Understanding Bangabandu and his BKSAL Strategies BY Abid Bahar , Canada (Adapted from a book in progress: The BKSAL Legacy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Part 1:Is President Sheikh Mujib's Death a Murder or a Mutiny? A Tragedy for the Daughter Indeed! Part 11: President Sheikh Mujib's Death: Tajuddin's Prophecy already published, Now part 111:Understanding Bangabandu and the BKSAL rule of "My Way or no Way"and Hasina's Logi boitha) I have been a believer of the "rule of law" in politics as a sure way to development but surely not the "my way or no way.". In Bangladesh after the independence, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned from Pakistan, he was honored with the title " Father of the nation." In understanding Bangladesh politics, I have been researching on the life and time of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In response, in addition to receiving many vulgar criticisms and personal attacks, I was being threatened numerous times. I tried to understand why. I believe readers also must be curious to know that despite the disadvantages, why I have been pursuing my search on this sensitive topic in minute details. The answer is not because I am a member of any particular political party. In fact I was a Mujib devotee and meet him several times; once in a one to one encounter but many more times on the pages of history books. At the time I was a Mujib supporter, like many Mujib hero worshippers, in my slumber I also found it difficult to accept the criticisms by people against Mujibur Rahman. It was as if like a fan fever. That was in the past. Now I have been consciously trying to understand this irrational phenomenon. The present query is for a personal and a professional reason; it is primarily because I myself as a Bangladeshi by birth and in the role of a researcher, in this journey I am curious to know Bangabandu Mujib to understand some of the core Bangladeshi national issues that persist till today related to the Bangabandu phenomenon. I am certain, there are many like me who would like to know who the real Mujib was. Here we will be dealing mostly with his use of techniques in politics. 1.Who was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? Mujib was a prominent student leader worked with Shohrodurdy during both British period and in the Pakistan period became the leader of the AL and in Bangladesh period founded the BKSAL. Many consider Mujib as a violent figure in politics. Infect records show that he preached violence and propaganda to be effective (1) At the outset, the question to ponder, is it a good idea to select a violent person as a model father of the nation? President Mujib could be chosen as one of the founding the fathers of the AL or the BKSAL but not the father of the entire nation. On record for his despotic rule and continued extra judicial killings, ruining the economy, some of his democracy loving AL followers and some Bangladeshi freedom fighters even killed him along with his family and associates. One can say indirectly though his despotic actions against the nation must have caused the death of others. Tajuddin, was one of the victims, a Socialist in Mujib's AL even predicted BKSAL and the making of the massacre. It bothers me and many other nonviolent people I talked to that it is difficult for them to accept Mujib as the father of the entire nation. Personally, many people are against the use of violence all through their lives. If I consider myself as one of them, I don't want a violent person to be chosen as a fatherly symbol of my country that for its liberation I was about to be killed by the razakars. Tofozal Hossain Manik Mia who knew Mujib personally and very well in his book documents things in specific details about Mujib.(2) It says about him during the Jukto Front years that young and ambitious Mujib was even using fistfights with his rival constituents to win in the election. Records shows Mujib was also using widespread lies to blackmail the opposition, which means he was not honest or shall I say a bit too dishonest in politics? If Bangladesh cherishes the ideal of nonviolence in politics, why should we accept Mujib as the father of the nation considering that Mujib was not the Gandhi and Mujib had been using violence in politics all along? The question remains, if we have to consider him as the symbolic father of the nation to promote the ideal of peace and progress, does he fit into the ideal category? 2. Mujib didn't also have any strong ideological foundation. Mujib was not an intellectual. He didn't have an ideology. Tajuddin was a Socialist and was the key person behind the formulation of the 6 points demand. Under the circumstances what was it that inspired Mujib? It appears that it was his personal ambition. He was not even in favor of breaking Pakistan. What was it that he had which could inspire others? He was a very powerful demagogue. He was a "charismatic and forceful orator." He also realized the importance of propaganda to win his agenda. It is repeatedly observed that in times of trouble however, he preferred to surrender and to stay in jail. 3. Against the Opposition I also wondered why he had problem to tolerate opposition. In opposing the BKSAL one party system, Tajuddin said to him, it would be the breaking of the promise Mujib and him gave to his countryman all through the Pakistan period. Tajuddin prophesized that it will kill many of "us." But still why Mujib did it? He was an autocrat by nature. He pushed out Tajuddin removed Tajuddin to remove his guilt feeling of being an absentee leader. He secretly opposed the name Bhasani to be the candidate for being the father of the nation.