Tribute to Bangamata on her 92nd birthday



Tofael Ahemd
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Humble tribute to the immortal memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's beloved wife Great woman Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib on her 92nd happy birthday. His beloved wife was behind the fact that the name of the Father of the Nation was uttered with utmost respect all over the world beyond the borders of his homeland. This majestic woman kept Bangabandhu in her arms with absolute compassion as her life partner from behind the scenes of death. By making realistic and far-sighted decisions at important turning points in the history of independent Bangladesh, she has made a unique and historic contribution in bringing the Bengali national liberation struggle to its desired goal.

Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib was born on August 8, 1930. If she were alive today, she would be 92 years old. Bangamata has lived a miserable life for 12 years of Bangabandhu's life. She came to Dhaka in 1954 and rented a house at Rajni Chowdhury Lane in Gandaria. When the Jukta Front cabinet was formed in 1954, Bangabandhu became the Minister of Forests and Agriculture. Then he left Gandaria's house and went to the government house at 3 Mintu Road. Within a few days, the central government of Pakistan issued Section 92-A, dissolved the cabinet and arrested Bangabandhu. With just two weeks' notice, Bangamata had to find a home and the rented a house in Nazira Bazar of old Dhaka.

In 1955, Bangabandhu was elected a member of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly and on 16 September of the same year took over the ministry of industry, commerce, labor, anti-corruption and rural defense in the Awami League-led government. At that time Bangabandhu family was at home on 15, Abdul Gani Road. A few days later, when the question of taking charge of the ministry or the party came up, Bangabandhu voluntarily resigned from the ministry and took charge of the party secretary and Bangamata had to move. This time he took up residence in Segunbagicha. At that time Bangabandhu became the chairman of the Tea board. Bangabandhu was arrested on 12 October when Ayub's military rule was imposed on 7 October 1957. Once again Bangamata was looking for a home with her family and took shelter in a house under construction in Segunbagicha. Later she changed it and moved to the second floor of another house in Segunbagicha. Then 14 cases were filed in the name of Bangabandhu.

In 1961, Bangabandhu was released from prison and took a job with Alpha Insurance Company. The Bangabandhu family started living in a house at Road No. 32, Dhanmondi on October 1, 1961. From this time onwards the house at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 gradually became the address of the national liberation struggle of the Bengalis. Bangabandhu looked after each of the party leaders and workers like a member of her own family. Bangabandhu's family members thought so too. Bangabandhu and Bangamata used to stand by the side of the leaders and workers like absolute benefactors. Bangamata was enlightened in the light of the consciousness that Bangabandhu had the exceptional ability to win the hearts of the workers with his compassionate organizational efforts.

Some of the events carefully stored in the pages of memory still float in my mind. I always remember with gratitude the contribution of Bangamata in the '69 movement. At one time Chhatra League and we were in a very difficult situation. Gone are the days when we could not rent the office of Chhatra League. I remember an incident in 1967-68. Respected leader Abdur Razzak was then the general secretary of Chhatra League, Mazharul Haque Baki was the president. I was the VP of Iqbal Hall (Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall) at Dhaka University. I was riding a motorcycle, sitting behind Razzak Bhai. The destination is the BCL office located in Agamasi Lane. After we got there, the landlord called us and said, ‘Get out of here. Three months rent arrears. You can't rent an office. Chhatra League office cannot be kept here. '

We kindly requested the landlord to give us a few hours. He kept our request. Then the top leaders including Bangabandhu were imprisoned. From there we went to Bangamata at 32, Dhanmondi and told her about our plight. She handed over Tk. 200 to Razzak Bhai. From this Tk. 200 we paid the landlord 3 months rent of 60 rupees per month and 180 rupees. With the remaining Tk. 20 rupees we had lunch at a restaurant. When the mass movement started, she herself, who is today with our Prime Minister Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina in Iqbal Hall, Iqbal Hall was the center of the movement, the residential area of the nearby teachers, was sitting in the car. She would call us for financial help and give necessary instructions. She used to meet Bangabandhu and explain the directions she got from Bangabandhu. She also managed the Chhatra League during a very difficult time.

