Well-known author and researcher Sharmin Ahmad has expressed disappointment over the interim govt’s incapacity to embody the ideals of the July Revolution.
“Our martyrs and injured are the valid VVIPs of our affirm. The govt. need to act faster to rehabilitate their households and honour the spirit of the revolution,” Sharmin, the daughter of Bangladesh’s first top minister Tajuddin Ahmad, told the nationwide news company Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) on the eve of the Huge Victory Day
She additionally talked referring to the Liberation War and her works.
Ayesha Pervin, who has been working as Deputy Chief Files Editor (Bangla Service) in the organisation, has taken the interview.
How would you evaluate the submit July Uprising time?
Resolution: It has supreme been four months for the reason that original govt came into energy. Four months is a extraordinarily short time to instruct. On the opposite hand, some indicators come in. An overall overview is rarely any longer that it is doubtless you’ll presumably well also mediate yet. This could occasionally presumably maybe additionally be that it is doubtless you’ll presumably well also mediate to instruct after one other year. However ‘Morning Presentations the Day.’ I manufacture no longer deem this interim govt could presumably maybe also successfully replicate the spirit of the July Revolution. This revolution would no longer occupy been worthwhile with out the sacrifice of so many martyrs. More than 20,000 of our other folks occupy turn out to be crippled. 50% of them occupy lost their eyesight. At the worth of their eyesight, we occupy regained our imaginative and prescient to peek a brand original Bangladesh. However are we ready to raise them wisely? They are the VVIPs of our affirm. The members of the family of the injured and martyrs will occupy to aloof be rehabilitated. The govt. is doing it, but very slowly. However here we should always work very speedily. Our ministries need to work with the July spirit.
The market has turn out to be unbearable. However the market became as soon as tolerable in the first two weeks after the revolution became as soon as worthwhile. Traffic on the roads became as soon as below administration. At that point, college students controlled all these. If the youth and youths can manufacture that, then what is our trained affirm equipment doing? Why can not they work to govern traffic jams, ticket hikes of commodities, extortion, syndicates? Kids, teenagers, and young other folks occupy performed it.
On the opposite hand, one thing is definite that the interim govt has spoken to India for the first time preserving admire on admire on the premise of equality. I gain a similarity between this spirit and the spirit of 1971. Tajuddin Ahmad, in his first radio tackle as Top Minister on April 10 and later, has repeatedly acknowledged and proven in action that members of the family with all other countries, including India, will be constant with equality and fairness.
Why manufacture you call the unique July Revolution a ‘Mass Uprising’ and the Liberation War a ‘Folks’s War’?
Resolution: I plot end into epic July 36 as a mixture of ‘Mass Uprising’ and Mass Revolution’ both. It be a mix of two. The coed-other folks uprising or mass uprising has taken scheme against a brutal autocratic diagram and discrimination. If the autocratic forces had obtained the fight, then that exchange could presumably well be restricted within the physique of uprising supreme. However this mass uprising changed into true into a revolution by dislodging the autocratic regime from energy. It could most likely most likely presumably well additionally be viewed because the first step of the revolution and it is worthwhile culmination is dependent upon achievement of the following govt to materialise the hopes and aspirations of the folk and raise modern changes in the affirm construction. It be time-sharp and implementation is dependent upon the valid leadership.
It is viewed in the history that folk’s revolutions as soon as in some time happen by armed revolt the keep there is an armed force having practising on military education and battle below a political leadership. Independence battle of the USA, Bangladesh Liberation War and Russia Revolution are some examples.
However, you explore the mass revolution in Portugal, the Philippines, Tunisia, and Egypt many other areas all the plan in which by the sector. Revolution is these countries took scheme peacefully with out any armed fight. Folks did no longer plot pack up fingers but introduced down the dictatorship. The light mass revolution of Bangladesh in 2024 is analogous to a level with these upheavals. So, I peek it as a ‘Mass Uprising’.
The college students and these that took fragment in the uprising had been unarmed. However the affirm illegally passe its police force against its catch other folks. However these revolutionaries had been no longer trained and no central leadership guided them. It became as soon as a spontaneous. They had been no longer fearful of sacrifice their lives. They moved forward. This is why, the autocratic diagram has fallen. It be a modern one. In the final 16 years, many political events occupy talked loads, but we occupy no longer viewed one of these exchange that they had been ready to consequence in. What we saw in July-August. The accepted other folks stood beside the school students. They believed them. They saved faith on youth of us. Right here’s a matter of taking into query. Most of them had been non-partisan.
