so near. Bengali nation braced for the bliss of joy that would come on March 1.

 Yahya dampened all excitement in one radio message. Yahya’s message spread like bushfire. Road 32 of Dhanmoni became the faultline for the political tremor. The evil conspiracies of Yahya became obvious to Bangabandhu; the call for non-cooperation came immediately. The whole nation became ready to make the utmost sacrifices, responding to the call of one man. Meeting, rally, demonstration rocked the scene. Personally, I don’t know of any speech that has the magical motivational mood of March 7. The leader declared, “This time, the struggle is for independence. This time, the struggle is for freedom.” I had the rare privilege of attending the rally in which Bangabandhu united an otherwise deprived nation, urging them to move forward in the path of freedom.

The incidents that followed were however heinous to say the least. The Pak army unleashed terror on March 26, torching houses, killing the multitude. The city became a heap of carcass. The freedom fighters crossed the border to equip themselves for an armed struggle. Bangabandhu was arrested on March 25 and was taken to a prison in Pakistan. Bangabandhu knew the fire of freedom that he had ignited would show the freedom fighters the way to freedom. They carried the fire in their hearts and turned it into strength. His message relayed from Kalurghat Radio Station added significant meaning to the message. The freedom fighters vowed for ultimate freedom of the country and braced for ultimate sacrifice.

 The month of Independence has returned after forty years. Stories throng upon stories, pictures throng upon memories to tell and retell the bloodbath that gave birth to the crimson rose of Independence. We remember this day with pride and sorrow. Bleeding hearts cry for freedom—O Freedom, where art thou! There is a gulf of difference between March 1972 and March 2011. Why do I wrong the hour by becoming sad instead of becoming proud? Have the dreams of the dead been realized? Shame casts its shadow.

 Bangabandhu dreamt of bringing an end to the misery of the wage-laborer and of the peasants. He wanted to produce men of golden hearts in the land that itself is golden. These golden men were his greatest weapon in his effort to revamp the war-ravaged country. He needed to mobilize support at a global level. He devoted himself to the making the country from the scratch. Bangabandhu, the patriotism-incarnate, maintained: “The struggle this time is to uphold the sovereignty of the nation with dignity and to create a society sans oppression.”  In another rally, he said: “Why did you join the war? For yourself or for the deprived? You wanted to create a state without oppression. You wanted freedom through a socialist ideology.”

 Unfortunately, the intricate web of intrigues caught Bangabandhu off-guard. Those who were involved in conspiracy were very close to him. Bangabandhu lost his life along with almost all other family members. His residence on Road 32, which used to be a site for political pilgrim, became the site of a brutal murder. The death hung like petrified pain and it suspended all the dreams that were once perceived by the father of the nation.

 The political compass changed its direction. Civil dictatorship strangled democracy to death. The history of the liberation war was misrepresented to confuse the new generation. The hard-earned constitution was ratified at the whim of the political masters. Indemnity Act was passed to protect the murderers.  The celebration of Independence Day became ceremonial –without any real passion and determination. The glorious sun of March was not allowed to shine on the glory of independence. The long wait began, with hope for the return of democracy.

Bengali nation took the hard path of struggle to snatch the robbed democracy. The daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Hasina returned to Bangladesh as a savior  figure. She fluttered high scepter of truth. With her return on May 17, 1981 the journey towards democracy began. The rugged road of the tyrant could not stop her from siding with the freedom loving people of Bangladesh. She is as resolute as her father. She offered the glimpse of hope and people started believing that the true history of liberation war would once again find its due niche.

The formation of people’s stage in front of national press became a symbol of solidarity in which civil society and bureaucracy came together and reiterated its vow for freedom. The death of Dr Milon and many others, the collective hatred against the autocrat and the ‘people’s stage’ expedited the end of dictatorship and saw the liberation of democracy.

 Under the caretaker government, Bangladesh Nationalist Party came to power. This party without any ideology manipulated fundamentalist sentiment to ensure its poll victory. During their reign there was hardly any attempt to highlight the spirit of liberation. As opposition leader, Sheikh Hasina showed her skill as a deft parliamentarian and rekindled the hope of the nation. When she came to power in 1996, expectations over the true acknowledgement of the liberation war ran high. The shameful Indemnity Bill was revoked and the nation was relieved of a long standing curse. The murderers of Bangabandhu were tried under existing law of the land.

I wanted to write on Independence Day. The inglorious and toned down celebration under different post-75 regimes require detailed analysis, which cannot be sketched here in limited space. However, the poisonous roots planted by these regimes need to be uprooted on Independence Day 2011.

 The party that led to the freedom of the nation is now in power; the daughter of the man who administered the birth of the nation is now in power. This is the month that takes pride on historic 7^th, this is the month when Bangabandhu was born, and this is the month of independence. With the Prime Minister, who is as passionate and patriotic as her father, one can feel the multi-dimensional nuance of independence this year. This is the month when all freedom loving people must unite under one platform and materialize the nation’s dream. This includes trying of all listed war criminals by 2012.

 Joy Bangla. Joy Bangabandhu.

[Translated by Dr. Shamsad Mortuza]