Bangladesh Retrieve 2000

              witness 5619 still alive in exile           

  

 Dr. S. M. Babulanam 

 

 

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BANGLADESH WITNESS 5619 STILL ALIVE IN EXILE

Bengaliska Magasinet, Goteborg, Sweden

bengaliska@hotmail.com

CD book

ISBN  978-91-973420-36

 

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আমরা মৃত্যুর আগে কি বুঝিতে চাই আর? জানিনা কি আহা,
সব রাঙা কামনার শিয়রে যে দেয়ালের মতো এসে জাগে
ধূসর মৃত্যুর মুখ;—একদিন পৃথিবীতে স্বপ্ন ছিল—সোনা ছিল যাহা
নিরুত্তর শান্তি পায়;—যেন কোন মায়াবীর প্রয়োজনে লাগে।
কি বুঝিতে চাই আর?... রৌদ্র নিভে গেলে পাখি-পাখালির ডাক
শুনিনি কি? প্রান্তরের কুয়াশায় দেখিনি কি উড়ে গেছে কাক!

 

Before death what more do we wish to understand? Do we not know
Gray death's face awakes, arises, like a wall, at the head of all our prostrate
Reddened cravings? Once within this world were dreams; there was gold
That obtained tranquility, as if according to the dictates of some master of illusion.
What more do we wish to understand? Have we not heard bird wings call
After sunlight faded? Have we not watched the crows fly off through fog-filled fields? 

 

- Jibon Aananda Daas (Translation: Clinton B. Seely)

 

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BANGLADESH WITNESS 5619 STILL ALIVE IN EXILE

TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE ONLY TRUTH AND THE WHOLE TRUTH

 

It is November 2011. For three decades in exile I have been writing many encyclopaedia in my neurons which is perfect for lazy me. Now-a-days the retrieval of information stored in my neurons is often become hampered due ageing of the internal network within the grey matter, and often I have to wait very long time to get it tranferred into my working memory. So, before much of the internal network of my local neuron centres cease to function satisfactorily, I wish to keep some brief notes about remarkable materials of one of my encyclopaedia here in black and white.

 

Thus, BANGLADESH WITNESS 5619 STILL ALIVE IN EXILE is an attempt to save a copy the presently retrievable information from my biological memory and transfer that to my computer memory before more and more information are lost forever.

 

 

 

 

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                                  Truth is stranger than fiction                                   

 

Register

 

Movements and National Dates

6 Points Movements-

7 November-  

8 Points Movement-

11 Points Movement-

16 December- 

14 August-

21 February-

26 March-

 

 

Personal Register

Abdul Huq (Comrade)-

Abu Mahmud (Professor of Economics, D.U.)-

Abu Taher (Col.)-

Achchhu-

Achintya Sen-

Ashrafuddin (Postgola)-

Altaf Mia-

Amena Begum (AL)-

Anowar Zahid-

Asaduzzaman (Dacca Hall)-

Asaduzzaman Nur (Iqbal Hall)-

Ayub Ali (Dacca Hall)

Ayub Khan (General)-

Azam Khan-

Azmi Raziullah Achchhu-

Azmi Saifullah-

Badiuzzaman-Mahrufa-

Bahar (Mymensigh)-   

Bari (Chairman)-

Beauty (Menon)- 

Bhasani Maulana-

Bulban Osman-

Chand Mia (Raipura)-

Charu Chowdhurym (Gandhi Asram in Noakhali)-   

Chittaranjan Bhattacharya (B.Sc teacher, Siddeswari school)-

Deepa Dutta-

Dilip Kumar Barua-

Enayetullah Khan-

Farid (Godnail)-

Faruq (Mymensingh)-

Fazlul Huq AKM (Liakat Hall)-

Fazlul Huq AKM (DU)-

Fazlul Huq Khondaker-

Fazlul Kader Chaudhury (Speaker)-

Firoz (Jojkul)