February 14 was an important day in the mass movement of '69. The meeting of the Democratic Action Committee (DAC) was held at Paltan Maidan that day. Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina took me to the place where Bangabandhu's trial was going on as Bangabandhu was interested in seeing me that day. The car was driven by the late Dr. Wazed Mia, the late husband of the Hon'ble Prime Minister. Bangabandhu pulled me to his chest and caressed me and said, ‘Today you are giving a speech in the paltan.’ I said, we do not give speeches in the meetings of political parties. Then he said, ‘You will be where the journalists are sitting. People will want to see you. You give speeches. '

A man has been imprisoned for about 33 months, but what he said has happened literally. The public meeting started, we went to the student body, we stayed close to where the journalists sat. Nurul Amin was the president of DAC. When the name of Nurul Amin was proposed from the platform, the people of the public meeting rejected it with hatred. The top leaders picked me up from the stage. Holding Bangabandhu's picture on my chest, I said, the day is not far away, the day our beloved will return among us.

It may be mentioned that Ayub Khan then called an all-party roundtable meeting. The question was whether to go to the round table meeting. We said, ‘Let’s go. However, our beloved leader Sheikh Mujib will lead the Awami League. 'With this situation in mind, I wanted to ask the people,' Do you want a roundtable meeting without the release of Sheikh Mujib? ' Meanwhile, there was a conspiracy to release our beloved leader on parole and take him to the round table meeting. I also raised the issue in front of the people and asked, ‘Do you want to be released on Sheikh Mujib’s parole?’ People said, ‘No, no, I don’t want to.’ Then we said to the leaders, ‘Leaders, you will go. But you will not sit in the roundtable meeting without the beloved leader Sheikh Mujib. ' Every effort was made to release Bangabandhu on parole and bring him to the round table meeting. Pakistan's Information Minister Khwaja Sahabuddin, Naval Chief AR Khan and many others came. But Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib played a major and historic role against all those efforts. After meeting Bangabandhu, Bangamata informed Bangabandhu of the decision of the people in the meeting of the paltan and said, 'People want your complete release. There is a conspiracy against you to release you on parole. You will never agree to parole. The people of Bengal do not want to be released on your parole. The people of Bengal do not want a round table meeting without you. If you are not released completely, there should be no attempt to release you on parole. 'Bangabandhu himself would not go to the roundtable meeting to be released on parole. When the offer was made to Bangabandhu, he rejected the offer in disgust and said, "I will go to the round table meeting as a free man."

Then on 15 February Sergeant Zahurul Haque was shot dead while detained in the cantonment. Fires raged like wildfire all over the country. On February 18 Rajshahi University teacher Dr. Shamsuzzoha was brutally killed by the Pakistani army on a bayonet charge and the evening law continued till February 20. We have decided not to break the curfew and transform the city into a city of processions. By turning the whole city of Dhaka into a city of torches and processions on February 20 and forcing the repeal of the evening law, we issue a 24-hour ultimatum to demand the unconditional release of all political prisoners detained in the Agartala case, including beloved Sheikh Mujib. Fearing public outrage, the beloved leader was released unconditionally at 12 noon on February 22 and taken to his residence. A flood of joy swept across the country.

Beloved leader was conferred the title of 'Bangabandhu' on 23 February at the Racecourse Maidan (Suhrawardy Udyan). The Awami League delegation led by Syed Nazrul Islam-Tajuddin Ahmed went to Lahore for the round table meeting. But they conditioned, ‘Our party will be led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Until he comes, we will not sit in the round table meeting. 'The round table meeting was waiting for Bangabandhu; Bangabandhu participated there as a 'free man' and this is what the people of Bengal expected. In those turbulent days of the mass uprising, Bangabandhu's foresight and the contribution of Bangamata floated in the pages of memory.

One thing seems to be repeated. How far-sighted a leader is that he always knew how to make the right decision. I have never seen a person like him who knew what to say at any time. I have noticed that Bangabandhu did not make contradictory statements in his life. He never denied a statement or contradicted it. What he believed, thought, thought it was realistic, he said thoughtfully. Once he said that, he remained uncompromising even in the face of death.

