Sheikh Mujibur's Early Life (1920-1949) BY Abid Bahar , Canada Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, later Bangabandu was born in Tongipara of Faridpur district in Bangladesh in March 1920 A.D. He was the third child among four daughters and two sons of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and Siara Begum. The parents were very affectionate to him and called him Khoka. In his childhood due to eye problem in his left eye, the parents withdrew him from attending school for four years. What else would the parents do except to keep him home him from studies when with their one eyed child was laughed at by other children? During this time, the compulsive Mujib's prolonged break of study must have created anger in him. He had no home education either. His time was spent with children of the neighborhood who voluntarily skipped classes. After four years when Mujib returned back to school, compared to his fellow students, he found himself way behind in education. He also found himself physically taller. His parents demanded to the school authority that Mujib should have auto promotion to his original class; after all Mujib's delay in education was not his fault. No permission was given to this end. The parents found it hard to deal with the crisis. The outcome was Mujib lost his interest in education and started to act like a rebel and when he had to attend classes he liked to sit in the back and either chat with students or to create trouble to other students. In 1938, to bring a change to Mujib's grubby reputation only at the age of eighteen, the parents forced him to get married to Begum Fazilatnnesa. Even after this change, Mujib's showed restlessness and a lack of interest in education. The father always reminded Mujib that he should continue his studies. To help him do well the father now decided to transfer him to Gopalganj missionary school. In the following year in1939 "Bongobondhu's political career was effectively inaugurated while he was a student at the missionary school. There he led a group of students to demand to Suhurwardhy who came to visit the school that the cracked roof of the school must be repaired before they let him go."(1) No one at the moment knew that Suhurawardhy just met a rebel who years later would be claimed by the successive AL governments as the father of Bangladesh nation. When Suhrawardhy met Mujib he was still a High School bully. Suhrawardhy the populist leader of his time quickly recruited Mujib to help counter his political rivals. Under Suhurrawardhy, Mujib began his flowering career to become a great leader. After years of trying, finally Mujib finished his Matriculation degree at the age of 22. He continued to work for Suhrawardhy and remained loyal to him until his death in 1962. In the Calcutta riot Mujib was with his mentor Suhurrawardhy who was behind the Hindu-Muslim Calcutta riot in the Jinnah called Direct Action Day which claimed many innocent lives for which the Congress Party leadership still blame Suhurawardhy. Mujib's body language in dress and mannerism and his association with Suhurawardhy at the time show the sign of Mujib's role at the time. During these years Mujib was hardly a student. Despite his busy time with Suhrawardhy, it seems that he managed to complete his intermediate education at the Islamia College in Calcutta. He also finished his B.A. in Calcutta. One Mazharul Islam from Kutubdia of Chittagong was known to have written his BA examination from Calcutta Islamia College. Back in Dhaka he again became a student of law faculty at the Dhaka University; probably recommended by Suhurawardhy to help him prepare for a future statesman. But Mujib was seen by his fellow students to be sitting at the backbench with his group of his friends causing trouble to his professor Shamsun Nahar in the law faculty classroom.(2) Despite his disinterest in education, he was out and out a political person. He was also working against the normal order in the university for which unfortunately he never finished his law degree from Dhaka University; for he was deeply involved with Dhaka University's 4th class employees association. The university authority found his unauthorized involvement and fined him. Mujib the rebel refused to pay the fine. He was expelled from the University. True, in this act alone, Mujib exemplified the ideal of student involvement in politics for change. Mujib always succeeded in his actions and nobody dared to challenge his growing authority. Who was the True Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? Mujibès early life was not written in detail. But from the above we can assume that Mujib's upbringing made him more of a populist leader than a statesman. But he was no ordinary and a naïve leader as many people wish to believe. He was a complex figure in politics; a Machiavellian and as a very powerful rebel rouser ready to take risks but almost always knew how to save himself. Personally he showed pride and confidence in his work and in his accomplishments in one hand on the other hand he would show mockery to the opposition. These were his early sign of intolerance to the opposition, which continued until when established the BKSAL party. During his entire career we see almost always before a serious threat to his life he prepared the necessary grounds to be arrested and be in jail. Like in many other occasions, during the time of language movement as expected he was in jail. This reminds us of a story in a film where a perilous person the jail authority just released to lessen the extra burden insisted that they keep him in jail where he would be safer. Not surprisingly, once Mujib was just released from jail and hearing the report of an imminent trouble, he did something violent in front of the jail premise causing the death of a child (3) His critics claimed that after his 7th March Speech to the 25th March in 1971 at the critical juncture of the national life instead of leading the nation he repeated his similar behavior and for his and his family's safety surrendered himself to the Pakistan army while the army massacred the innocents in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country. Once in the when Bangabandu began to show intolerance to the opposition, established the BKSAL one party rule, there was no doubt to Bangladeshis that Bangabandhu was the