Forhad (Comrade)-

Gaffar Chaudhury-

Hakim (NSI)-

Humayun Kabir, Engineer

Humayyun Kabir (Lecturer, DU)-

Hussain Ershad (General)-

Israfil (SB)-

Jabbar Khan speaker-

Jahan Ara (ex Mrs Hakim)-

Kazi Zafar-

Khaleda (EBWM)-

Khaleque IG-

Khan Sabur Khan-

Khashru (Gaura Nadi)-

Khondkar Ilias-

Khondkar Manjur Elahi (ICS)-

Khoka (Dacca Hall)-

Latif (Kawkhali)- 

Liakat Hossain (Stockholm) -

Mahbubul Alam (Barishal)-

Mahbubullah (EPSU)- 

Mahfuza Begum (VP)-

Mahfuzullah (younger brother of Mahbuzullah) -

Mahrufa-Badiuzzaman-

Malik A (IG)-

Manik Mia (Raipura)-

Manjur (General)-

Manjurul Ahsan Khan (CPB) -

Mantu Mia (Raipura)-

Matia Chaudhury-

Matin Chaudhury (Professor)-

Matin (Comrade)-

Maududi Maulana-

Menon Rashed Khan-

Mintu (Noakhali)- 

Modares Mia Secretary- Secretary

Moflu Mia (Jojkul)-

Mojibul Huq (Dacca Hall)-

Monayem Khan (Governor) -

Monayem Sarker (Dacca Hall)-

Moni Singh (Comrade)-

Moyen Khan-

Munir Chaudhury-

Murshed Ali (GS)-

Mustaq, Syed Elahi (Gothenburg)-

Narayanda (Lecturer) -

Narayan Bhattacharya (Asst. Headmaster, Monipura) -

Nargis (EPSU Jessore)-

Nasu Nawsher Ahmed-

Nazmaul Huq Sikder-

Nirmal Roy (Jailor)-

Nur Mohammad Khan (QuideAzamCollege)-

Nurul Amin (Chief Minister)-

Nurul Amin (Dacca Hall)-

Obaidullah (Chemistry, Dacca Hall)-

Osmani (General)-

Osmani (NAP)-

Panch Pattur (Fazlul Huq Hall)-

Pinaki Bhattacharya (Jagannath Hall) -

Quayyum, Interpreter (Uppsala) -

Quayyum, Syed (Uppsala)-

Rahela-

Rakhal Master (Kawkhali)-

Rakib Dr (Keraniganj)-

Rashed Khan Menon-

Ruhul Amin (Postgola)-

Rumi, Syed Mokbul (Gothenburg) 

Roknuddin (SM Hall)-

Saidul Hasan (NAP)-

Saifuddin Manik (EPSU)-

Sattar Comrade (CP Marxist)- (PLL)

Selim Shah Newaz-

Shachi Pada Das (Head Master)-

Shah Jahan (Barisal)-

Shahed Ali (Speaker)-

Shaheen (Pirojpur)-

Shamim Sikder -

Shamsur Rahman (Deputy Jailor)-

Sheikh Mujib-

Siraj Sikder-

Sona Mia (Postogola)- 

Sultana Rebu (Rokeya Hall)-

Sumon, Azhar Uddin -

Sunil Bose-

Tasadduk Ahmed-

Tikka Khan-

Toyha (Comrade)-

Turhan Osman

Wadud Dr (Pathologist)-

Wadud Mia advocate-

Wahiduzzaman (Notre Dame)-

Wali Khan (NAP)-

Yafes Osman

Yahiya Khan General-

Ziaur Rahman (President)-

 

Places

Adiabad-

Airon (Barisal)-

Amirganj-

Badjitpur-

Biskhali river-

Chittagong Hill Trakts-

Curzon Hall-

East Bengal-

Indirhat-

Joykul-

Kakchira-

Kawkhali-

Mymensingh-

Nikli-

PatharGhata (Barishal)-

Pirojpur-

Raipura-

Rajapur (Barishal)-

Sabujbag-

SararChar-

Siddirganj-

Swarupkathi-

  

Organistion and Group

Awami League (AL)-

BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party)-

BNR (Bureau of National Reconstruction)-

East Bengal Natonalist Party (Moazzem Hossain)-

Islami Chhatra Sangha-

Jamiate Islami-

Mao-Tse-Tung's Thought Research Centre (Malibag)-

Milan Sangha-

NAP National Awami Party-

NSI-

Pakistan Council

PDM Pakistan Democratic Movement-

Pharisees-

Sudducees-

Zealots- 

 

Memorable Date

20 February 1969

  4 March 1966

15 March 1982

12 April 1979

16 June 1972

17 June 1996  (Prayer for Evening)

28 June 2011 (Prayer for Fazr)

  6 July 1975

  8 July 1987

  9 July 1970

20 July 1970

29 August 1971

  7 September 1982

12 September 1981

16 November 1979

17 December 1971

 

Naming

Domestic foreigner-

 

 

Life is but a walking shadow  - Shakespeare

 

 

Humayun Kabir, Engineer

 

“Humayun Kabir died long ago”- Yafes Osman said to me over mobile telephone about a year ago (2010).

