Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibor Rahman
Father of The Nation
Multifaceted roles as a Politician,
Revolutionary, Statesman, Activist and Diarist .
Born : 17 March 1920
Place : Tungipara, Bengal, British India
(now Gopalganj, Bangladesh)
Died : 15 August 1975 (aged 55)
Dhaka , Bangladesh
Manner of death Assassination :
Resting place Mausoleum of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Nationality :
British subject (1920–1947)
Pakistan (1947–1971)
Bangladesh (1971–1975)
Architect of Bangladesh’s independence.
Political party :
Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (1975)
Other political affiliations :
All-India Muslim League (1937–1947)
Muslim League (1947–1949)
Awami League (1949–1971)
Bangladesh Awami League (1971–1975)
Spouse :
Begum Fazilatunnesa
Children’s :
Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Kamal
Shekh Jamal
Sheikh Rehana
Sheikh Russel
Parents :
Father : Sheikh Lutfar Rahman
Mother : Sheikh Sayera Khatun
Relatives :
Tungipara Sheikh family
Residence : 32 Dhanmondi, Dhaka
Alma mater :
Islamia College, Calcutta (BA)
University of Dhaka
Occupation :
Insurance : Executive
Politician : Statesman
About
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, revered as Bangabandhu, was a vast Bangladeshi discern in Bangladesh . He known for his multifaceted roles as a flesh presser, revolutionary, statesman, activist, and diarist. His influential management spanned from April 1971 till his tragic assassination in August 1975, holding pivotal positions as president and top minister throughout this period.
Mujib’s management was important in Bangladesh’s independence movement, marking the resurgence of Bengali sovereignty centuries after the battle of Plassey in 1757, earning him the title ‘Father of the state. His political ideology, referred to as Mujibism, left a lasting effect at the united states of america’s socio-political panorama.
Beginning as a scholar activist in Bengal all through the twilight of British rule, Mujib aligned himself with numerous political factions, ultimately joining the Awami League. His parliamentary tenure within the 1950s recommended for the rights of East Bengal, outstanding through his state-of-the-art personality and eloquence.
Via the Sixties, Mujib developed into a distinguished nationalist chief in East Pakistan, identified by using his trademark Mujib coat and compelling oratory. His competition to discrimination, advocacy for autonomy through the 6-factor movement, and defiance in opposition to Ayub Khan’s regime heightened his prominence.
His pivotal role opened up in 1970 when the Awami League’s electoral victory faced resistance from a navy junta. Mujib’s impassioned 7th March speech marked the initiation of the independence motion. Even whilst imprisoned in West Pakistan, he boldly declared Bangladesh’s independence during the Liberation war, gaining recognition as the chief of the provisional Bangladeshi government.
Returning to Bangladesh in January 1972, Mujib became hailed as a countrywide hero, symbolizing the nation’s unwavering resilience all through its warfare for independence.
Mujib’s leadership prowess extended globally, incomes him acclaim as one of the influential leaders of the 20 th century. His pursuit of diplomatic ties international, good sized treaties, and affiliations with global businesses pondered his statesmanship.
Noteworthy achievements, such as drafting Bangladesh’s secular constitution, remodeling East Pakistan into an impartial country, and turning in the first Bengali speech at the UN standard meeting in 1974, marked his tenure.
However, his legacy remains contentious inside Bangladesh because of economic challenges, the 1974 famine, human rights worries, and accusations of authoritarianism associated with the Awami League. Regardless of these controversies, he’s broadly mentioned for steerage Bangladesh in the direction of independence in 1971.
Mujib’s worldwide recognition persists, with UNESCO commemorating his historical 7th March speech, and his posthumously published works, which include diaries and travelogues, translated into multiple languages, immortalizing his profound have an impact on.
Early Life
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding chief of Bangladesh, hailed from the illustrious Sheikh family and was born on March 17, 1920, in Tungipara, a village in British India. His father, Sheikh Lutfur Rahman, served as a sheristadar (law clerk) within the courthouse of Gopalganj, owning round one hundred bighas of cultivable land. Mujib’s mom, Sheikh Sayera Khatun, played the position of a committed housewife.
The Sheikh circle of relatives, at the beginning Zamindars of Faridpur Mahakumar, had experienced a shift in fortune over the generations, leading them to include a center-class lifestyle. The lineage traced returned to Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish of Baghdad, an Iraqi Arab who arrived at some stage in the Mughal technology to propagate Islam in the vicinity.