I have heard from the revered Bangamata that Bangabandhu walked restlessly on the night of March 7, before the historic speech of March 7, 1971 and wondered what to say! Bangamata said, ‘Why do you think so much? All your life you have struggled with a goal, you have gone to jail, you have gone to jail, you have gone to the gallows. In this meeting you will say whatever you think is best from your believing heart. Let's see, people will accept that. You sleep now. 'Bangabandhu spoke that day with deep faith in his heart. Inspired by Bangabandhu, she was Bangabandhu's constant companion like a shadow. She has repeatedly requested Bangabandhu to provide the documents and say that you should write these while sitting in jail. At the beginning of the first page of the book 'Unfinished Autobiography', Bangabandhu wrote, "One day my wife sat at the jail gate and said, 'You are sitting, write the story of your life.' ‘My wife, whose nickname is Renu, bought me some notebooks and deposited them at the jail gate. The jail authorities have given me the register as usual. Renu sat at the jail gate one more day and requested me. So I started writing today. 'He wrote under the inspiration of Bangamata.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu, handed over the manuscript of that day in the form of a book to the people today. Bangabandhu never celebrated his birthday. He wrote about this on page 209 of the book 'Prison Diary', 'Today is my 47th birthday. On this day I was born in 1920 in a small village in East Bengal. I never celebrated my birthday myself at most my wife would have given me a small gift on this day. On this day I tried to stay at home. 'Bangabandhu loved Bangamata very much, knew her well and looked at her with respect. Bangamata was the companion of happiness and sorrow in Bangabandhu's life. In the difficult days of the life of the Father of the Nation, Bangamatai has held the Awami League and Chhatra League. Then there were two organizations. One is Awami League, the other is Chhatra League. Krishak League, Sramik League, Juba League and other organizations have fallen. Those of us who used to do Chhatra League, when we went to meet Bangamata for some work, she gave us wisdom and advice.

She had helped financially even in difficult times. We used to collect money from people with coupons of Tk. 5, Tk. 10, Tk.100. Gone are the days when someone would give Tk. 100 and we would look at his face. Even at that time, Bangamata extended a helping hand to the organization and kept our activities active. After 9 months of bloody liberation war, on December 16, the day the country was liberated from the enemy, we returned to our beloved motherland in the guise of a victor. On December 18, Abdur Razzak and I landed in independent Bangladesh in a helicopter. The joy of ‘Joy Bangla’ all around, cannot be expressed in words! At first I ran away - including the revered Bangamata, Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and Sheikh Russell - where the Bangabandhu family was imprisoned. Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Bangabandhu, joined the war of liberation and was the ADC of General Osmani, the Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation Army. Sheikh Jamal participated in the war of liberation with training in Dehradun.

During the war of liberation no one wanted to rent a house to Bangamata. If Sheikh Mujib's wife rents a house, the landlord will be taken away by the Pakistan Army. If a house has been rented out by hiding one's identity due to hardship, one has to leave the house with a few hours' notice after getting the identity again. Later, the Pakistan Army placed Bangamata under house arrest in a house at No. 18, Dhanmondi. Bangamata has gone through a difficult time in the days of the great liberation war.

Bangabandhu became the Prime Minister after the independence of the country. However, Bangamata was not in the official residence, but in the unofficial residence 32, Dhanmondi. The door of Bangabandhu's house was open to all. People from all walks of life used to travel. Bangamata used to receive and accept everyone with a smile. In the absence of Bangabandhu, she would look for every leader and worker of the party and help as much as he could. After independence, when I was Bangabandhu's political secretary, I used to go to Bangabandhu's residence at 32, Dhanmondi every morning at 9 am, from there to Ganobhaban with Bangabandhu. Then at 9 pm I would take Bangabandhu to his residence 32, Dhanmondi and return home. When I went to Bangamata's house, she took care of us like her own child. Bangamata used to cook for Bangabandhu by herself. Bangabandhu used to keep everything in order. Bangabandhu used to call Bangamata 'Renu'. Bangabandhu and Bangamata was an ideal couple.

