Swapan Kumar Saha
Bangabandhu’s non-cooperation movement was a mass movement initiated under his directives in the then East Pakistan against the Pakistan government which continued from 2 March to 25 March 1971. This movement was directed for autonomy of East Pakistan as against the administration of the centre. On 7 March, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the programme of non-cooperation movement through his guideline speech delivered in the Race Course Maidan.
During the period, East Bengal was administered by the command of Bangabandhu’s directives which was briefed to the electronic media through television and radio by Awami league’s General secretary Tajuddin Ahmed. People followed the directives of AL spontaneously during the upheaval of the non-cooperation movement.
The students’ league, Sramik league and Krishak league leaders and workers played a unique role in independence under the leadership of unparalleled leader of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman. It was unimaginable how the independence-loving people kept their allegiance to the leadership of Bangabandhu.
Under the directives of Bangabandhu given at Surhwardy udyan in his historic speech on 7th March to form “Sangram Committees” in each thana, district towns and divisional cities under the leadership of Awami league. The Sangram Committee/ Action committees led by Awami league and its organisations and National Awami party (Nap), underground communist party and their front organisations as well as other progressive parties comprised the action committee.
During the non- cooperation movement, people were organized with the different local arms to fight against Pakistani army aimed at achieving the Independence of Bangladesh. When the movement was in its final stages, the Pakistani Military junta’s President Gen Yahya Khan with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto hatched a deep rooted conspiracy against the Awami league leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the name of discussions in solving the political differences. Bangabandhu along with his trusted colleagues of AL participated in these so-called discussions with them at the old Gonobhan . All countrymen were eagerly waiting to see the outcome of the so-called discussion.
The conspirators sat for discussion with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib in killing time to prepare the blue print of “Operation Searchlight” on the Bengali speaking people on the black night of March 25, 1971. But Bangabandhu did not compromise with military ruler Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on the six point political issue and ultimately that discussion failed.
The Military Junta and political conspirator left Dhaka earlier. Bangabandhu with his political vision believed that discussion could never succeed. Many people raised questions, and wondered if Bangabandhu could understand, then why did he sit with them for discussion. The answer was crystal clear. It was so that World leaders could not term him as a separatist leader as he had struggled for long time to establish democracy for which he suffered imprisonment of 17 years during his life.
During the non- cooperation movement, Bangabandhu told some journalists at his residence, in reply to a question, ‘What will happen now? Bangabandhu replied using only one word saying ‘UDI’, meaning, ‘Unilateral Declaration of Independence ‘. The journalists present there clearly understood his ultimate goal. Senior journalist Iqbal Bahar Chowdhury, who is now living in Washington DC, talked about UDI at a discussion on Bangabandhu at the Bangladesh Embassy where I had been working as a Press Minister.
It should be mentioned here, on 19 or 20 March of the non- cooperation movement, I left my residential Jagannath Hall of Dhaka university to join the movement with my friends at Narsingdi. There I joined Narsingdi people who were active participants in the ongoing movement.
Narsingdi students, Awami leaguers and other people were very happy with my joining the movement with them. Possibly on March 23 I came to Dhaka with my friend late Ali Akbar by my 50 cc red motorcycle and we went round different DU residential halls to see the condition and receive updated information from our student leaders.
On the black night of the 25th March, the Pakistani army started Operation Searchlight on Rajarbag police lines, Dhaka university, Jagannath Hall, Sergeant Sahurul Haq Hall, University teachers quarters, other residential Halls, Pilkhana the then EPR headquarters, Ramna Kali and Anandamaye Ashram as well as on different innocent Bengali people at different places firing and killing hundreds of people in the capital city.
On the other hand Bangabandhu got the information earlier about Operation Searchlight; accordingly Bangabandhu sent a message declaring the Independece of Bangladesh through EPR wireless to all police stations in the country. Since Bangabandhu had guessed it earlier, he sent the message of Independence declaration on the first hour of 25th March.
Pakistan army arrested Bangabandhu from his Dhanmondi house. Spontaneously messages were sent to all police stations. We the active student leaders of Chhatra league got the Independence message through teleprinter of Narsingdi Thana. After receiving the message we planned how to act the next morning.
We also got scattered news from different sources that Bangabandhu along with AL frontliner, important student leaders including intellectuals of Dhaka University were killed by the Pakistan army. Naturally at these scattered news we were worried thinking that what would happen now? In the morning Akash Bani broadcast news read by Popular Dev Dulal Bandyapadaya announced that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib was arrested by Pak army at night.
At this news, we were rejuvenated as our popular leader was at least alive. And also we were saying that there was no scope to kill Bangabandhu as Pakistan radio earlier announced that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested and brought to Pakistan. We also got news from different sources that all AL leaders were safe as Bangabandhu directed AL leaders earlier in the night to go to safe place in Kolkata and urged them to wage the Independence war.
On 26th March, we student league leaders went to Narsingdi police station to collect all arms and ammunition from the Thana. With the cooperation of officer in charge we took all 303 rifles from the Thana. With the arms we went to Narsingdi Char area open field for training. Ex-army howalder gave us training at night.
We also distributed 303 rifles with ammunition to some young men in their villages to fight the Pak army. I left Narsingdi on April 14 with my elderly father and mother by boat for their safety and went to Agartala. Narsingdi was captured on April 14, on day of ‘Pahela Baishakh’, the Bengali New Year.
Our beloved Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came to Bangladesh immediately after the emergence of new Bangladesh via London, Delhi, India by British Airlines on January 10, 1972. From the airport he came to Surhrawardy Udyan by an open truck with Awami league leaders and prominent student leaders of the 9 month Independence war.
He arrived amid hundreds of people standing on two sides of the road throwing petals of flowers, clapping hands and chanting slogans congratulating the Bangladeshi hero Bangabandhu. At Surhwardy Udyan Bangabandhu was given tumultuous and rousing reception in the presence of thousands of people and freedom fighters.
Swapan Kumar Saha is a senior journalist