Mujib, the third baby amongst 4 daughters and two sons, changed into affectionately called “Khoka” by means of his mother and father. His early schooling began at Gimadanga number one faculty in 1927, and he later attended Gopalganj Public faculty and Madaripur Islamia excessive school. Mujib’s ardour for politics began to floor for the duration of his time at Gopalganj Missionary faculty, in which Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, a distinguished political parent, diagnosed his budding leadership features.
In 1942, Mujib finished his schooling at Gopalganj Missionary college and proceeded to Calcutta for higher studies. He enrolled at Islamia college, wherein he studied liberal arts, which includes political science. His college years in Calcutta marked a sizeable phase of political awakening, as he have become concerned with the Bengal Provincial Muslim League, the All India Muslim college students Federation, and the wider Indian independence motion.
Sheikh Mujib’s adventure from the agricultural landscape of Tungipara to the political forefront exemplifies his deep-rooted connection to the people’s aspirations. This familial and socio-economic heritage, coupled together with his education and publicity to political activism, laid the basis for Mujib’s future function as a charismatic chief and the architect of Bangladesh’s independence.
Early Life and Activism
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, born in 1920 in Tungipara village, Bengal, hailed from the reputable Bengali Muslim Sheikh family. His ancestors were as soon as influential landowners but skilled a decline in fortune over the generations.
His lineage traced lower back to Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish of Baghdad, an Iraqi Arab preacher who unfold Islam inside the Mughal generation. Mujib’s father, Sheikh Lutfur Rahman, labored as a regulation clerk, whilst his mother, Sheikh Sayera Khatun, controlled their home.
Developing up because the third infant amongst 4 daughters and two sons, Mujib became fondly nicknamed “Khoka” by using his parents. His training journey commenced at Gimadanga primary school and continued at Gopalganj Public faculty and Madaripur Islamia high college. But, a short hiatus took place in 1934 because of eye surgery, delaying his go back to research for four years.
Mujib’s early political inclination changed into stated in the course of his schooling, catching the eye of influential figures like Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and A.Okay. Fazlul Huq. He completed his training at Gopalganj Missionary college in 1942.
For better research, Mujib moved to Calcutta, then the capital of British Bengal, and enrolled at Islamia university. There, he pursued political science and received his bachelor’s degree in 1947. These childhood marked the emergence of Mujib’s leadership traits and his growing interest in politics, setting the degree for his destiny influential role in Bangladesh’s history.
Muslim League Politics (1943 – 1949)
At some stage in his time in Calcutta, Sheikh Mujib immersed himself in diverse political spheres, engaging with companies just like the Bengal Provincial Muslim League, the All India Muslim college students Federation, and actively collaborating in the Indian independence movement and the Pakistan motion.
His political adventure took flight with great roles: a council member inside the Muslim League in 1943, followed via assuming secretaryship of the Faridpur District affiliation in Calcutta a year later. In 1946, during the fervor of the Pakistan motion, he held the distinguished function of standard Secretary at the Islamia university students Union in Calcutta.
Under the steering of his mentor, Suhrawardy, a leader within the center-left faction of the Muslim League, Mujib performed a critical function in organising alternate unions in Bengal.
These unions tirelessly advocated for the welfare of numerous operating-magnificence communities, ensuring their protection amidst the risky pre-partition duration.
Post-partition, Mujib pursued research on the university of Dhaka’s law department. The college, first of all modeled after Oxford and Cambridge, underwent significant changes due to partition. Here, Mujib founded the Muslim students League, a precursor to the Bangladesh Chhatra League.
The decision to declare Urdu as Pakistan’s sole country wide language for the duration of Governor trendy Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s visit to Dhaka triggered the Bengali Language motion, drawing Mujib’s energetic involvement. Moreover, he fervently supported left-wing change unionism amongst Bengali factions inside the Muslim League, in the long run leading to the formation of the Awami Muslim League in 1949.
Mujib’s oppositional political activities faced government scrutiny, ensuing in severa arrests. In 1949, he turned into expelled from Dhaka university on allegations of inciting personnel in opposition to the organization. Drastically, in 2010, after sixty one years, the university ultimately revoked this politically stimulated expulsion order.
Awami League (1949-1971)
Between 1948 and 1971, Mujib emerged as a large opposition parent in Pakistani politics, representing the voices of Bengali grassroots.
He had a first-rate capacity to bear in mind human beings by way of their first names, whether they had been political leaders, workers, or ordinary citizens. His expertise for organizing competition towards the Pakistani authorities caused common detentions by way of the police.