In the historic public meeting after receiving the title of 'Bangabandhu', the Father of the Nation said, 'Those of you who have freed me from prison with blood, if I can one day I will repay the debt of your blood with the blood of my own chest.' Yes he repaid! On the night of August 15, 1975, when the assassin's bullet pierced the chest of the Father of the Nation, Bangamata shouted and told the assassins to kill him too. At the time of the death of his spouse, she became his companion forever. Father of the Nation and Mother of Bengal loved the people of Bengal very much. With the rise of independent Bangladesh, their genuine creative love will be immortalized and written in golden letters on the pages of history. In the words of the rebellious poet Kazi Nazrul Islam about the Father and Mother of the nation-

‘Any great creation on earth is eternally auspicious

Half of it is done by women, half by men. '

   

The burning embers of Safur and the deep 'sleep' of the state



Ashraful Islam, Planning Editor, Barta24.com
photo: Barta24

photo: Barta24

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As the number of accidental deaths in the country is constantly increasing, the proverbial journalist Nirmal Sen's wish for a 'guarantee of natural death' is mocking today! It is difficult to say when we are going to embrace this death of impunity!

The long indifference of the organs of the State, when death by accident begins to march, they are somewhat disturbed. Their forays into media activism sometimes run parallel. They went to sleep again!

Having reached this depressing state, we have to wait every day, what is going to happen! The frequency of accidental deaths in newspaper offices is such that the severity of the incident is judged by numbers alone.

Although it sounds bad, the value of human life has become so worthless today that in the chaos of new events, where today's 'crying roll' disappears after two days, none of us keep track of it. The reality has brought us to such a place that if we call this present society 'lifeless', 'valueless' it would probably be an understatement.

Last Monday (March 25, 2024) afternoon, the death of a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw driver named Safur, who was burnt in the fire of a gas cylinder explosion in the Gachbaria Kalghar area of Chandanish, Chattogram, has shaken even the stony heart! These two days, the image of Safur burnt to embers on the Facebook page has come back and stung us.

According to the incident report of the fire service, in the Gachbaria area of the highway, the police ordered a dump truck carrying sand to stop, but the driver disobeyed the order and continued to drive at a high speed. When the reckless speeding truck rammed the CNG-powered auto-rickshaw, the auto-rickshaw's cylinder exploded and the unfortunate driver met his death sitting on his seat.

Yesterday (March 26, 2024) we got the news of the death of 5 members of the same family before the grief of Safur's death was over. According to the news, 5 members of the family were electrocuted due to a cut live electricity wire in Juri upazila on Tuesday morning in Juri's East Goalbari village.

Accidents will happen, some will be injured; but it goes without saying that the march of death in perils around is getting longer and longer because of the fragile management of state departments. If we talk about road accidents, then we have to say that the country's roads are like death traps.

Accidents can happen on the road but there is a limit to that too. It is possible to bring this level down to a tolerable level through good use of technology, law abiding tendency of all concerned and strict supervision of the authorities. A large number of our government employees travel abroad for various 'projects' (gaining experience, shopping etc.) with public tax money.

We don't know whether our 'royal servants' have traveled abroad to gain experience from countries that have become role models in the world by preventing road accidents, but they should definitely do so. If you have been on such a trip, we want to know what experience you have gained! To stop this march of death on the road, it is necessary to make a big change in the attitude of those concerned with the implementation of the law and we do not know what the alternative can be to completely change the reality of Bangladesh.

But just one word can be applied. That is, 'radical change'. But the leaders of the ruling party's transport sector or the interested 'royal employees' will allow such a change at all or have given it in the past! The simple answer is 'no'.

In the free discussion of the last two days on social media, the opinions expressed by the citizens only about the transport and communication sector, deserve a wide discussion. However, some comments about the use of cylinder gas as a vehicle fuel and the current reality to what extent puts us at risk, are undoubtedly warranted. Many people think that gas cylinders used in cars are walking bombs.

