SHEIKH HASINA IN POLITICS Because of the leadership of unintelligent, compromising and unfit people with Malek Ukil at the helm of the Awami League and Obaidul Kader in charge of the Students League, dedicated workers were highly disappointed and angry. In this situation, character and role of Abdur Razzak came to be questioned. In the meantime, the
Excerpts from the book called 'AMAR Fanshi Chai" by Motiur Rahman Rentu
Besides, Shaikh Hasina was a woman, inexperienced in politics and had been non-political. All these considerations prompted Abdur Razzak and others to make Shaikh Hasina the President of the Awami League so that she could be made to play a second fiddle to the wishes of Abdur Razzak and his friends. In the past, dedicated, idealist and self-sacrificing leaders and workers of the organization lost much confidence in the leadership of Abdur Razzak due to the latter's help to Malek Ukil to be President of the Awami League and to Obaidul Kader President of the Students League. There was a sigh of relief as Shaikh Hasina, the daughter of Shaikh Mujib, was being made President of the Awami League. As the Army Generals started unlawful and unwanted interference in politics and started to exercise influence over the public, we, the warriors of 71 and of 75, began to contemplate an alternative Force to the Army. During political
training of students they were taught that students were a stronger Force than the Army. Students were told that the Army is armed but uneducated, whereas students are unarmed and educated. The Army personnel live in the barracks in cantonment and the students live in the hostels of educational institutions. The Army opposes the people and work against the interests of the people. Students, on the other hand, support the people and are ready to sacrifice their lives for them. There would be a war in the future and in that war, uneducated Army would be defeated by the educated cadres of students.
After (retired) Major General Khalilur Rahman and (retired) Colonel Shawkat Ali joined the Awami League, Rezaul Baqi, Golam Mostafa Khan Miraj. Abdus Samad Pintu, the late Hedayetul Islam Kajal , Mobarak Hossain Selim and a few others discussed the situation and decided to form an organization of freedom fighters. Accordingly, Freedom Fighters Solidarity Organization composed of freedom fighters of 71 and 75 with Colonel Shawkat Ali as its Convener was formed. Our sight was fixed on the Cantonment.
Our aim was to occupy Dhaka Cantonment. In order to attain that objective, we had to expand our organizational activities and political training. We started to motivate the youth and the students to participate in the coming social revolution and to be prepared to make the supreme sacrifice, if needed. To bring about a revolution one may have to incur heavy personal loss. But one must not take into account that loss. Revolution through personal losses brings about good for the society and promotes a better life for the next generation. At this stage of our activities we were joined by a few freedom fighter military officers, who had participated in the abortive coup staged by General Khaled Mosharraf on 3 November 75. Among those who joined us were Lt. Col. A.H.M. Ghaffar Bir Bikram (dismissed from the Army following the abortive coup of 3 November and later became Minister of Commerce of President Hussain Muhammad Ershad), Major Nasir (newspaper columnist and husband of the distinguished artist Lutfun Nahar Lata) and Captain Hafiizullah. Captain Ghaffar always used to take classes in English. In one class he taught, there is only enjoyment in consumption or acquisition but no satisfaction. In sacrifice, there are both happiness and satisfaction. On 17 May, '81 when Shaikh Hasina, the non-political daughter of Bangabandhu Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, returned home as the President of the Awami League the workers and people accorded unparalleled reception at the airport.
THIS ZIA IS NOT THAT ZIA
Three or four days after her return we had a meeting with Shaikh Hasina. At the outset, Shaikh Hasina told student leaders and freedom fighters that from today onwards we would have to start the publicity campaign that this "Zia is not that Zia." In other words, the present freedom fighter President Ziaur Rahman is not the same one, who had declared independence. Sheikh Hasina said, refering to Goebbels, the Information Adviser to Hitler, "if you can successfully publicize that this Zia is not that Zia who had declared independence, then one day people will come to believe it." Someone from amongst us asked, in that case who shall we call this Zia'? Shaikh Hasina replied, "there is no need to go into so much of talks; you will only say this Zia is not the same Zia." At this, we all became surprised, whispered and laughed among ourselves. But we never propagated the lesson given by Shaikh Hasina, 'this Zia is not that Zia."
ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT ZIA
On 23 and 24 May 81, an urgent secret meeting of freedom fighters of 71 and 75 and some former members of the Army was held in the seminar room of the T.S.C. of Dhaka University. In that meeting, Colonel Shawkat Ali (at present Awamni League M.P. and an accused in the Agartala Conspiracy case) informed the meeting of the plan to assassinate freedom fighter President Ziaur Rahman and told what to do during and after the killing. Colonel Shawkat Ali said that under the leadership of the G.O.C. Chittagong Major General Manzur Bir Uttam Zia would be killed and that our leader Shaikh Hasina had the knowledge of this plan for assassination. Our leader had instructed us to help and play a role in this plan.
Awami League President Shaikh Hasina had returned home only a few days ago; how could she give a directive of this nature? When asked, Colonel Shawkat replied that Shaikh Hasina had been informed while she had been out of the country in India. When asked as to what we were to do during and after the killing, Colonel Shawkat said that we would have to stay in Chittagong and Dhaka; those who would be in Chittagong should take the responsibility of coming to Dhaka after collecting arms from General Manzur; and those who could be in Dhaka should establish control over important places like radio and television centers with these weapons. In reply to a question from one of us, he said that anytime from now the assassination could take place.
As soon as Ziaur Rahman would visit Chittagong, he would be killed. Colonel Shawkat also said that until Zia was killed, Chief of Staff of the Army Gcneral H.M.Ershad and other Generals in Dhaka as well as Colonel Mahfuzur Rahman of the President's Guard Regiment would remain with the leader of the uprising, General Manzur. After the assassination, they would be divided. The Generals of Dhaka and the repatriated officers and troops from Pakistan would remain with the chief of staff. On the other side, General Manzur would give leadership to the freedom fighter officers and troops of Chittagong. After the killing of General Zia, there would be a fight between the troops loyal to General Ershad and those loyal to General Manzur. In this battle, one side would be totally defeated by the other, though the victor would be very week. At this moment, we should attack the weak victors and defeat them. This was our task during and after the assassination.
In this secret and urgent meeting were present about 70 or 75 people, including Colonel Ghaffar, Major Nasir, Captain Hafiz and a few others, who had a role in the uprising on 3 November 75. In this meeting we were divided into three groups. One group was given the responsibility of going to Chittagong to collect weapons from General Manzur. The second group of about 30 or 35 pet-sons was entrusted with the work of travelling all over the country to inform the plan and to prepare all anti-Zia freedom fighters to take any type of action. The rest belonging to the third group would stay in Dhaka, and make preparation for action.
After President Ziaur Rahman arrived Chittagong a few Army officers under the leadership of General Manzur organized the uprising and at the dawn of 30th November killed freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman in the Chittagong Circuit House with little opposition. Yet, the troops and the general public rejected this killing. Officers obedient to General Manzur occupied Chittagong Radio and Television centers and kept these under their control. On this side in Dhaka, Chief of the Army General Ershad, General Mir Shawkat Bir Uttam, General Rahman and other officers and troops took position against General Manzur.
To counter General Manzur, GOC of Comilla Mainamati Cantonment Brigadier Mabmudul Hasan was sent towards Chittagong in Brigade strength. Brigadier Hasan took position on the Dhaka side of Shuvapur Bridge on Chittagong road. On the other side of the bridge Captain Dost Mohammad, loyal to General Manzur, took position with his troops in order to oppose Brigadier Mabmudul Hasan's advance. In Dhaka there was widespread agitation, processions and meetings in protest of the killing of President Ziaur Rabman. On hearing about the
assassination of President Zia, Vice Presient Justice Sattar out of fear got himself admitted into the Combined Military Hospital. A signboard hanging on the door of his cabin read, Patients critical; no one to visit." Later, Ziaur Rahman's Prime Minister Shah Azizur Rahman and Communications Minister Abdul AIim went to the CMH and informed the Vice President Sattar that he was now the President. This was the message from General Ershad. In reply, Justice Sattar asked them to bring the Army Chief Ershad to him.