Mujib’s actions have been underneath constant scrutiny via spies working for the Pakistani government. He confronted accusations of advocating for secession and being an Indian agent.
The Intelligence department of East Pakistan meticulously documented his sports, compiling numerous exclusive reviews. These days, the Bangladeshi authorities declassified those as soon as-secret files, making them to be had to the public. Those formerly labeled reports were published for wider get right of entry to and examination.
Founding of The Awami League
The All Pakistan Awami Muslim League become installed on June 23, 1949, in old Dhaka. Sheikh Mujib turned into elected as one in all its joint secretaries. Initially, the birthday party blanketed “Muslim” in its call however later dropped it to appeal to a broader voter base, such as minorities like Bengali Hindus and Pakistani Christians.
Suhrawardy, a key chief, trusted Mujib to organize political sports in East Bengal, turning into his mentor. Earlier than partition, Suhrawardy proposed an unbiased United Bengal, at the same time as Mujib preferred autonomy for East Bengal.
The Awami League, led by way of Suhrawardy on the country wide level, gave Mujib giant autonomy provincially. He reshaped the birthday celebration’s route away from intense leftism, organising it as a center-left entity.
The celebration strongly championed the Bengali Language movement, advocating for Bengali as a federal language along Urdu. Mujib played a pivotal role, even enduring arrests, in organizing protests and starvation moves to guide this purpose.
His 13-day hunger strike in February 1952 preceded the statement of February 21 as a strike day. His release from jail coincided with public outrage over police violence against protestors on February 21.
Language Movement in 1952
The Awami League passionately championed the Bengali Language movement, advocating for Bengali to be identified as a federal language along Urdu in Pakistan. They pressed the Constituent meeting to claim both Urdu and Bengali as countrywide languages, alongside English.
At the Fazlul Huq Muslim corridor conference, Sheikh Mujib played a pivotal role in forming the All-birthday party kingdom Language movement Committee. However, Mujib faced more than one arrests for the duration of this motion.
Upon his release from prison in 1948, he changed into welcomed through a rally organized by the nation Language conflict Committee. Mujib appreciably orchestrated a nationwide student strike on March 17, 1948. In early January 1950, in the course of top Minister Liaquat Ali Khan’s visit to Dhaka for an anti-famine rally, Mujib turned into arrested for allegedly inciting protests.
Tensions peaked on January 26, 1952, while then Bengali top Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin reinforced Urdu as the only kingdom language. No matter being imprisoned, Mujib performed a essential role in organizing protests, guiding college students and demonstrators from jail. He declared February 21, 1952, as a strike day and started out a starvation strike on February 14, lasting for thirteen days before his eventual launch on February 26. His release observed public outrage over the police’s deadly crackdown on protestors on February 21, resulting inside the deaths of Salam, Rafiq, Barkat, and Jabbar.
United Front in 1954
The Awami League allied with events just like the Krishak Praja birthday party to create the United the front coalition, securing a landslide victory inside the 1954 East Bengal legislative elections. This marked Sheikh Mujib’s initial entry into public office as a member of the East Bengal Legislative meeting. As a United the front member, he gained via a large margin and turned into inducted into the cabinet under leader Minister A.Ok. Fazlul Huq.
However, the coalition government became disregarded quickly after, main to Mujib’s arrest and a length of Governor’s rule earlier than the healing of the elected government in 1955.
In June 1955, Mujib became elected to the newly reconstituted second Constituent assembly of Pakistan. He actively recommended for provincial autonomy, opposing the authorities’s plan to rename East Bengal and stressing the significance of consulting the people on such choices.
Mujib emerged as a vocal proponent of human rights, strongly advocating for freedom of assembly and speech in Pakistan’s parliament. He highlighted issues of below-illustration of Bengalis in federal jobs and emphasized the want for parity between East and West Pakistan.
His function accelerated as he became the provincial minister of trade and industries, enabling him to further connect with the operating class. The 1956 constitution marked a triumph as Bengali was recognized as a national language along Urdu and English, in spite of the renaming of East Bengal to East Pakistan.
Mujib’s global engagements covered visits to China in 1957 and the us as part of a state branch program in 1958. In the end, he resigned from the provincial cupboard to recognition completely on organizing for the Awami League.
Suhrawardy Premiership
Among 1956 and 1957, Sheikh Mujib’s mentor, Suhrawardy, served as Pakistan’s fifth Prime Minister.