We do not know how many vehicles are running daily with these moving bombs (expired or unusable) in the country. Just as there is a sudden stop and search to check the validity of the vehicle's documents on the road, there is no such oversight by any authority to check the usefulness of the cylinder.

But how important the matter is, the relevant experts will surely say. But we can understand this from little knowledge, there is a lot of indifference in this area and we also hear that the regulatory authorities have no difficulty in 'managing' the concerned to get the clearance. That means the lack of good governance can be held against every agency concerned with accident prevention.

We don't know if the state will take any drastic measures to stop the death of citizens on the road or if the 'harder' measures will finally work! But it seems that there is no good time in sight, so our sigh may be prolonged.

In the same way, the statistics of fire accident deaths that we have been getting to know in the last decade, there is no way not to be shocked. Unplanned urbanization and industrialization will not go down in history as the loss of countless human lives.

As many lives were lost at the hands of those concerned, the state may be on the side of the powerful by acquitting those responsible. And 'people are the source of all power' type of words, the people of politics will change the bill of power!

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Economic disparity must be reduced to build an egalitarian Bangladesh



Dr. Atiur Rahman
Photo: Barta24.com

Photo: Barta24.com

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The main thought of the life of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of independent Bangladesh, was the welfare of the common people, the improvement of their quality of life. He started it at the very beginning of his political career. If we see, from the beginning of his student life he worked for the welfare of farmers and common people. Even in his student days, he used to collect fistfuls from people's houses and give the children of common people an opportunity to study.

Later, we have seen that he stood by the side of the common people again and again in various crises. During the 1974 famine, Bangabandhu tried to save the starving people by opening the anchorage to ease their suffering. Similarly, when the migration of people from both sides of the border started during the partition of the country in 1947, he went to Asansol to manage the relief camps to alleviate the sufferings of the people. So the main goal of his life and the main theme of his movement were to remove the suffering of the common people. In that sense, he was greatly moved by the liberation of the economy.

We noticed that in the early phase of his politics in Bangladesh, i.e. when he came to East Bengal from Kolkata and became a law student at Dhaka University, he joined and led the early phase of the language movement. He was associated with the language movement of 1952 from jail and also joined the hunger strike. We also noticed that Bangabandhu said on the first anniversary of the language movement on February 1, 1953 in Dhaka's Armanitola Maidan, "The fight for language is not only for language, this fight is a fight for total liberation." Struggle for political, social and economic liberation.

We saw that struggle in his political life as well. At that time he did a hunger strike. He raised the demand for food for the people. Especially when there was a cyclone or any natural disaster; Then he ran to the side of the criminals. He pressured the central government to give them relief. Immediately after the disastrous cyclone of November 1970, he rushed to the affected areas with an election campaign to serve the distressed people. Similarly, he made strong speeches in various political meetings to look after the interests of the farmers. Especially in the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, he raised the question, 'A governor is paid Tk. 6 thousand and how much money does a farmer-labourer of mine get?'

He also said that the system of zamindari should be abolished. Land should be given to the subjects. As a farmer-loving true public leader, he was strongly in favor of eliminating inequality in the society. That is why he participated in the general elections of 1954, went to their homes and heard their grief. Later, when he became the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, he tried his best to remove that sorrow. When he became the Chairman of the Tea Board, he did a lot to look after the interests of the tea workers.

When Bangabandhu again became the Central Minister of Commerce and Industry of Pakistan then the small entrepreneurs of East Pakistan negotiated with the central government on how to help them. He arranged to get a fund from the central government and give it to these entrepreneurs. Besides, what he did as the Central Commerce Minister was that everyone had to go to Karachi to get a commercial license for import or export. He brought that commercial office to East Pakistan.

This is how he worked for the common man, bringing up the issue of two economies. He worked with the economists. Bangabandhu spoke about the economic inequality of the two regions. Bangabandhu insisted on balancing the trade of this region within six steps to remove the economic disparity. It was he who proposed the establishment of a Central bank here to keep jute export money in East Pakistan and various initiatives to bring East Pakistan into West Pakistan's trade with East Pakistan. From all these, it seems that Bangabandhu was completely talking about economic liberation.