 

Engineer Humayun Kabir was our class-mate in Notre DameCollege during 1962-64. He was one of our gang of five who used to seat almost every evening on the grass-field opposite to the main-gate of Rajarbagh Police Line towards Momenbagh, infront of the house of Moyen Khan and at the south of the house of Shawkat Osman. Some time we went in the house of Shawkat Osman and were entertained with tea and biscuits.

 

We five called ourselves the Pancha-Pandavas, although we did not have any Draupadi. I did not start shaving and was perhaps most quiet and youngest in the group after Selim, the eldest son of Engineer Halim of Shantinagar. Our photos were in the annual “Blue and Gold” of Notre DameCollege in the years 1963 and 1964, but alas, I have no copy of with me.

 

We five Pancha-Pandavas were

Judhisthir, - I, Babulanam then called as Sarwar, a part of my first name

Bhima, - Yafes Osman (became an Architect Engineer from BUET in 1973)

Arjuna, - Fauzul Akbar (became an Engineer from BUET in 1969)

Nakula, - Humayun Kabir (became an Engineer from BUET in 1969)

Sahadeva, - Selim (Not known whether he became an Engineer from BUET)

He was the eldest son of Engineer Halim and lived in a very fine house in near Shantinagar, near the DAWN school.

 

Humayun Kabir was quite dark and strong but least handsome. But he was jolly and liked fun.

 

When we started college in August 1962, Mia Mohammed Abdul Hamid was our teacher of Bengali who delivered his lecture at the start of the day, at 9 AM. He was late in the class everyday. But he never regretted for that and used to make great noise in the topmost floor at the eastern corner of the building.

 

When his becoming late was regular, then everybody laughed at his entrance in the class. Mia Abdul Hamid laughed also. But after a month, Mia Abdul Hamid became somewhat angry because it disturbed his lecture.

“Stop!”- said Mia Abdul Hamid. “Where do you live?”

“Purana Paltan”- replied Humayun Kabir.

All in the class were laughing.

“Don’t laugh! He has to come after the parade in Paltan Maidan, therefore he ia always late!”- said Mia Abdul Hamid.

 

During the winter Humayun Kabir had moved to Gopibagh. One morning it was foggy in the morning. Humayun Kabir entered late in the class-room as usual. All in the class burst was in laughter.

 

“Stop!”- said Mia Abdul Hamid. “Are you coming from Purana Paltan?”

“No, I live now in Gopibagh!”, replied Humayun Kabir. His pose made the class fall in laughter again.

 

“Don’t laugh boys! I feel pity for the boy! He who lives in Gopibagh full of Gopinees, has to sacrifice such a romantic morning for the sake of attending my boring lecture!” –said Mia Abdul Hamid seriously. Mia Abdul Hamid’s lecture was always interesting to us. We all laughed louder again.

 

One day Humayun when Mia Abdul Hamid was discussing about the poem “Batayan pashe gubak tarur sari” of Nazarul Islam. Humayun stood up and said, -“I have proposal!”

“What will you say?”- asked Mia Abdul Hamid.

“In many of our poems we read about romantic love and have to explain that. But we have no practical lessons for that as we have in science. It would be good if practical lessons are arranged for that, I propose common class in Bengali with the first year girls of HolyCrossCollege!” - said Humayun Kabir.

All in the class laughed and Mia Abdul Hamid also laughed.

“You see, the girls of first year in college take you as their juniors. A girl in the first year in college dreams of a CSP officer, en Engineer, a Doctor, or minimum a professor. I advice you look for that in secondary schools, better in primary schools.”- said Mia Abdul Hamid.

 

After a year Huamyun’s family moved to Momenbagh is a three storied building. Humayun had two younger brothers and his father was the director of “Khaibar Insurance Comapany” East Pakistan Branch. Humayun got his father’s old car to drive. He was proud for it and occasionally invited us for a ride. But one day the car stopped in the outer circular road and we had to push the car a few kilometres to a workshop. After than we refused his invitation to ride the car.