He emphasized strengthening Pakistan’s ties with the us and China, advocating for the usa’s membership in SEATO and CENTO, alliances of Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern nations.
Suhrawardy’s seasoned-Western foreign policy led to a split in the Awami League, prompting Maulana Bhashani to shape the national Awami celebration. In spite of this rift, Mujib remained dependable to Suhrawardy.
In 1960, Mujib entered the corporate global, joining the Alpha insurance organisation. He dedicated several years to the insurance industry.
But, the political panorama shifted dramatically with the 1958 navy coup in Pakistan. Led by means of Muhammad Ayub Khan, the coup ousted President Iskandar Ali Mirza and dissolved the 1956 charter. Severa politicians, together with Mujib’s mentor Suhrawardy, had been imprisoned and disqualified. Ayub Khan brought a new constitution that restricted widely wide-spread suffrage and vested electoral schools with the authority to decide on the parliament.
Six Point Movement
Between 1956 and 1957, Mujib’s mentor Suhrawardy served as the 5th Prime Minister of Pakistan. Suhrawardy reinforced Pakistan’s members of the family with the US and China, endorsing Pakistan’s membership in SEATO and CENTO, which fostered competition from Maulana Bhashani.
After Suhrawardy’s loss of life in 1963, Mujib took at the mantle of standard Secretary of the All Pakistan Awami League under the titular presidency of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan.
Pakistan’s 1962 constitution added a presidential republic, setting the level for Mujib’s pivotal function as an opposition leader against Ayub Khan’s authorities.
Ayub Khan’s government implemented a machine known as “simple Democracy,” sidelining frequent suffrage. Mujib actively supported Fatima Jinnah, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s sister, inside the 1965 presidential election.
Jinnah’s campaign drew big assist in East Pakistan, amplifying opposition sentiments towards Ayub Khan’s management. This period witnessed discontent over the inconclusive quit to the 1965 struggle with India and the perceived concessions made within the Tashkent assertion.
All through this turbulent time, Bangladesh confronted cultural suppression, including a ban on Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s works in nation media. Bengali civil society agencies like Chhayanaut ardently preserved Bengali culture in reaction to kingdom censorship. The every day Ittefaq, led by Tofazzal Hossain, echoed public demands for democracy, autonomy, and nationalism. Economists in Dhaka university underscored the stark economic imbalance between East and West Pakistan, in spite of the former’s widespread contributions to Pakistan’s sales.
Mujib’s strategic thought, the 6-factor plan, offered at a pivotal convention in Lahore in 1966, aimed to restore general suffrage, comfortable provincial autonomy, and introduce separate economic regulations for East and West Pakistan. This notion resonated deeply in Lahore, symbolizing the essence of the 1940 Lahore resolution, emphasizing the crucial need for equitable regulations that acknowledged the diverse desires of both regions.
- The constitution need to establish a actual Federation of Pakistan, adhering to the Lahore decision’s ideas, and need to prioritize a parliamentary device in which the elected legislature holds splendid authority thru accepted adult suffrage.
- The central authorities’s authority should be confined to defense and foreign affairs, even as all other ultimate topics ought to fall under the jurisdiction of the federating states.
Three. Attention could be given to introducing separate, without problems convertible currencies for the 2 wings. Instead, a single forex for the complete u . S . A . Could be followed, with stringent constitutional measures in place to save you capital flight from East to West Pakistan. Establishing distinct banking reserves and adopting separate fiscal and economic regulations for East Pakistan is crucial.
Four. Taxation and sales series powers must solely relaxation with the federating gadgets, denying such authority to the federal middle. But, the Federation must receive a part of state taxes to cover its expenses.
Five. Maintaining separate foreign exchange debts for both wings, with equal or proportionate contributions for the federal government’s foreign exchange desires, is important. Moreover, facilitating responsibility-loose motion of neighborhood merchandise between the wings and empowering the devices to foster alternate members of the family with foreign nations need to be constitutionally assured.
- Ensuring East Pakistan’s autonomy and safeguarding its pastimes in the Federation demands the status quo of its impartial protection pressure.
Agartala Conspiracy Case
Mujib found himself in a tight spot, getting nabbed by way of the Pakistan army. After spending an amazing years in the back of bars, he needed to face an legit sedition trial in a army courtroom. Picture this—between 1967 and 1969, locked up and all, Mujib decided to pen down his existence story.