Needless to say, his historical six- points stood for economic liberation. Although the six points finally stood at one point, the liberation of Bangladesh. At that time also he wanted to make a six-point constitution after winning the election. There, Professor Nurul Islam, Professor Rehman Sobhan and other economists tried to make a draft constitution. Later, he started the development journey in the independent country, where he gave the most importance to agriculture. He used to say, 'If my farmer lives, the country will live.'

He waived rent for farmers up to 25 bighas, he freed about 10 lakh farmers from certificate cases. After that Bangabandhu emphasized on green revolution. He arranged to bring high-quality seeds, fertilizers and irrigation equipment from abroad. To protect flood affected people he took steps for flood prevention project. On the other hand, he tried to nationalize and manage the abandoned factories left behind by the Pakistanis to protect the interests of the workers. That does not mean that he was against the private sector. In 1975, as we will see, Bangabandhu raised the private sector investment limit from Tk. 25 lakhs to Tk. 3 crores and handed over many confiscated units of Pakistanis in the private sector to the private sector of independent Bangladesh. Gradually, he might have been in favor of creating a welfare approach by combining the public-private sector. In the constitution given by him, the guarantee of survival of the people is promised

That proves his strong stand on the issue of equality and inequality.

However, the reality is that even if Bangabandhu wanted it with all his heart, the state's structural limitations, bureaucracy; especially with the violence of the hoarders (whom we now call syndicates) - he was not coping. Addressing them, he said in a strong voice, "I want to give the last blow to this corrupt social system." Bangabandhu declared war against the profiteers and hoarders. He was adamant about a uniform system, in which the common man would be the most important. That is why he was moving towards cooperatives under the Second Revolution. He announced that the farmer would get one share, the distributor would get one share and the landowner would get one share. The main objective was to empower common people giving them total power. Similarly, Bangabandhu placed the greatest emphasis on food security in the newly independent country. He used to say, 'It is very shameful for the President or Prime Minister of an independent country to beg for food from outside countries. We want to move away from it. We have to produce our own food.

Bangabandhu was very keen on self-sufficiency in food. He also paid equal attention to education and health. He always considered common people as participants in development. He used to say, 'I have land, I have people. Why can't I, surely I can.' In fact, he brought forward a philosophy of development in Swadeshi style. In this development thought of Bangabandhu, people are the main thing, people are the first. That is why he has come a long way in just three and a half years. The economy of the country had advanced a lot. Per capita income increased three and a half times. The size of the economy increased two and a half times.

On January 10, 1972, an emotional Bangabandhu spoke about his deep love for the common people at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan after stepping out of the Pakistani jail into the free country. Bangabandhu said, 'This freedom will not be fulfilled if the people of Bengal do not get enough rice, this freedom will not be fulfilled if the mothers and sisters of Bengal do not get clothes, this freedom will not be fulfilled if the youth of this country do not get jobs. This was Bangabandhu's message of equality in Bangladesh.

Bangabandhu not only effectively transformed a provincial government into a central government, but also strengthened the banking system, giving a lot of power to the central bank. He was taking Bangladesh forward with everyone, where people's liberation will come. This freedom is freedom from poverty. It can be said unequivocally that Bangabandhu's efforts were progressing well. He started with an 80 percent poverty rate. Due to the tragic killing of Bangabandhu and his family in 1975, that progress was set back.

Currently, we are moving forward under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. At this time, it can be said that Bangladesh has achieved extraordinary success in poverty alleviation. We can see that in 1991-92, our poverty rate was about 57 percent, but by 2010, it has become 31.5 percent. 24.3 percent in 2016, 18.6 percent in 2022. Extreme prowess was 41 per cent in 1991-92, down to 5.6 per cent in 2022, meaning we are talking and working on economic liberation.