The two revolutions are synonymous as a ways as public expectations are concerned. At some level of the Liberation War, the folk desired to keep a other folks’s govt against a brutal anti-other folks, tyrannical and autocratic military diagram. This became as soon as a other folks’s battle as hundreds of hundreds of workers, farmers, college students, military personnel, and civilians joined. Out of them, supreme 1,01,000 had been trained freedom fighters, but 7.50 crore other folks had been additionally warrior.
The woman who cooked rice and lentils, secretly reached these meals to the freedom fighters, feed them evading the learn about of the Pak infantrymen, are additionally freedom fighters. A guardian who despatched their supreme son to battle to liberate the country is additionally a freedom fighter. Folks from all walks of lifestyles prolonged their wholehearted toughen to the freedom fighters by offering meals and capsules, making the Liberation War a other folks’s battle.
On the opposite hand, the folk’s revolution of 2024 has a disagreement with the Liberation War in 1971 because the later occurs supreme as soon as in the lifestyles of a nation. The Liberation War is marked by reaching a brand original statehood by establishing the valid to self-option against subjugation or colonial rule. Now we occupy got owned the parts principal to catch a brand original affirm as cherish demography, territory, govt, sovereignty and recognition by our War of Liberation. Which methodology Bangladesh has been constituted of the womb of the War of Independence. We would no longer occupy Bangladesh if the War of Independence didn’t happen. We additionally call this because the Liberation War as other folks had been impressed by the desire and perception that they would catch socio-economic and political emancipation in the newborn affirm.
And what happened in 2024 became as soon as assorted from 1971. In 2024 other folks fought against one other authoritarian ruler born within the very framework of Bangladesh affirm construction, who became as soon as working against the folk of the country. This is why there is a disagreement between the 2. And, the similarity is that in both instances, other folks felt that they had been losing their civil rights, being disadvantaged of the valid to vote.
In the battle of independence, other folks stood against discrimination for establishing social justice, human dignity and equality. The attention-grabbing thing is that even in 2024, the nation has fought for identical rights, in quest of identical aspiration. On this methodology, both are synonymous. There are some similarities and some variations.
What manufacture you watched needs to be performed to catch the spirit of the uprising worthwhile?
Resolution: The truth is, a imaginative and prescient is principal. The imaginative and prescient is that in sing to fabricate the future Bangladesh, we should always transcend the spirit of revolution in each scheme from education to justice and law, which is engaging to be cherish blood vessels. The spirit of revolution needs to be spread all around the affirm organs. For this, the folk carrying the spirit of revolution needs to be picked up to raise forward the task. Age will occupy to aloof no longer be a matter.
Let me give you an instance of Singapore, when Singapore grew to turn out to be self sustaining in 1965, they had been very miserable. Poverty became as soon as in each scheme. Kids had been hungry. However can we mediate that now? Where is Singapore this day? Their imaginative and prescient had three parts- skills, reasonable thinking, and honesty. We need such leadership to spread the philosophy of our revolution in each scheme. And such leadership does no longer manufacture with out preparation. Shall we remark, for the length of the Liberation War, when the leadership became as soon as in the fingers of Tajuddin Ahmad and Syed Nazrul Islam, they had been then ready. In the event you read Tajuddin Ahmad’s biography, you will explore that from a young age he became as soon as grooming himself in education, skills, honesty, and compassion, great cherish a saint.
Therefore, to catch this revolution worthwhile, we should always raise these in front who are carrying the spirit of the revolution. Competent other folks needs to be fervent to attain the spirit to a wide house. Right here’s no longer a current govt that need to be restricted to respectable responsibilities.
Your e book ‘Tajuddin Ahmad: Leader and Father’ has created barely a response. Exasperated referring to the time of publication, manufacture you watched it became as soon as an adventurous work? If that is the case, what became as soon as the muse tedious it?