Now, the entire Agartala Conspiracy Case saga unfolds. Mujib and 34 Bengali navy oldsters have been accused of teaming up with Indian dealers to cook up a plan to break up Pakistan and mess with its unity, order, and security. They stated the scheme went down in Agartala, that Indian metropolis in Tripura.
His arrest and the sedition rate activate a firestorm in East Pakistan. Protests and strikes were everywhere. Political and scholar corporations joined forces, throwing in an “11-point plan” that protected the whole thing from students to employees and the bad. The government couldn’t deal with the warmth, so on February 22, 1969, they dropped the charges and let Mujib stroll loose the next day.
1969 Rebellion and Round Desk Convention
In 1969, following his launch from prison, Sheikh Mujib participated in President Ayub Khan’s round desk conference, advocating for East Pakistan’s autonomy.
Notwithstanding their past variations, Ayub Khan and Mujib shook fingers. Mujib demanded a six-point plan for federal democracy, rejecting Ayub Khan’s assurances. Upon returning to Dhaka, he declared East Pakistan as “Bangladesh” on December 5, 1969, at some stage in a public meeting.
His passionate rhetoric ignited Bengali nationalism and pro-independence sentiments, attracting good sized aid. Even though Bengali nationalism changed into perceived as a departure from Pakistan’s -kingdom concept, Mujib did now not explicitly body it as such.
Bengalis increasingly hailed him as “Bangabandhu,” symbolizing their admiration. Mujib’s political prowess and dedication to autonomy placed him as a pivotal determine within the Indian subcontinent.
Election in 1970
In March 1969, Ayub Khan stepped down, and Yahya Khan assumed the presidency. Previous to the 1970 widespread election, a devastating cyclone hit East Pakistan, causing gigantic loss of existence and displacement.
The ruling military junta’s slow response to the disaster drew grievance, with accusations of forget about and indifference. International resource became essential because of the inadequate alleviation efforts. The dissatisfaction deepened divisions between East and West Pakistan inside civil offerings and the military.
In the December 1970 general elections, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujib, won a landslide in East Pakistan, securing 167 out of 169 seats within the countrywide assembly.
This victory placed Mujib as the top Minister-opt for. But, a political disaster unfolded as PPP leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto threatened to boycott parliament if Mujib fashioned the government.
Bhutto’s stance caused negotiations, and in the long run a secret agreement became reached for a coalition authorities, with Bhutto as president and Mujib as prime Minister. Amidst these traits, fears of civil warfare and stress on Yahya Khan to dissolve the government escalated.
Establishment of Bangladesh
Civil disobedience
On March 3, 1971, the country wide assembly became set to fulfill in Dhaka, but President Yahya Khan’s indefinite postponement brought on an uprising in East Pakistan. Protests engulfed main cities, and sensing a crackdown, Sheikh Mujib addressed the people on March 7 1971. Although he stopped short of putting forward independence, Mujib expressed frustration at East Pakistan’s denied governance.
He proclaimed the Awami League’s new aim as eventual independence, urging resistance committee formations and fortification of houses. The subsequent 17 days witnessed a non-cooperation movement, with the Awami League gathering taxes and suspending transfers to West Pakistan.
East Pakistan got here below Awami League manage, marked by means of Bangladeshi flags on March 23. Negotiations persevered, however West Pakistani troops and hands shipments hinted at an forthcoming crackdown.
Outbreak of Battle
On March 25, 1971, talks collapsed as President Yahya Khan declared martial law, banned the Awami League, and ordered the arrest of Sheikh Mujib and different Bengali leaders. The Pakistan military initiated Operation Searchlight. In reaction, Mujib, through telegrams despatched by way of representatives in Chittagong, introduced Bangladesh’s independence, urging resistance in opposition to the profession. His nighttime message declared, “Bangladesh is impartial. Your fight ought to move on until the remaining soldier of the Pakistan profession navy is expelled.”
Shortly after the assertion, Mujib became arrested without charges, flown to jail in West Pakistan, and saved beneath heavy guard near Faisalabad. He later confronted a courtroom-martial trial presided over by means of widespread Rahimuddin Khan, ensuing in a demise sentence deferred three instances.
The Pakistan navy’s movements in East Pakistan, categorised as genocide, worried atrocities, rapes, and the concentrated on of civilians. Amid escalating battle, the Provisional government of Bangladesh emerged, subsidized by using a Mukti Bahini insurgency. Notwithstanding international strain, the Pakistani authorities refused negotiations. Following Indian intervention in December, the Pakistan navy surrendered to the allied forces of Bangladesh and India.
