Memories of Bangabandhu�s visit to Manirampur
by Prof. Dr. M. A. Sattar
There are some rare incidents, in everyones life which he/she reminisces for the rest of life and that memory always makes him/her happy. There was an eventful memory in my life just before the MNA (Member of National Assembly) elections on December 7, 1970. It was actually a day after the high tide that visited the Bhola region. I cannot remember the exact date. So I mention high tide of Bhola region for the reader to understand. The Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (in 1970, he was usually called only Mujib or Sheikh Mujib) gave a speech in a noisy election campaign that was aired at Manirampur High School ground (now, Manirampur, located under Jessore district, is the second largest upazila in terms of the area in Bangladesh). As a very young boy of 12/13 years old of a remote village of Manirampur how the news reached to me is still a big puzzle for me.
My great parental uncle often used to gossip about the patriotic leader Mujib that shaped an image of his in my mind. This living legend was trying to establish the fundamental rights of the people of then East-Pakistan. e always spoke for the rights of the people of East-Pakistan. As a result, he was imprisoned for 11 years (17 times). The life of Mujib was very action-packed and that tempted me to attend this historic gathering. I was just a student of class eight at that time and my scholarship exam was knocking at the door. As I was one of the best students of the class, I felt an inner pressure to avail scholarship which is a prestigious matter for my school as well as my respectable teachers. Nevertheless, I set aside everything and took decision to go to the momentous meeting of Sheikh Mujib. This is because I felt enthusiasm from my inner self. In those days, there was no tradition to give people transport facilities from the meeting organizers like today. Whereas without some private transports like bicycle, horse, horse-carriage and very few motorcycles, public transports were very few. But who would take me to the meeting ground didnt bother me. However, after having my breakfast, I began to walk on the road at 8 in the morning. Todays metaled-road was not available at my locality then. The roads were half-metaled, half-muddy. After few minutes I found people moving through the streets like ants towards the Manirampur sadar. I also became one of the people in the processions. No one knew whats going on inside me. I just learned that the leader would start from Satkhira to Manirampur at 8 in the morning.
The road in that period used to take two hours to cover the distance. By 10 am I had to reach the meeting ground anyhow. So, I came almost running to cross the distance about 7 km to reach Manirampur High School ground which was already overcrowded. Even the nearest paddy field---after harvesting the Aman paddy, the field was vacant---was full of audience. After struggling for long three hours, I managed a seat near the stage. Students of some schools were waiting in two sides of the street with banners and flowers to congratulate the leader in the adjacent Manirampur-Satkhira road. But the leader was not coming. From morning to noon, noon to evening and then evening to night, even then the leader did not come onto the stage. We all were waiting for such a long time. During that period, the well-known student leaders were on the stage and were shouting slogans.
A young, outspoken and brilliant politician, Advocate Nurul Islam, who was selected as a member of the provincial council, gave his impeccable speech so that the gathering didnt go away. And he often assured the audience that the leader would come very soon. The leader finally came at 11 pm. That moment was a witness of an unprecedented scene. While the leader came close to the stage one of the slogans chanted was Eseche, eseche Mujibor; eseche, jegeche, jegeche Bangali jegeche. Another slogan was Padma, Meghna, Jamuna, tomar amar tikana. While the most reciting slogan was Mujiborer Banglai, Soiroshasoker thai nai.
However, after he was blessed with garland of flowers, Sheikh Mujib moved slowly towards the stage where the leading national and regional leaders were already sitting. Almost all were unknown to me except Advocate Mashuir Rahman (later he was brutally tortured and murdered by the Pak Army during the Liberation war in 1971) who got nomination as a candidate of our Jessore region for MNA election in 1970. I saw a different form of him. Perpendicular to the body, beautiful eye-catching look, an unbent tall man, dashing smart, back brushed hair with a white panjabi with black sleeveless coat: overall, a strong personality with an unparalleled commanding voice. At that time, I was so amused, so excited that I felt thrilled. I felt someone came from heaven to our earth. And the people of our earth were treating him a savior who protects us in the way to permanent liberty. It seemed to me that he came with a message to dissolve all our problems. Standing before the microphone, he requested his loving audience to be silent. Then he abruptly began his speech:
My dear brothers, thousands of people have died yesterday at Bhola. My soul cries out for them. Im leaving to Bhola tonight from here. I will stand beside the poor people. So I cannot say much now. Ive been fighting for your democracy. Jamate Islami and Muslim League cannot do anything for your betterment or democracy. I have the right only to ask your vote. So raise your hand please and reassure me.
People spontaneously confirmed their vote by raising their hands. The leader said again, We confirm already 162 seats out of 300 in East-Pakistan which is the outcome of the struggle. Though the number of people of East-Pakistan is higher than West-Pakistan, money spent on education sector in West-Pakistan is 56% whereas 44 % is in East-Pakistan. By mentioning some other issues of discrimination, Mujib said, By giving vote to Awami League, make Mujibs hand strong which will give an answer to this discrimination.
In the constituency beside ours, a Hindu named Subodh Mitra was a candidate of MNA election. Jamate Islami and Muslim League made wide campaign against this person due to his religion. Regarding this, the leader quoted from the holy Quran Lakum dinukum owalieyadin that means your religion is for you whereas my religion is for mine. Through this verse he tried to explain the matter. Moreover, he said, You are not giving the vote to Subodh Mitra rather it goes to my vote bank against the ruler of West-Pakistan. So far as I recollect my memory, in his short speech he made some well articulated statements like these. Then the leader left Manirampur to Bhola. Now we had to go back to my home. On the way, I came to know that the leader gave 108 lectures on the way to reach Manirampur. Wherever he found a gathering of 10 people, he stood there and talked to them.
Today, there is no such leader of people. On the way to home, I realised that the verse of the Quran which Sheikh Mujib quoted had given answers to the propaganda of the Muslim League and Jamate Islami. Without eating anything and getting burnt by the heat of the sun all through the day when I returned home at midnight, I caught fever. Yet, after seven kilometers of walking, I got a feeling that in my spirit and heart the image of the legendary leader was firmly planted. Let Mujib live in Bangladesh forever!
Over the past 45 years, I have been bearing up in mind an unforgettable memory of the great leader. I feel lucky enough. Many of my age didnt get the chance to glimpse this world leader. There is no ideal personality except Sheikh Mujib in Bangladesh. There is no mentor except Sheikh Mujib. There is no philosophy except Sheikh Mujib. The existence of Bangladesh was not possible without Sheikh Mujib. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman always remains in my mind as a source of inspiration and knowledge.
The writer is Vice-Chancellor of Jessore University of Science Technology