Resolution: There became as soon as an flee to write it. Our Liberation War had a extraordinarily tall spectrum. It became as soon as no longer a negotiated downside. The partition of the country in 1947 became as soon as a negotiated downside. This settlement became as soon as made by negotiations with the British. However the Liberation War became as soon as established on a criminal basis by the Declaration of Independence, which became as soon as an uncompromising fight. Thru this, we purchased independence. However referring to the formation of the first Bangladesh govt, our youth know nothing. Shall we remark, 30 March 1971, for the time being needs to be written in golden letters in our history. On that day, Tajuddin Ahmad thought of constituting a modern govt and conducting the Liberation War below that govt. It became as soon as a extraordinarily a ways-sighted thought. The stories of freedom fighters additionally remained mostly unpublicized. The general image of the Liberation War became as soon as no longer presented to the youth. The fact this battle became as soon as an united fight of military and civilian leadership. However it became as soon as no longer presented as it’ll be forward of the nation. Exasperated about all these, I started working on this e book. My mother became as soon as very fully happy. She herself gave me a bunch of recordsdata. However she could presumably maybe also no longer explore the publication of the e book. In March 1913, the Oitijya Publishing Residence announced its publication. My mother died in December that year. The e book became as soon as printed in 2014. At that point, many referred to as it a risky enterprise as it became as soon as very miserable for ruling Sheikh Hasina. My e book challenged the narratives they had been selling. However I did no longer retreat. I became as soon as impressed by a asserting of Nelson Mandela. That is, ‘The time to fabricate one thing unbiased is now, the time to relate the very fact is now.’ Besides, I additionally had in mind the phrases of the medieval saint Bruno, who became as soon as brutally killed for telling the very fact. However he lived within that fact.
On the opposite hand, I needed to maintain a bunch of harassment after the e book became as soon as printed. I needed to face many questions from the NSI (National Security Intelligence). Restful, I did no longer quit talking referring to the e book.
How manufacture you, because the daughter of a freedom fighter, explore the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by the Pakistani army on the night of 25 March 1971? What roughly influence manufacture you watched it had on the Liberation War?
Resolution: It became as soon as determined after dialogue that he would journey into hiding with my father and other comrades. This became as soon as no longer my thought alone, if the nation knew the history, they would additionally be very taken aback. Reveal, it is doubtless you’ll presumably well also presumably be the pinnacle of a celebration or organization. You made the option that we all will manufacture this work together. Then you acknowledged, you will no longer manufacture this work. Attain it as it is doubtless you’ll presumably well also. This can positively occupy a extensive influence on the celebration or the organization. And here is the destiny of the country, the folk of the country, and 7.5 crore million other folks. This has introduced on gigantic hurt to the country.
Many americans knew referring to the crackdown on the night of March 25, 1971. My father additionally knew about this unpleasant crackdown. That night, my father went to No. 32, Dhanmondi to catch Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s signature on the declaration of independence. It became as soon as acknowledged that after the signature, it could perhaps presumably well be given to a student (who became as soon as selected constant with a secret option). Whose responsibility became as soon as to explain it to the total international journalists on the Resort InterContinental. However he returned from there being upset as Mujib Bhai denied signing the document.
My father told, ‘Mujib Bhai’ has ruined our 23-year fight. He’ll no longer signal, nor will he leave house.’ At that point, my father additionally acknowledged that after he asked him (Mujib) to signal, Mujib Bhai acknowledged, no, this would presumably be a document against me. I will be referred to as as a traitor. However then we ready to be traitors. We are transferring in direction of independence.”
By doing this, Sheikh Saheb assign his long-time comrades in unpleasant hazard. My father acknowledged, ‘Stare, Mujib Bhai, Lenin, Mao Zedong, all of us that led the fight for freedom in the sector had been the well-known leaders and had been with the folk. They didn’t renounce. You did no longer describe us who could presumably well be the second man or third man after you?’ He then acknowledged, ‘Rush, you other folks can manufacture it.’