But what has become the problem, which Bangabandhu disliked so much, is discrimination. Economic disparity has increased. We can see that the 'Gini' index of inequality has now reached point 5. That means we have reached the danger zone. But it was point 39 in 1991. Now I notice, overall inequality has increased a lot. The top 10 percent had 29 percent of the income or wealth in 1991-92. That has now increased to 41 percent. And the bottom 10 percent of the poor, whose disposable income was about 2.5 percent, has dropped to 1.3 percent.

It means that the income of the people at the bottom is going to the top. This is in conflict with Bangabandhu's dream of economic liberation. This is why we need to make our entire taxation system much more direct in this area. The rich will also have to pay much higher wealth taxes. Social protection programs for the poor should be increased. Investment in education and health should be increased for them. Much work remains to be done in these areas. If we really want to build Bangabandhu's egalitarian Bangladesh, his much talked about 'Golden Bangla' then economic inequality must be reduced. In this struggle, the government as well as the private sector and all the members of the society should come forward. Only then will celebrating Independence or Victory Day be worthwhile.

Author: Emeritus Professor, Department of Development Studies; University of Dhaka and former Governor, Bangladesh Bank.

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Bhutto's execution and trial message



Dr. Mahfuz Parvez, Associate Editor, Barta24.com
Bhutto's execution and trial message

Bhutto's execution and trial message

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Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979). To some he is a hero, to others a villain. He is the catalyst of many events and accidents in the politics of Pakistan. As a skillful player in military-civilian politics, he seized power in Pakistan. Again losing in the game of power, he gave his life to the gallows.

He cannot avoid the responsibility of Bangladesh genocide in 1971 in any way. He went to the United Nations for anti-Bangladesh activities. Bhutto did not allow the Awami League under the leadership of Bangabandhu to come to power despite getting a majority in the democratic elections. By conspiring with Pakistan's military leaders, he captured the throne himself. Finally he lost his life in the anger of the military ruler.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a Zamindar of Larkana in the Sindh province of Pakistan, entered politics and became a minister in 1958 at the age of 30. In 1963, he got the important responsibility of foreign minister. He developed distance after the signing of Tashkent Pact between Ayub Khan and Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri hastened by Soviet Union. After leaving Ayub Khan's cabinet, he formed a separate party in 1967 under the style of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

In the 1970 general elections of Pakistan, his party won a majority in West Pakistan. But despite the Awami League of East Pakistan gaining an overall majority, Bhutto objected to the transfer of power to them.

After Pakistan's defeat in the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971, Bhutto succeeded Yahya Khan as the President of Pakistan. In 1973, he assumed the post of Prime Minister of Pakistan by changing the country's constitution. In 1977 he was re-elected as Prime Minister. But within a short time he was deposed in a military coup led by General Ziaul Haque. He was sentenced to death by a military court in 1979 for his involvement in a conspiracy to kill a man.

Bhutto suffered a tragic end in politics despite his rise to conspiracy. A brutal fall and hanging ended his life. No one would have dreamed that this would happen to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, an Oxford student, the scion of a Pakistani Zamindar family. He crossed many dangers in western style of movement. Laundering foppish and vanity have won the game of politics. But in the end he was caught by his confidant General Ziaul Haque.

The incident was in 1977. Even after being re-elected that year, Bhutto could not remain in power. Army chief Ziaul Haque came to power by imposing military rule due to Baloch crisis, multi-faceted sabotage within the state. Bhutto himself gave Ziaul Haque the responsibility of army chief as a trust and confidant. Ziaul Haque, as the successor of Tikka Khan, the butcher of Bengal, had to overtake five people to give him this responsibility.

But history had a different account. And that was a very cruel calculation. Bhutto was not spared from cruelty. His end was tragic. He was not prepared for such a situation. Lt. Colonel Rafiuddin wrote a book on this in Urdu language. The name of the book is 'Bhutto Ka Akheri 323 Din'. Many things have come up in this book.

Rafi was the security battalion commander of Rawalpindi Jail. After retirement, Bhutto responded by writing a book on the chapter. Bhutto himself wrote parts of his memoirs in prison before his death. He claimed that he would be hanged in conspiracy trial. Bhutto's followers have always called his execution a planned murder. And 45 years after Bhutto's execution, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled: 'There was no fair trial'.

