This is an op-ed by Obaid Chowdhury from NY USA, as appeared in
News From Bangladesh :
Here's the Link:
http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=283796
And here's the write up:
August 15, 1975—Coup or Killing?-The Nation Must Learn the Truth
Tuesday September 08 2009 21:44:23 PM BDT
By Obaid Chowdhury, USA
August 15 is talk of the time. Was it a coup or killing? Older generations are largely silent, others play the partisan game; and yet there is a class that behaves like intellectual prostitutes selling their views for others. Younger generations are totally confused. The nation must know the truth.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and a few others died in a military coup on August 15, 1975. I saw how people braved the curfew to celebrate the occasion terming it as a Day of Deliverance. They said Alhamdulillah, not Innalillah!
The Awami League led government re-designated August 15 as the Mourning Day to commemorate the death of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. AL and its supporters observed the day this year in a manner never seen before---as if Sheikh Mujib came to life in Bangladesh politics after 34 years.
On the other hand, the Supreme Court decided to hold the hearing on October 5, 2009 of the appeals submitted by a few accused in the so called “Mujib Murder Trial”.
34-Year Long Slumber
Why is this change in their psyche after 34 years? Rip Van Winkle slept for 20 years and found everything changed in America when he woke up. Looked like Our RVWs overslept for 34 long years to wonder there was no Bangladesh since 1975!
A vast majority, about 70%, of those who ‘celebrated’ the August 15 this year were either toddlers or born after August 15, 1975. What do they know of the August 15? Have they ever been told of the real story behind August 15 and the man Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? I don’t think so. Rather, they have been victims of misinformation and fed with distorted version of our history over and over again.
For 21 years from 1975 to 1996, August 15 passed like any other day and people were shy of talking about Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to whom they once reposed their full trust. Once upon a time--before 1971 to be precise—Sheikh Mujib was a great leader. The moment he saddled himself in the helm of independent Bangladesh in early 1972, he not only failed in administering the new nation at every step, he continued to betray peoples’ trust over and over again. So public disinterest in Sheikh Mujib all these years was well understood.
”Coup” Became “Killing” Overnight
Things changed in 1996. Sheikh Hasina Wazed, daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, managed to become the Prime Minister, thanks to a subtle electioneering mechanization by a sympathetic interim administration and a helping hand by former dictator General H M Ershad. Even though she publicly apologized for the wrongdoings of her father, she did not say a word about August 15 or the ‘trial’ she was to start if elected. Privately on more than one occasion, Sheikh Hasina said that her only objective as Prime Minister was to avenge the death of her father (Ref: noted BBC journalist and columnist Sirajur Rahman and former Col Harun of DGFI, to name only two). True to her vow, she did only that during her first 5-year term.
A false and misinformation campaign started about August 15, 1975. People were told that August 15, 1975 was not a military coup that aimed at salvaging the nation; it was a murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by a few army officers. Truth was not allowed to surface. A sponsored media continued to sing the HMV of Sheikh Hasina. Strangely enough, the same media welcomed the coup of August 15, 1975 and published the daily chronicles how people hailed the ouster of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Please check their archives).
It is said if you tell a lie 10 times, it becomes truth. Hearing it first hand, the innocent newer generations perhaps swallowed it.
Sheikh Hasina thus converted the August 15 Military Coup to a “Killing” story and orchestrated a trial of those who were in some way connected with it. In that partisan cum political showcase, there was virtually no defense. In 1998, an obliging Session Judge sent 15 army officers to Firing Squads. Later, after couple of ‘embarrassments’ expressed by judges and a huge Lathi-Charge by Hasina administration, the High Court upheld death sentence for 12. The Supreme Court is due to hear it in October next.
Five accused are suffering in Dhaka jail for over 13 years—one of them on the verge of death while the rest are half-dead because of neglect and maltreatment.
Indemnity Overturned
In the trial process, Hasina administration threw away the constitutional Indemnity Act 1975 that prevented any legal or punitive action against the persons responsible for August 15, 1975 action. Many local and international jurists termed that ‘repeal’ as unconstitutional and illegal. There were a few other Indemnity Acts in the constitution, one propounded by Sheikh Mujib himself, but they were not touched.