Homecoming
Following Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s ascension to the presidency after Yahya Khan’s resignation, global pressure brought about the release of Sheikh Mujib on January eight, 1972. Followed with the aid of Kamal Hossain, Mujib met secretly with Bhutto and Aziz Ahmed in Rawalpindi.
Bhutto proposed mediation thru the Shah of Iran, but Mujib, after consulting with Hossain, declined and requested a flight to London. Flown to London through Cyprus, Mujib was welcomed by way of British officers, and British prime Minister Edward Heath mentioned Bangladesh’s Commonwealth club with him at 10 Downing avenue.
Addressing the media at Claridge’s lodge, Mujib expressed his joy and remarked, “we’ve won our freedom in an epic liberation warfare.” The British government furnished an RAF plane for his go back to Bangladesh, followed by individuals of the Provisional government and Indian diplomat Shashank Banerjee. For the duration of the flight, Banerjee and Mujib discussed adopting the Westminster-style parliamentary authorities in Bangladesh.
Mujib additionally asked the withdrawal of Indian troops from Bangladesh. The RAF aircraft made a stopover in New Delhi, in which Mujib turned into welcomed by means of Indian President V. V. Giri and prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The emotional homecoming in Dhaka, captured in iconic photos, marked Mujib’s go back to a jubilant million-sturdy crowd at Tejgaon Airport and a memorable speech on the Ramna Race path.
Governing Bangladesh
After briefly maintaining the provisional presidency, Sheikh Mujib assumed the function of high Minister. In January 1972, Time mag depicted the aftermath of the Pakistani military’s destructive rampage, comparing a few towns to the aftermath of a nuclear assault. The conflict’s effect included the destruction of 6 million houses, leaving 1.Four million farm families without tools, disrupted transportation and verbal exchange systems, damaged roads and bridges, and blocked inland waterways.
State equipment into an unbiased Bangladeshi country. A presidential decree converted the high court docket of East Pakistan into the splendid court of Bangladesh. The Awami League reorganized the bureaucracy, framed a constitution, and rehabilitated conflict victims. Mujib, thru a presidential decree, introduced a parliamentary republic in January 1972, with the prime Minister keeping extensive strength.
The Constituent meeting, consisting generally of Awami League individuals, followed the charter on November four, 1972, entering force on December sixteen, 1972. In spite of quick enactment, complaint arose due to the meeting’s composition. Mujib carried out a task quota for backward areas and addressed a gun manage problem by way of persuading former guerrillas to surrender their hands.
The President’s comfort and Welfare Fund aimed to rehabilitate 10 million displaced Bangladeshis, and 11,000 new number one colleges were established even as forty,000 have been nationalized. Critics argued that the Awami League’s approach depended on Mujib’s aura and dictatorial choices.
Interview with AP (Full video) of Preident Sheikh Mujibur Rahman In 16th January, 1972
Japan Tour of President Sheikh Mujibure Rahman-18th October, 1973 (Full Video)
Withdrawal of Indian Troops
One among Sheikh Mujib’s preliminary priorities changed into securing the spark off withdrawal of Indian troops from Bangladesh. He urged the Indian government to ensure a swift go out of military forces from Bangladeshi territory, and a timeline was established for his or her fast withdrawal.
Within three months of Pakistan’s surrender to the allied forces of Bangladesh and India, the withdrawal turned into successfully accomplished. A formal rite at Dhaka Stadium on March 12, 1972, marked the event, with Mujib examining a shield of honour from the first Rajput Regiment. Via March 15, the withdrawal of Indian forces became finished. Following this, numerous international locations hooked up diplomatic relations with Bangladesh. The episode of India’s intervention and next withdrawal has been referred to as a a hit instance of humanitarian intervention in global law.
War Criminals in 1971
In 1972, Sheikh Mujib, expressing deep sorrow, informed David Frost that although he considered himself a forgiving man or woman, witnessing images of the 1971 Bangladesh genocide introduced tears to his eyes. He characterised the occasions as bloodless-blooded, deliberate homicide and genocide, pointing out that forgiveness changed into not possible. Mujib emphasised the need for accountability, suggesting a trial or inquiry underneath the United nations, corresponding to the Nuremberg trials for conflict criminals in fascist Germany.