(3) 4. Mujib was an ambitious and clever politician My research findings show that although Mujib was not an intellectual, but he was a clever politician. He was not at all foolish to do the things he did. From early on his career shows he had developed a patron -client relationship with his followers. In exchange for loyalty to him he rewarded them with favor in matters of tender distribution, the promise of nomination in the election, sending an unfair request for a job that a person doesn't deserve, asking to release a criminal from jail even in some cases a murder suspect. Joinal Hazari, as an example was not a Hasina recruit, he was a Mujib recruit. This type of technique made Mujib powerful and made his party powerful but concomitantly it weakened the state. In this rising trend, bureaucracy as state machinery and a rational system was always an obstacle in Mujib's path. Thus on record Mujib always hated bureaucracy. As we know in the long process Mujib was slowly building his latent fascist (autocratic) power base which only became manifest in the post liberation BKSAL period. Kamruddin Ahamed wrote, that from early on the young Mujib had learned from Shere-Bangla to be cordial to the party workers, to remember their names, to project himself as the most patriotic person, but he lacked the educational qualification of the latter. Sohowarthy spent half a decade in London studied Benthum and Dewey and had learned about human rights and principles of liberal democracy. From Shohorwardy Mujib had learned the organizational expertise but couldn't clearly comprehend the constitutional process of government in the National Assembly that in the end requires to compromise through liberalism. During Sohowardhy's time he realized that to have the flow of financial support from the business community he would need Sohowardhy. Mujib made good use of all these techniques from great leaders except in his use of their intellectuality. (4) 5. Mujib was a Powerful South Asian Fascist. Clearly, Mujib's hard work and mastering the organizational techniques minus intellectuality prepared him to be a Fascist in the making. One would find with Mujib startling similarities with other famous fascist leaders. "The features of Fascism found in Mussolini and in other similar leaders in history were their brand of ultra nationalism, use of Socialism to justify authoritarianism, the deployment of many paramilitary forces to put down opposition, the leader's charismatic leadership, favoritism as a tool of demanding party loyalty, the demagogy, introduction of party uniform imitating the leader, the Fascist followers intolerance to the criticism of the leader, and the leader's extreme personal devotion to his party interest over his country."(5) In his fascist devotion to his party, he was really kind to his cadres but always remained oppressive to the opposition. In his formal speech however he showed his immense kindness to the masses as well. But as he was an actor, in politics, his short rule showed he was a tyrant and very much represented his party but not the state even when he knew he was elected by his countrymen. As an intelligent person when he confidently figured out his source of power he carefully nurtured it through his "bhai culture" of favoritism, which in the end was against the state machinery, development, and the rule of law. 6. Ibsen's Drama the "Enemy of the people" It appears that from the time Mujib became the leader of the AL party, politics was no more to serve people but personally for Mujib to grab power and for his followers to make profit. It seems Hasina's politics of favoritism, tender distribution, the favoritism in politics and the Logi Boitha revolution is a dangerous continuation of Mujib's politics of violence. Imagine! Hasina being the ex Prime Minister calling for a logi boitha revolution, setting fire on a busload of people during a democratically elected government in power and in the presence of police. The AL workers rampage with logi boitha in open day light killing people further confirmed the continuation of violence in politics. If it were in Europe or even in India (herself as if Ibsen's drama "The Enemy of the people" basing the protagonist's success through propaganda) in this worst scenario she would be in jail on murder charges.(6) 7. AMI RAJNITI POCHONDO KHRINA, KORI KINTU PITRI HOTYAR PROTISHODDH NABR JONYOI (I hate politics; but just only for taking revenge of my father's killing,) The recent SC judgment is a welcome thing from most Bangladeshis, for the court helped to uphold the rule of law. But details show it was all staged to remove the negative stigma on Sheikh Mujib's BKSAL rule and aimed at reestablishing Mujib as the father of the nation. Not long ago Hasina said 'AMI RAJNITI POCHONDO KHRINA, KORI KINTU PITRI HOTYAR PROTISHODDH NAER JONYOI RAJNITITE ESHECHI' (I hate politics; but just only for taking revenge of my father's killing, I have taken up to do politics). It seems that was primarily Hasina's wishes fulfilled through her appointed judges. But the point is, if the same court that was set on fire by the AL workers in the pre 1/11 days will serve justice to those who in the similar way as Hasina's, lost their dear ones to Hasina's logi boitha violence in an open day light on 28th October in 2006. It was not even a wartime event. 8. The 28th October in 2006 Logi boitha Massacre If those victims of logi boitha of the 28th October in 2006 were Bangladeshis, which they were they should have similar access to law to send Hasina to the court of justice. I am sure they will not have the power to appoint judges but one cannot deny that they were Bangladeshis. 