Bhutto was ousted in 1977 by General Ziaul Haque, Pakistan's army chief, in a coup. Within a few days, he was arrested and hanged by the military government of Pakistan. Now, in a formal judgment, Bhutto's trial has not been followed by a 'clear and proper legal procedure', the country's Supreme Court bench says. The Supreme Court said this in a unanimous verdict in the first week of March. Bhutto was ousted in a military coup and was hanged in 1979 after being found guilty in a case. He was accused of murdering a political rival. Bhutto, the founder of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was convicted in that case. But from the beginning, his family and party had accused the Zia government of "political conspiracy".

A nine-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isha of the Supreme Court of Pakistan re-evaluated that judgment four and a half decades ago. The trial was broadcast on TV. Announcing the unanimous verdict, Chief Justice Faiz said, "There was no trial that day following a transparent and proper legal process." We will publish the detailed judgment in this case later.'' Incidentally, Bhutto's daughter Benazir later became the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Benazir's son Bilal is currently one of the leaders of Pakistan's ruling coalition.

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Give women their due: They will turn society into heaven



Pradip Kumar Dutta
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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The whole world is going to observe International Women's Day on 8 March. The history of how it came into being is long. But it could enter the UN calendar only in 1977.

It’s a triumph of the legendary ladies who were ahead of their time and fought for the emancipation of Women's rights in all spheres of life: right to vote, equal wages as their male counterparts, eight hours working day and above all dignity in life. It’s just about a hundred and fifty years ago that these demands started surfacing.

Even in USA, considered as the most advanced country in the world, White women got voting rights only in 1920,Black's even much later. In 1857 the garments workers, mostly ladies, came out to the streets of Chicago for establishing equal wages, reasonable working hours and humane treatment.

The industrial revolution taught Europe many things. Amongst those we have democracy, social justice and freedom from capitalist exploitation. The movements grew in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, England and other parts of Europe. Germans were of course spearheading the workers and peasants movements. By 1848 great German Economist, Philosopher and Political Scientists Karl Marx and Frederich Engels have published their epoch making Manifesto of the Communist Party.

In the manifesto they urged the working class of the world to rise against all oppressive measures of the capitalist owners and revolt. The publication ends with the revolutionary quote," The proletariat of the world has nothing to lose but their shackles whereas they have the whole world to conquer." This electrifying statement energised the working class and they started gaining ground by getting organised in groups. Trade Unions were yet to be formed en masse.

Two prominent German ladies Clara Zeitkin and Rosa Luxembourg came up fighting together with some other brave comrades of theirs to fight shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. They specially put forward the plight of the lady workers in different fields. In America too the voices grew stronger and in 1909 for the first time a day was observed on 28 February to put forward the just demands of the womenfolk. It was a striking success.

And in 1910 in a preparatory meeting of the Second International (to be held in Copenhagen in 1911) a proposal was put forward by Clara Zeitkin to observe an International Women’s day every year to press forward the demands of the women working class. It was passed unanimously and every year it started to be celebrated in different countries but on different dates. It is needless to mention that world socialist movement which was growing by the day in that era was the driving force behind the celebration.

After the establishment of USSR the momentum grew. The day was fixed as 8 March in memory of the Chicago garments workers movement. The whole socialist block and their like minded parties used to observe the day since then in due solemnity. In the Socialist block countries it was a public holiday and a day of celebration, as all demands of equality were fulfilled in those countries.

Persistent follow up by those countries, empowerment of women in other countries and the success of women in every field of life as their male counterparts convinced the world body finally. As mentioned earlier since 1977 UN is observing this day as International Women’s Day and dedicated the day towards recognising the achievements of half of the mankind. The decision was taken in UN General Assembly in 1975.

This year's theme of the day is Invest in Women: Accelerate progress. Let's all acclaim our ladies for their contribution in shaping the world. Long live Clara Zeitkin, the proponent of the day.

Pradip Kumar Dutta: Columnist, Essayist and Traveller

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