Committing to justice, he initiated a tribulation for about eleven,000 local collaborators of the Pakistan military, conducted with the aid of the Collaborators Tribunal. In 1973, the global Crimes (Tribunal) Act become delivered to prosecute 195 Pakistani PoWs under Indian custody, main to an worldwide courtroom of Justice case filed by Pakistan against India.
The Delhi agreement facilitated the switch of PoWs to Pakistani custody, but Bangladesh maintained that these people ought to be held chargeable for war crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity, and genocide. In 1974, the third worldwide crook regulation convention supported requires the established order of an international penal court docket at the Bangladesh Institute of law and international Affairs.
Economic Policy
Sheikh Mujib declared socialism as a countrywide coverage throughout his tenure. His land reforms restricted land ownership to underneath 25 bighas, successfully removing the zamindari system. Landowners with larger holdings faced taxes, and farmers have been required to sell their products at authorities-set prices.
Mujib nationalized all banks, coverage groups, and 580 business plants, reducing foreign funding and keeping the inventory change closed. In 1974, global oil corporations were invited to explore the Bay of Bengal, leading to the introduction of Petrobangla after the Bangladeshi authorities purchased gas fields from Shell.
The country wide airline Biman become mounted, and industrial tasks just like the Ghorashal Fertilizer manufacturing facility and Ashuganj electricity Station have been initiated. The Soviet navy cleared naval mines within the Port of Chittagong, restoring operations. Regardless of going through demanding situations along with resettling displaced humans, organizing food supply, and managing the aftermath of the 1970 cyclone, the financial system regularly recovered.
The primary 5 yr Plan, headed via economist Nurul Islam, aimed to diversify exports and transform Bangladesh into a manufacturer of cost-introduced products. Non-public area groups, such as the Bangladesh Export Import employer and advanced Chemical Industries, emerged.
But, Mujib’s government grappled with serious issues, and socialist regulations led to challenges. The economic system deteriorated because of struggle, and the 1974 famine, attributed to government mismanagement, heightened meals costs and full-size hunger in Rangpur district.
No matter these setbacks, the economic system in the end recovered. Mujib’s socialist measures were later overturned via subsequent governments, marking the maximum intensely socialist period in Bangladesh’s records. By way of the Nineteen Nineties, the Awami League shifted to a middle-left stance in economic policies.
Legal Reforms
The charter of Bangladesh marked a ancient milestone as the first written charter inside the Bengali language. Delivered through the Awami League, it provided a brand new bill of rights that passed the legal guidelines of East and West Pakistan in breadth and inclusivity. Beyond freedom of speech and faith, the charter highlighted assets rights, the proper to privateness, the prohibition of torture, safeguards for the duration of detention and trial, the abolition of forced exertions, and freedom of affiliation.
The Awami League repealed contentious legal guidelines from the Pakistani era, such as the general public protection Act and defense of Pakistan regulations. Ladies’s rights received elevated attention, and the constitution discouraged discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, gender, area of birth, or disability.
Secularism
While progressive reforms to Muslim own family regulation had been followed in Pakistan as early as 1961, Bangladesh made history in 1972 by turning into the primary constitutionally secular country in South Asia, introducing the time period “secularism” for the first time in the place.
No matter the constitution’s assertion of secularism as a nation coverage, Sheikh Mujib prohibited “anti-Islamic” activities consisting of gambling, horse racing, and alcohol. He hooked up the Islamic basis to supervise Muslim non secular affairs, consisting of the collection of zakat and the dedication of dates for spiritual observances like Eid and Ramadan.
All through Mujib’s leadership, Bangladesh joined the agency of the Islamic convention (OIC) in 1974, alongside different Muslim-majority secular republics like Turkey and Nigeria. Although secularism was later eliminated from the charter throughout the overdue Seventies navy dictatorship, the ideally suited courtroom reinstated it in 2010.
Mujib clarified that secularism did not mean irreligiosity, emphasizing the freedom for Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and others to exercise their respective religions without interference. He staunchly adverse the exploitation of faith for political advantage in Bengal, expressing self belief that the humans might withstand this type of tries.
Foreign Policy
Inside the early Seventies, Sheikh Mujib emerged as a distinctly charismatic leader on the global degree, advocating for a foreign policy grounded in “friendship to all, malice to none.” His principal dreams have been to secure useful resource for reconstruction and alleviation, normalize diplomatic members of the family international, and gain club in main worldwide groups.
A primary success of Mujib’s foreign coverage changed into the a success normalization of diplomatic members of the family with numerous international locations, leading Bangladesh to join the Commonwealth, the UN, the OIC, and the Non-Aligned movement. He cultivated alliances with leaders which include high Minister Indira Gandhi of India and Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia.