Under the patronage of the Army Chief General Ershad, Vice President Sattar became the Acting President. Though outwardly the Army was split into two groups and took opposing positions at the Shuvapur Bridge and there was the possibility of bloodshed among brothers, General Manzur lost real control of Chittagong Cantonment. The troops in general did not support the killing of President Ziaur Rahman and refused to show obedience to General Manzur. Troops under Captain Dost Mohammad also refused to fight against Brigadier Mahmudul Hasan and his troops who had taken position on the other side of the bridge. Non-commissioned officers and soldiers told Captain Dost Mohammad clearly that 'General Manzur had killed President Ziaur Rahman; now General Manzur would become the President. We the Subedars, Havildars, Sepoys would remain in the same positions. We will not sacrifice our lives. You officers do the lighting yourselves; we will not fight.'
Captain Dost Mohammad having found an unfavourable situation decided to surrender to Brigadier Mabmudul Hasan. Meanwhile, when General Manzur came out of the Cantonment to deliver an address over Chittagong Radio and Television and also to meet journalists, eminent persons and freedom fighters, the Cantonment went completely out of his control. The Army, specially noncommissioned officers and soldiers were so loyal to President Ziaur Rahman that at the very first opportunity they revolted against General Manzur. As a result, General Manzur and his officers could not go back to the Cantonment, nor even escape successfully. While escaping from the troops apparently loyal to Acting President Abdus Sattar but in fact loyal to the late President Ziaur Rahman some of the supporters of Manzur got killed. But Major Khaled and Major Mozaffar instead of going towards Indian frontiers were able to go to Dhaka and remained under the protection of Colonel (retired) Shawkat Ali. On the other hand, though General Manzur and some of his supporters were arrested by the officers loyal to General Zia, General Ershad who had been playing his game from a safe distance, got General Manzur killed in order to avoid exposure of his complicity in Zia's killing.
We did not get arms following the arrest and death of General Manzur. Our companions came back to Dhaka and helped Major Khaled and Major Muzaffar cross into India through Murshidabad borders. When twelve accomplices of General Manzur were arrested and tried under court martial, Freedom Fighters Solidarity Parishad under the leadership of Colonel Shawkat, Freeedom Fighters Struggle Parishad under Major Ziauddin and Freedom Fighters Shangshad under Deputy Sector Commander of the liberation war Lt. Colonel Kazi Nuruzzaman called out for movement against that trial and demanded release of those arrested freedom fighter officers. Those three Freedom Fighters related organizations continued their program of staging demonstrations, processions and meetings etc. and made sustained efforts for all other freedom fighter organizations to support and participate in that movement. But except for Abdur Razzak no other political leader was at hand. Despite all these protest and movement, the death sentence of the twelve officers implicated in Zia's murder was carried out. At the same time, the acting President Abdus Sattar announced holding of Presidential election and himself became a candidate.
From the Awami League side, though Dr. Kamal Hossain had been nominated as the candidate against Justice Sattar, Sheikh Hasina demanded postponement of election. But the Army supported the government of Justice Sattar, which rejected the demand for postponement. At the Presidential election in 1981 the largest number of candidates in the history of Bangladesh contested. Government's secret service, the National Security Intelligence, persuaded many candidates to withdraw their candidature by way of heavy bribing. On the other side, Awami League chief Shaikh Hasina issued secret instructions to kill any one of the Presidential candidates in order to ensure postponement of the election. It may be mentioned that if a candidate is killed, according to election rules, election will be postponed for three months. Because of non-realization of the secret instructions of Shaikh Hasina to kill a candidate and the refusal of Sattar government to postpone election, election was held as scheduled. Justice Sattar defeated Dr. Kamal Hossain by a wide margin of votes and was elected President. However, the main power rested with the Army Chief Hussain Muhmmad Ershad. General Ershad used to manipulate Justice Sattar in any manner he wanted. Thus in reality, ihe elected President Justice Sattar became a toy in the hands of Army Chief General Ershad.__._,_.___