Nobody really doubts the outcome of the next round as the newly appointed appellate judges are specially selected by Hasina administration for the purpose.
Nonetheless, the newer generations need to know the facts of the matter. The older generations need to refresh their memory, in case it failed them. Let us walk the memory lane of 1972-1975 of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was perhaps the most loved person on January 10, 1972 when he landed on the soil of independent Bangladesh, after being freed from Pakistani custody and making his GPS through London and New Delhi. People gave Mujib 3 years to set things right. Let us recall a few of the achievements in the next 3 and half years of Mujib rule:
Rakkhi Bahini
India and its intelligence agency RAW invested hugely in the creation of Bangladesh. East Pakistanis fought the liberation war to rid the Pakistani control, not to jump from frying pan to fire. People now know Agartala Conspiracy Case was not a false one. AL leader Tofail Ahmed admitted it in a TV talk couple of months ago. Apart from dismembering Pakistan, India’s continued endeavor has been to make Bangladesh a vassal state. As its protégé, Mujib could not, as is Hasina today, say no to the wishes of India.
The result was a 25-year Peace Treaty, a virtual subjugation of Bangladesh to India. One of the clauses provide for the creation of Rakkhi Bahini, a para-military force equipped, trained and styled by India. It wore the Indian olive green uniform, thus hiding the identity of its members if they were Bangladeshis or Indians. The force remained under personal command of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. That draconian force was extensively utilized to crush any opposition. According to various estimates, over 40 thousand political opponents were eliminated by Mujib administration. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself bragged in the parliament for the killing of a popular left leader, “Kothay aj Siraj Sikdar (where is Siraj Sikdar today)?” See the Daily Star of November 1998 for more details.
On the AL-observed Mourning Day this year, the theme apparently was “Kando Bangali Kando (Cry Bengalis cry). I would rather urge the Bengalis to ask these mourners if they felt the need to cry on the death of those 40 thousand innocent men, women and children in the hands of Rakkhi Bahini and other state sponsored forces in 1972-75.
The Man-made Famine
In the man-made famine of 1974-75, close to half a million people perished due to neglect, corruption and inefficiency. There was no dearth of relief materials but they did not reach the needy; they were used for political purpose or sold in the black markets. Bangladesh earned the derogatory title of “International Basket Case”. People witnessed an awful and striking contrast of dead bodies and an emaciated sea of humans in the streets on one hand while celebrations of royal scale marriages and birthdays by the Mujib family on the other.
During a recent state sponsored video show of Abdul Ghaffar Chowdhury’s make-belief drama on Sheikh Mujib’s death, an elderly lady in front row was seen shedding tears. I would like to ask the lady where her tear was when the Mujib family rejoiced amidst the deaths of hundreds and thousand of innocents. There is no difference in the color of blood from one to another.
NY Times of December13, 24, 1974 and January 26, 1975, as well as the Washington Post of November 8, 1974 provided a glimpse of then Dhaka scenario. Many other international electronic and print media would have sufficient material to prove that I am not talking myths.
Emergency
Not been able to tide the growing political opposition, Mujib clamped emergency in 1974. Fundamental rights were suspended, political activities banned and all but 4 government controlled newspapers were closed. Anyone not towing the official line was either jailed or did not see the next daylight.
All-Powerful President
As if Sheikh Mujib was not powerful enough, he made himself President in January 1975, amassing all state powers in his hand through the 4th constitutional amendment enacted in 11 minutes without allowing any debate or dissenting vote.
BAKSAL
Immediately afterwards, he enlarged AL to Bangladesh Krisak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) and banned all other political parties. In this Soviet-China style one-party dictatorial system, military and bureaucracy were formally politicized by asking them to join the BAKSAL. The country was divided into 61 districts with BAKSAL appointed governors and political secretaries in each, to take post on September 1, 1975.
Noted historian and author K Ali said on Sheikh Mujib, “He was out and out a despotic ruler and snatched away fundamental rights of the people by introducing absolute dictatorship under one-party system----there was hardly any doubt that the measure (one-party rule) was taken only to establish his permanent rule in the country without any opposition.”