He did no longer give any instructions. This can no longer work merely asserting ‘the fight of this time’ is the fight for freedom’. We later saw the awe of it. The formation of the government in exile became as soon as a modern option. However a young force adverse it. They had been identified as Mujib Bahini. They had been Sheikh Saheb’s trusted brothers. He despatched them instructions secretly. This created a extensive division. Under the leadership of Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni, the opposition to this community lasted till the discontinue of the battle. They additionally opened brushfire on the freedom fighters. However the complications needed to be saved secret. On the opposite hand, Khondaker Mostaq became as soon as secretly collaborating with Pakistan and CIA. On the one hand, the government of that Liberation War needed to tackle all these inside of suicidal conspiracies and on the opposite hand the outdoor enemies. If Sheikh Saheb had been in the Liberation War, then the complications would no longer occupy needed to be faced. This kind of downside would no longer occupy arisen and later the nation would no longer occupy needed to pay the worth of his deliberate absence in the self sustaining Bangladesh.
On your e book ‘Tajuddin Ahmad: Leader and Father’, you’ve gotten gotten mentioned that Sheikh Mujib became as soon as no longer very attracted to involving referring to the Liberation War, even supposing he became as soon as unique spiritually but no longer physically. What’s the plan tedious your thinking?
Resolution: It is no longer gorgeous my asserting that he did no longer would favor to know. The liberty fighters additionally knew this. Many of the freedom fighters had been from villages and habitual households. However a huge exchange had taken scheme in their psyche by the battle. They had been brooding referring to the original country after liberating the country. Tajuddin Ahmad planned to exhaust them to catch the nationwide militia for constructing the country. However Sheikh Saheb did no longer let him manufacture that. He favoured Mujib Bahini to do that job. However they didn’t hold fingers for the length of the battle. He formed the Rakkhi Bahini with the Mujib Bahini actual to his nephew Sheikh Moni. The discontinue consequence became as soon as no longer unbiased.
I deem a psychological topic arose in Sheikh Saheb, which is that the country grew to turn out to be self sustaining with out me (Mujib). And the freedom fighters had been actual to Tajuddin and Nazrul Islam. He saw it in a extraordinarily slim level of view. The discontinue outcomes of this became as soon as no longer unbiased. He by no methodology wished to listen to referring to the Liberation War. Tajuddin Ahmad, Syed Nazrul Islam and others organized a dinner and wished to relate him referring to the battle. He fell asleep for the length of the dinner. How sad it is. Right here’s a merciless thing in our history. However later we saw that the Sheikh family hijacked the notice Liberation War. They passe it for their catch interests.
Quiz: Recently, you’ve gotten gotten acknowledged in an match that the Awami League had constructed the Liberation War on a single pillar. Thru this, became as soon as the celebration ready to evaluate the Liberation War as it’ll be? Would you please share your conception?
Resolution: Keep in mind that no longer. Stare, a house is solid when it is constructed on many pillars. Democracy is a diversified matter. There are contributions of many americans here. In the USA, we explore George Washington’s image on the one-dollar denomination, Abraham Lincoln’s image on the five-dollar, Alexander Hamilton’s image on the ten-dollar, and Jackson’s image on the twenty-dollar denomination. Right here’s how all americans has been honored. In the event you assign them on a pillar, other folks will now no longer plot end into epic it is their catch. They deem it is a ways the epic of 1 other family, the epic of 1 particular person. However after we yell about all americans, other folks will plot end into epic it is of their catch.
A few days previously, if you had been in the country, you ran from one successfully being center to 1 other to peek the injured americans in the July Revolution. What responsibility pursued you to do that? Became it merely from humanitarian ground?
Resolution: I went to the CRP in Savar, the rehabilitation centre for the disabled, three occasions in 26 days while I became as soon as in the country. This became as soon as no longer supreme a humanitarian responsibility. We are indebted and deeply grateful to them. We are obliged to them. They’re no longer the objects of our compassion. They are unheard of different folks. They are regarded as one of the well-known supreme other folks of my nation. I felt rather honoured to meet them. On the opposite hand, we’re yet to present them due admire.
Besides, I became as soon as taken aback that CRP is the supreme rehabilitation centre for the disabled in Bangladesh. This skill that, there is a bunch of rigidity on them. We, on behalf of Sitara and Jagran organizations, are searching to fabricate no matter we can for them. If all americans comes forward, then it is that it is doubtless you’ll presumably well also mediate to rehabilitate all of them. So we flee you all to face by them wherever it is doubtless you’ll presumably well also presumably be. The original Bangladesh we occupy purchased this day is as a consequence of their supreme sacrifice. Allow us to no longer put out of your mind this. They are our topmost priority.
