Sheikh Mujibur Rahman died on August 15, 1975, when he was assassinated by a faction of the military. However, his second death was brought about by his daughter, Sheikh Hasina, who—by elevating his image to an extreme level ended up diminishing his true legacy.
Renowned writer, social thinker, academic, and Professor Emeritus at the University of Dhaka, Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury made these remarks during a program celebrating his 90th birthday.
On Monday, he delivered a solo lecture titled “The Role of the Liberation War of ’71 and Nationalism” at the Bangla Academy.
He stated:"Sheikh Mujib was killed by a faction of the military — that was his first death. His second death is the death of his image, and that occurred at the hands of his daughter, the one who loved him dearly and elevated him to unmatched heights."
The event took place in the afternoon at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium, beginning with an inaugural song presented by the Cultural troupe Bibartan Sangskritik Kendra. Three consecutive musical performances followed as a gesture of respect. After that, people from different walks of life, along with various organizations and institutions, greeted him with flowers to celebrate his birthday. The event, organized by the ‘Notun Diganta Paribar,’ was hosted by Professor Azfar Hossain, who also read out a biographical sketch of Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury.
The discussion session was chaired by Professor Perween Hasan. Among the speakers were Mujahidul Islam Selim, Subhrangshu Chakraborty, Sajjad Sharif, Abu Sayeed Khan, and Razekuzzaman Ratan.
In his nearly hour-and-a-half speech, Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury said, “We saw that the nationalist forces who led the Liberation War had their key leaders, including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his constitutional advisor, imprisoned in Pakistan. The others had taken refuge in India. So, in effect, there was no Awami League present during the conflict— Just like after the uprising of July-August when they became invisible. The leaders disappeared back then too. What followed was a period marked by internal divisions, conflicts, and conspiracies.”
According to him, their inability to provide leadership at such a crucial moment was a significant weakness, leading to considerable damage. He noted that although repeated warnings were given to the leadership about Pakistan bringing in weapons, no effective action was taken.
Prof Choudhury added, “This departure and surrender of nationalist leaders is highly significant. They did not fight the war from within the country. This reflects the limitation of nationalism. The masses were incited and pushed in front of the cannons while the leaders remained absent. The common people fought the war. The leaders were not seen on the battlefield. The Awami League made a grave mistake by making a list of freedom fighters but not a list of collaborators (Razakars).”
In his long speech, he also discussed India’s political motives in supporting the 1971 Liberation War. He said that India had longstanding conflicts with Pakistan and saw an opportunity to divide the Pakistan. Additionally, there was concern in India that a rise in Bengali nationalism could one day lead to a reunification of both Bengals.
He said: "The Liberation War of ’71 is our most glorious chapter. At the same time, it is deeply tragic. So many people were martyred. Armed conflicts occurred in this land even before, but the idea of an independent nation did not emerge then. The second major tragedy in our history after the Battle of Plassey is the Partition of 1947. That partition was a disaster for us. Jinnah was undoubtedly a very intelligent man. He understood that it wasn't just the 1,200-mile distance between East and West Pakistan, but also deep cultural differences. Hence, he promoted the idea of a singular Pakistani nation. But that very process of nation-building led to its collapse."
On his 90th birthday, the professor said:
"We have seen many kinds of revolutions. But the one revolution we haven’t seen is a social revolution. Genocide is taking place in many forms — directly, through environmental destruction, and through the spread of drugs and weapons. This genocide must be stopped by curbing private ownership. Ownership must become social. The times have changed — private ownership can no longer continue. We need a collective and organized effort for this."
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