Well known Indian journalist and writer Kuswant Singh wrote about Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Illustrated Weekly of India, “In 1970 he was the most-loved man by his people and million of others in India and elsewhere. Within a couple of years he had lost much of his charisma and lived in a cocoon of self-spun esteem. He came to regard honest critics as traitors and sycophants as loyal friends. It was a classic case of folio de grandeur. He was blissfully unaware that the very people who called him ‘Bangabandhu’ or ‘Bangapita’ to his face were behind his back called him ‘Banga-Shatru’.
People Sought Relief
It was a suffocating situation in the country and people wanted relief the soonest. They looked towards the patriotic elements of the military, which could not ignore their call and a need for national survival. The military response came in the form of the August 15, 1975 coup.
In an article “Repeal of Indemnity (Act 1975)—in Whose Interest” published in the Daily Inquilab on November 1, 1991, M M Aziz briefly detailed the background of August 15, 1975 coup, as well as what would have been the likely scenario in the country had there not been August 15 action. According to him, groaning under a repressing regime people desperately wanted a change and a military coup was the only way possible to bail the nation out under the existing situation.
It was regrettable, however, that a few persons on both sides including, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, died in the pre-dawn military action on August 15, 1975. I am not aware of the circumstances under which those casualties took place. At the same time, one may visualize that casualties in such an action of historic proportion could not be unexpected. According to an opinion, the death of 22 persons on August 15, 1975 outweighed the benefit the coup brought to the nation where political killings and extra judicial deaths were common. The 22 deaths perhaps stopped deaths of thousands that would have been committed had there not been August 15, 1975.
Questions to the Mourners
When the Awami leaders and their followers shed crocodile tears for the man-god they are trying to make of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I may humbly ask:
• Why did you fail to protests the ‘killing’ of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975 or during the next 21 years?
• Why did the army, navy, air force, BDR, police and Rakkhi Bahini fail to counter-attack and crush the coup leaders, if the coup was perpetrated by a ‘few disgruntled army officers’ as the court opined?
• Why did the chiefs of army, navy, air force, BDR, police and Rakkhi Bahini rush to the new president on the morning of August 15, 1971 to express their support for the coup and publicly announce their allegiance to his administration?
• Why did those AL stalwarts rush to join the Mushtaque cabinet, stepping over Mujib’s dead body? We knew, Mushtaque’s was an entirely Awami cabinet.
• Why none of the coup leaders took any leadership position in the new administration, nor did the seek elevation in ranks even though they had the chance to do so?
In a recent interview, then army chief Maj Gen Safiullah admitted that he lost confidence of the senior officers and effective command of the army on August 15, 1975 and as such failed to take counter measures against the coup. Apart from an attempt to shift responsibility, his statement proved that the so called “disgruntled” army officers did not act alone—the entire army and other forces were with them overtly or covertly. Safiullah deserves credit to have admitted a fact of truth.
Appeal to the Judges
Honorable Judges, as you are going to adjudicate on this crucial and important issue before the nation, you may kindly take note of the above pertinent points which were rarely discussed before in the trial proceedings. Before you pen your decision on the case, kindly pause a moment and walk back the memory lane to the early period of Bangladesh and evaluate if these former army officers saved the nation from the heavy hands of a repressive regime or they betrayed the national aspiration; and if they bailed the nation out of a virtual collapse and retrieved democracy from the evils a one-party dictatorship. It is you to decide if August 15, 1975 was a successful Coup or a Killing. In fact, there is a growing call to re-investigate the August 15, 1975. For the sake of justice, national interest and fair play we have to do it. Let us not play with the lives of these saviors of the nation.
Our judiciary has recently earned independence after prolonged struggles. Here is a great challenging moment to demonstrate your independence, devoid of political pressure, free from partisan or personal feelings. I once read ‘conscience’ is one important element in dispensing justice.
History will not be confined to a partisan dictation for long, and it will one day recognize the contribution of August 15, 1975 and these army officers. The honorable judges should have a saving clause for that day, rather than face condemnation for the miscarriage of justice.
Obaid Chowdhury
NY, USA
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alaldulal@aol.com