9. Hasina's Bangladesh Now if justice for the victims of 28th October were not served, what Bangladesh will have to say to the world? Is it that justice has double meaning? It brings to mind what Martin Luther King once said: "You suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year old daughter why she cannot go the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Fun town is closed to colored people." So it is as if Hasina is happy it was advertised on TV about hanging of her father's killers. But what about justice for the other little children's fathers killers? 10. Case against Hasina If justice is not served for the open day light killing, people will question, are there two types of Bangladeshi people, one who are AL's, rich and powerful and the others who are poor and the SC wouldn't care? Surprisingly, "Logi-boitha (pole-oar) is closely associated with AL and boat, its election symbol" It is not an accident, it was invented by Tofail who turned Dhaka University (once the Oxford of the East into a Black Dwarf among universities, students robbing even citizens) Now a central place for Hasina's Logi boitha street control. See the youtube: AL's logi boitha attacks and the blackmailing and deceptions that followed: http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=hjWhLD1- JLk&feature= player_embedded(7) Due to Hasina's use of violence, violence followed her. No doubt, logi boitha murders are Hasina's slippery slope to her authoritarian rule. But the cracks are on the wall now. When we see justice is served to hang the 1971 freedom fighters like Faroque and the others who killed President Mujib is a matter of murder not a mutiny, we question why not justice be served for the others, the dead and the parents/ wives and children of the 28th October massacre? What harm did these people do to the AL's for them to get a lesson through a show of terror? Joy Wazed says, These charges are too flimsy to hold up in court … They have underestimated my mother.(8) Using the same logic of the SC that served justice, can we now demand "Justice For the Victims of Logi Boitha?" Will the SC repeat a similar precedence of the boitha killing and set an example to bring Hasina to face the court? We will wait to see justice served for all. THE LINGERING TRADITION OF FASCISM The question is how long will we continue our Bangabandu BKSAL tradition – we have his "either my way or no way?" In my search I found the use of force as a strategy very much present in every fascist traditions. We know fascism is a human problem in leaderships across the globe. My endeavor is to not celebrate but to educate people against this national malice. In the past such forces captured state power in Europe, and it is now in Africa and in the Middle East. In Europe they identified and condemned in textbooks. To me Bangabandu was a very powerful fascist leader of South Asia killed by not by the anti liberation forces. Unfortunately he was removed violently similar to fascism in Italy, Germany and Spain. One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that the use of violence in politics is a dangerous game. But can we afford such a trend to continue to kill our leaders, our ordinary people without trial? Can we allow it to continue by Hasina, the supreme leader of a great political party as the AL that was first founded by Maulana Bhasani and continues to lead the nation till today? For the sake of saving our beloved nation, is it time to come to our senses and make changes from politics as a trade into politics as a service to the people? For such changes as Abraham Lincoln did, Gandhi, Carter, Trudue did in the independent Bangladesh can also make things shine for the AL, Bangabandu, Hasina and others and mostly for our Bangladesh nation! Because it says, "rule of law" is a sure way to development but surely not the "My way or no way" to grab power. References: (1) Kamruddin Ahamed, Banglar Ak Modhubetter Atho Kahini (Bengali), Dhaka, p. 1-4, 15, 1979; also quoted in Syed Abul Maksud, Bhasani, First edition, 1986, 122, 126-127, p. 146-147. (2) Toffozal Hossain Manik Mia, Pakistani Rajnitir Bish Botshor, pp. 68-69, 86-87, 90-91 talks about Mujib's widespread use of blackmailing intimidation and force to push through his agenda. Also see in Syed Abul Maksud, Bhasani, First edition, 1986, pp.146-147. (3) The director in charge of the Radio station recorded that Mujib personally warned him for giving Bhasani a grand coverage as a hero as at Bhasani's return from India. But openly he showed great respect for Bhasani. (4) Kamruddin Ahamed, Banglar Ak Modhubetter Atho Kahini (Bengali), Dhaka, p. 1-4, 15, 1979; (5) Abid Bahar, Bangabandu Mujib and Benito Mussolini: Striking Similarities, http://bangladesh- web.com/view. php?hidRecord= 218125 (6) ) Henrik Ibsen, The Enemy of the People, "An Enemy of the People addresses the irrational tendencies of the masses, and the hypocritical and corrupt nature of the political system that they support. It is the story of one brave man's struggle to do the right thing and speak the truth in the face of extreme social intolerance. (7) Logi Boitha Viloence youtube video link http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=hjWhLD1- JLk&feature= player_embedded (8) Sheikh Hasina http://sajeeb. blogspot. com/2007/ 04/charges- against-sheikh- hasina.html Abid Bahar , Canada E Mail : abid.bahar@gmail.com http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=294613 |
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