Japan have become a vital resource contributor, and the Soviet Union provided MiG-21 planes for the Bangladesh Air force. Notwithstanding initial challenges, including a chinese language veto on UN entry in 1972, Bangladesh received admission in 1974 whilst China withdrew its competition.
The usa recognized Bangladesh’s independence in April 1972, pledging $300 million in useful resource, and several different international locations, together with Britain, Malaysia, Indonesia, West Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, prolonged recognition in February 1972.
Assassination
On August 15, 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding chief of Bangladesh, met a tragic end during a military coup orchestrated by way of renegade officers. The coup claimed the lives of Mujib’s spouse, three sons, two daughters-in-law, and different loved ones. Sponsored by way of Awami League flesh presser Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, the coup perpetrators, such as fifteen junior navy officials, seized manipulate, main to the arrest and execution of four key allies of Mujib. Regardless of warnings from Indian intelligence, Mujib, trusting his people, disregarded the threat.
The coup marked the beginning of a martial regulation regime, with Ziaur Rahman rising as the united states of america’s dictator. Most effective Mujib’s daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, survived the tragedy. Felony immunity granted by the Indemnity Ordinance persisted for 26 years until its repeal in 1996.
Subsequent criminal movements caused the execution of several coup plotters, whilst others stay fugitives. In 2022, five fugitives, together with coup leader Rashid, are nevertheless at large. Bangladesh seeks the deportation of convicted people dwelling in Canada and the United States.
Own Family
Mujib wed Fazilatunnesa whilst he become eighteen, and he or she turned into eight years old, called Begum Mujib in Bangladesh. They were 2d cousins and had two daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, at the side of three sons—Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal, and Sheikh Rasel.
All through the 1971 Liberation battle, Kamal organized Mukti Bahini and acquired a wartime fee inside the Bangladesh military. Jamal, educated at the Royal army Academy Sandhurst, joined the Bangladesh navy as a Commissioned Officer.
The Sheikh circle of relatives faced house arrest all through the Liberation battle until December 17. Sheikh Kamal and Jamal managed to escape and be a part of the fight for freedom.
Tragically, almost the whole Sheikh own family become assassinated on August 15, 1975, all through a navy coup, with most effective Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana surviving. Mujib is the maternal grandfather of Tulip Siddiq, a British MP, and Sajeeb Wazed is his eldest grandson.
Legacy
In 2004, BBC Bangla radio listeners voted Sheikh Mujib as the best Bengali, surpassing super figures like Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. In 2011, Bangladesh’s parliament declared him the “Father of the state” within the charter’s 15th modification.
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The government celebrated Mujib 12 months in 2020, commemorating his centenary, leading up to Bangladesh’s fiftieth independence anniversary in 2021. No matter being revered for independence management, his put up-1971 regulations and BAKSAL introduction are divisive. Awami League emphasizes his legacy, but critics cite authoritarianism.
Many locations, roads, and establishments in Bangladesh bear his name, and his photograph appears on foreign money. The world over, streets in India, Turkey, and Mauritius honor him. Archer Blood and Gary J. Bass praised his air of mystery, even as Fidel Castro likened him to the Himalayas.
Mujib well-known international leaders, along with Lincoln, Mao, Churchill, Kennedy, Gandhi, and Nehru.
Bibliography
Mujib is well known as a political diarist, having saved a diary at some stage in his early political profession in the 1940s and Fifties. Translated into English as “the unfinished Memoirs” through Fakrul Alam, the e book turned into posted by means of Penguin Books in India and Oxford college Press in Pakistan. It’s been translated into numerous languages, including French, Spanish, Korean, and Arabic. At some point of his imprisonment from 1967 to 1969, Mujib wrote any other diary, later published in Bengali as “The jail Diaries.” additionally, he penned a travelogue approximately his visits to China inside the Fifties, titled “the brand new China as I saw.”
Key Publications:
- “The Unfinished Memoirs.” The University Press Limited, Penguin Books, and Oxford University Press. 2012. ISBN 978-9845061100.
- “The Prison Diaries.” Bangla Academy. 2017. ISBN 978-0470602645.
- “Amar Dekha Noya Chin” (in Bengali). Bangla Academy. 2020. ISBN 978-9840759880.
Sheikh Mujib’s Speech in March 7, 1971 (Full Video)
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Reference : www.biographiess.com
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