original Suhwardhy's muscleman with little education and no respect for law/ judiciary and human rights but now has only turned into an outwardly smiling, laughing, and crying politician saying "Bhaiera Amer," a gentleman political actor our Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. End notes and References 1. My book in progress: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BANGABANDU AND BANGLADESH http://groups.yahoo.com/group/notun_bangladesh/attachments/folder/899393398/item/list; Mozahed Alam, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman The Father of the Nation: A Political Profile, 1999. www.bangabandhu.org/profile.html; Early life of Bangabandhu « Moktel Hossain Mukthi muktimusician.wordpress.com/2009/11/.../early-life-of-bangabandhu early-life-of-bangabandhu .2.http// Wikipedia .org; Information compiled from interviews done on the contemporaries of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Kamruddin Ahamed, Banglar Ak Modhubetter Atho Kahini (Bengali), Dhaka, p. 1-4, 15, 1979 (3) Abu Rushd edited "Secret Affidavit of Yahya Khan," Published by: Bangladesh Defence Journal,February 2009 http://www.probenewsmagazine.com/index.php?index=2&contentId=5049 Syed Muhammad Hussain, "A book, a coup, some thoughts" http://www.newagebd.com/edit.html#2; http://www.bdsdf.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=3478 Awami League and its role betwen 1971 and 1975, Jamshed Chowdhury, Bangladesh: Failed Years —- 1972-75, based on his thesis dissertation for his PhD from Heidelberg University. Submissions - Khan Saifur Rahman (Senior Advocate) Case of Mutiny leading to Murder or a Case of Murder Simpliciter? Defence arguments presented on behalf of Col. Syed Farook Rahman and Col Mohiuddin M A S Molla,Tajuddin's prophecy, Daily Star, November 03, 2006 http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/11/03/d611031503110.htm; Abu Syed Choudhury, Tajuddin in Prothom Alo Eid issue of 2005 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. 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. Abid Bahar, Bangabandu Mujib and Benito Mussolini: Striking Similarities, http://bangladesh- web.com/view. php?hidRecord= 218125 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. Logi Boitha Viloence youtube video link http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=hjWhLD1- JLk&feature= player_embedded Sheikh Hasina http://sajeeb. blogspot. com/2007/ 04/charges- against-sheikh- hasina.html Zahurul Kaium's (Senior Vice President of Awami League 1971, Interview, Arun Udayer Nappoithe Kahini 1995 Independence and Awami League, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9QWw-D-QpE&feature=related Zaglul Hossain in his review of the above video says "...it is a well-researched report, which shows that Mujib did not want to break-up Pakistan (meaning he did not want independence), Bhashani called for independence since 1955, Mujib never declared independence but Zia did, Mujib was bidding for power failing which he surrendered to Pakistan army, his and his family's safety was assured by the US ambassador,..) Shahidul Alam, Sheikh Mujib: A people's dictator , Notun Bangladesh, August 14, 2008. Farman Ali, Bhutto, Sheikh Mujib and Bangladesh, Published by Altaf Hossain: Translated by and published in Bengali by Mostofa Harun, 1978, Abul Monsur Ahamed, Amer Dhaker Rajnatir Ponchas Botchas, Dhaka:Khroz Kitab Mohal, 1984.; Azizul Karim, From Awami League to BAKSAL, http://newsfrombang ladesh.net/ view.php? hidRecord= 42362; Abid Bahar, The 1/11 Hijacking of Bangladesh, http://www.bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidDate=2008-12-27&hidType=&hidRecord=237359 Abu Rushd edited "Secret Affidavit of Yahya Khan," Published by: Bangladesh Defence Journal, February 2009 http://www.probenewsmagazine.com/index.php?index=2&contentId=5049 M A S Molla,Tajuddin's prophecy, Daily Star, November 03, 2006 Ibid Syed Muhammad Hussain, "A book, a coup, some thoughts" http://www.newagebd.com/edit.html#2; http://www.bdsdf.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=3478 Awami League and its role betwen 1971 and 1975, Jamshed Chowdhury, Bangladesh: Failed Years —- 1972-75, based on his thesis dissertation for his PhD from Heidelberg University; Amartya Sen, Poverty and Famines (Famine in Bangladesh, p. 131), New York: Oxford University Press, 1981; Abid Bahar, Bangabandu Mujib and Benito Mussolini: Striking Similarities, News from Bangladesh, http://bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=218125. Submissions - Khan Saifur Rahman (Senior Advocate) Case of Mutiny leading to Murder or a Case of Murder Simpliciter? Defence arguments presented on behalf of Col. Syed Farook Rahman and Col Mohiuddin Syed Muhammad Hussain, "A book, a coup, some thoughts" http://www.newagebd.com/edit.html#2;http://www.bdsdf.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=3478 MUJIB MURDER CASE Court rules on reading of 3rd verdict today, New Age Front Page. http://www.newagebd.com/2009/oct/13/front.html; Mujibès Killers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l292yT1FHDo&feature=related 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. 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; see for Properties stocked in Mujib's house Ittifaq, 30th October 1975/ (Among the illegal weapons recovered were one heavy machine gun, two light machinre guns, 3 SMGs, 8 Stan guns, 10 rifles, 60 grenades and ammunitions.) .http://www.amardeshbd.com/dailynews/detail_news_index.php?NewsID=247355&NewsType=bistarito&SectionID=home Logi Boitha Viloence youtube video link http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=hjWhLD1- JLk&feature= player_embedded Sheikh Hasina http://sajeeb. blogspot. com/2007/ 04/charges- against-sheikh- hasina.html; BDR MASSACRE; Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpmr4gKFHww&feature=related, part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWI3Ybe2hfs&NR=1 Dr. Abid Bahar's exposure of Mujib and BKSAL By Zoglul Husain, UK London 26 November 2009. I read with much interest Dr. Abid Bahar's three articles on ... www.wikio.com/themes/Abid+Bahar (Abid Bahar Ph.D. teaches in Canada , wrote several books on Bangladesh and Burma). E mail :abidbahar@yahoo.com http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=301399 |
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