We got our much deserved national identity on March 1971 when Bangabandhu declared the proclamation of independence which on 16th December we got the final confirmation with the birth of Bangladesh through crushing victory over the invading Pakistan army and their local collaborators. Bangabandhu returned to the newly independent Bangladesh on 10th January 1972 when he was released from the prisons in Pakistan. He was accompanied by Dr Kamal Hussain and reached Dhaka via London and Delhi. He was greeted in London by Edward Heath, Prime Minister of United Kingdom. The Government of India arranged an extensive program which was cut short to two and half hours at the request of Bangabandhu. An Indian journalist writes about the historic event when Bangabandhu met Indira Gandhi in Delhi Airport, “Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by nature was a very reserved person. But this occasion was an exception. I had not seen a bigger smile on her face. She was smiling and prancing like a young girl. One could see an immediate personal rapport had developed between the two.” Such was the charisma of our great leader.The significance of Bangabandhus homecoming day
Banglabandhu championed the cause of the underprivileged throughout his life
Masihul Huq Chowdhury
We got our much deserved national identity on March 1971 when Bangabandhu declared the proclamation of independence which on 16th December we got the final confirmation with the birth of Bangladesh through crushing victory over the invading Pakistan army and their local collaborators. Bangabandhu returned to the newly independent Bangladesh on 10th January 1972 when he was released from the prisons in Pakistan. He was accompanied by Dr Kamal Hussain and reached Dhaka via London and Delhi. He was greeted in London by Edward Heath, Prime Minister of United Kingdom. The Government of India arranged an extensive program which was cut short to two and half hours at the request of Bangabandhu. An Indian journalist writes about the historic event when Bangabandhu met Indira Gandhi in Delhi Airport, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by nature was a very reserved person. But this occasion was an exception. I had not seen a bigger smile on her face. She was smiling and prancing like a young girl. One could see an immediate personal rapport had developed between the two. Such was the charisma of our great leader.
It is historically evident that when a nation gets the new identity through independence or massive cultural, social revolution is generally being orchestrated by an iconic revolutionary leader. Mao Tse Tung, George Washington, Mahatma Gandhi, Kemal Ataturk, Nelson Mandela, Gemal Abdel Naser, Sukarno, Fidel Castro are few to name. These iconic figures are revered and acknowledged as Father of those nations. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Father of Nation for Bangladesh is not only architect of our nation but the Bengali culture. The famous Egyptian journalist Mohammed Hassanein Heikal, the writer for Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Naser wrote about Bangabandhu, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman does not belong to Bangladesh alone. He is the harbinger of freedom for all Bengalis. His Bengali nationalism is the new emergence of Bengali civilization and culture. Mujib is the hero of the Bengalis, in the past and in the times that are. On 5 December 1969 Bangabandhu made a declaration at a public meeting held to observe the death anniversary of Suhrawardy that henceforth East Pakistan would be called Bangladesh, There was a time when all efforts were made to erase the word Bangla from this land and its map. The existence of the word Bangla was found nowhere except in the term Bay of Bengal. I on behalf of Pakistan announce today that this land will be called Bangladesh instead of East Pakistan.
Non Aligned Movement, the alliance of Nations representing the cause of the underprivileged, played a pivotal role in championing the cause of the underprivileged people when the world was divided during the Cold War scenario. Cuban leader Fidel Castro at the Non Aligned summit in Algiers in 1973 remarked about Bangabadhu, I have not seen the Himalayas.
But I have seen Sheikh Mujib. In personality and in courage, this man is the Himalayas. I have thus had the experience of witnessing the Himalayas.
Bangabandhu was unique in his own ways. In the thousand year history of Bengal, Bangabandhu is her only leader who has, in terms of blood, race, language, culture and birth, been a full blooded Bengali. He can easily be related with the emotions of the nation. His voice was redolent of thunder and immense physical stature, his courage, his way of communicating with people brought about a charisma, the charisma which worked like magic on people. The courage and charm that flowed from him made him a unique superman in these times.Taller and bigger than the average Bengali, possessing a supremely confident visage and the manner in which he carried himself contributed towards making him a man among men. Alongside towering international personalities like Fidel Castro, Marshal Tito, Henry Kissinger, Andre Marlaux, Kurt Waldheim, Ne Win, Colonel Gaddafi, Motubo, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bangabandhu stood out with his stature. In fact, with the ever present pipe in hand it was often Bangabandhu who looked the more impressive. The combination of courage, charisma and communication skill made his idea universally accepted by the people of the land. The six point charter, magnacarta for the people of the land, the call for independence through the historical speech of 7th March (parallel to Gettysburg address by Abraham Lincoln) are unique in their own sphere which touched the heart of every freedom loving Bangladeshi. The way our freedom fighters participated all out with the courage and emotion against Pakistan armed forces which was one of the most well trained and disciplined is one of the most prolific episode in the history of warfare. The emotion was completely centred around Bangabandhu who was imprisoned thousand miles away in Karachi. The love and emotion of the nation during the war was captured and reflected in the song Shuno Ekti Mojiburer theke.
The historical fourth amendment and creation of BKSAL, a platform for national reconstruction has its own critics. The newly independent country with her challenges of developing the war damaged country, the challenges in the political front both domestic and foreign, the man made famine in 1974 could only be faced with a strong national unity. BKSAL was the demand of the hour for upholding the national interest. We have seen the development of China as number one economic superpower facing all the challenges through this model. Singapore, once a resource starved and malaria prone country has become the most productive country depending on the knowledge based economy under the similar political structure of BKSAL led by Mr Lee Kwan Yew. Malaysia is yet another example of development in this similar political framework.
The famine of 1974 was one of the gloomiest episode in the history of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Jute Corporation finalised a deal for exports of jute gunny bags to Cuba, unaware about the US sanctions against Cuba. The assured supply of food grains from USA to Bangladesh was stopped as a result of this trade with Cuba. The food and fuel prices were also record high due to Arab war of 1973 and shortage in production of crops. As a newly independent country, Bangladesh lacked adequate foreign currency reserves to procure food grain from international market as Pakistan did not return our assets and the exports did not The combination of all these factors created the famine. In fact, this kind of actions to make a popular leader who took stand for the betterment of the nation unpopular and then replaced by extra judicial authority were common during the days of Cold War. Leaders like Sukarno, Salvador Allende are couple of those examples. Then came the fateful morning of 15th August 1975, when our Father of Nation along with his family members were assassinated. Thus started the backward journey of Bangladesh under the claws of extra judicial forces till 1991 with the fall of the last dictator.
Bangladesh has become the role model for development both in terms of economic and social indicators. The average life expectancy has increased from 47 to 71 years with the similar development in women empowerment, literacy rate, health and hygiene, financial indicators in a healthy growth. It is expected that we will achieve the status of a developed economy when the nation turns fifty. By creating a homogenous nation with equitable distribution of income need to be orchestrated in order to achieve the dream of Bangabandhu. In the words of famous writer Annada Shankar Ray, As long as Padma, Meghna, Gouri, Jamuna flows on, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, your accomplishment will also live on. Bangabandhu is our Father of Nation beyond all political believe or partisan interests. We look forward towards the Bangladesh which Bangabandhu envisioned for us.
The writer, a banker by profession, has worked both in local and
overseas markets with various foreign and local banks in different positions