 

Humayun Kabir did not know how to ride a bi-cycle. Yafes had not yet got his own bi-cycle. One afternoon Humayun requested me to give him a ride on my bi-cycle. He sat himself over the rod of the cycle in front of me and instructed me to drive to Shantinagar. When we reached near at the Shantinagar market at the crossing, we got down. At the raodside there stood a man selling amulets for many kind of sickness, or for having success. The man was old and religious one. Humayun came forward and asked, "Do you have any amulet to get rid of wet dreams?". The man was angry and I was afraid.

 

After a while he instructed me to drive towards Fakirapool from there. He sat in front of me. I felt that the bi-cycle is dashing more and more to the left and I could not prevent it. I was afraid that something had been wrong with the steering. I did not notice that Humayun was interested of the girls of SiddewariSchool who were walking on their way home. Suddenly, the bi-cycle was drawn too much to left by an unknown strong force and before I could realize anything I found the bi-cycle very near to a group of young girls. In a moment Humayun stretched his left hand over the breast of a girl which made me both angry and very afraid. I could steer back the bi-cycle over the road and slapped him by my right hand. Then he began to slap me repeatedly on our way back to Momenbagh.

 

On our return, I narrated the incident immediately to Yafes for justice because he was the strongest among us. “Humayun has insulted our sisters”- said I. Yafes and I were from SiddewariSchool. Our Head Master was Amirul Islam was the Head Master of Siddeswari Girls School too.

Humayun complained against me that I have insulted him by slapping in front of the girls.

 

But Yafes did not bother at all about the incident. “Someone will one day insult my sister. If it is by friend, that’s good. Shall I insult my own sister? That is you who is wrong and slapped him. You are to be punished!”- said Yafes laughingly. I felt bad that nobody cared it.

 

Humayun Kabir was mot witty of us. In debate, none could sabotage better tan him. One evening, sitting on the grass-field, we were discussing about the morals of girls. I cannot recall how the discussion came in. Which girls are better, - the girls living in the city or those in the village. At that time the teddy-fashion was outspread in cities. Although we did not had any experience, in that discussion I was in support of the village girls and Humayun Kabir was against it. When all of us were citing evidence in that discussion, Humayun Kabir made a triumph by saying: “I am against village girls for economic reason only. Jute is our primary source of national income. I am against village girls because they destroy a half of the jute plants every year!” It was an ironical joke.

 

One evening Humayun Kabir narrated to us a vulgar story about a Maulavi who was a tutor of two young girls in a rural home. In the country-side, there is a small house as sitting-room at the other side of the courtyard separating the main house. I that sitting-house, the children get their lessons from their tutors. At that time lanterns using kerosene were used for lighting. Within the chimney of a lantern, a cotton-tape was carried the fuel up through soaking. Sometimes, it had to be cleaned by quick sinking the tape. One had to be very careful, otherwise the flame might extinguish and then it had to be set again with fire. In that concerned sitting house, a Maulavi taught two young girls, the younger one who was only about four years, was there for watching the elder one, and she had to report everything in detail to their mother. One evening, the Maulavi playing with the tape of the lantern to clean it, the lantern got off. Maulavi then asked the younger girl to go to her mother and set the flame of the lantern. Generally, such a job took about ten minutes. When the younger sister came back with the lantern, she saw something peculiar to her, - the Maulavi was pulling out something like brinjal out from the belly of the elder sister. That night, the child told her mother, - “Mum today the Huzur has drawn out a brinjal from the belly of bubu (elder sister)!”

 

One noon when our college was closed, Humayun requested me to give him a ride upon my bi-cycle across Motijheel. From Momenbagh, we came to Fakirapool. Then Humayun asked me to bike to Momenbagh via Pirjangi Majhar. Just when we had passed the crossing there, we saw girls of Urdu medium who go to school in the morning shift was returning home. They were walking at the road side towards south. Suddenly, I lost control over the steering and the cycle rushed at the left, Humayun dragging a burka-clad girl whose face was covered by a nekab. I could not keep the balance and we all three fell down. Immediately, Humayun began to shout: “These burka-clad girls cannot see anything in the road and fall over the cyclists. People will now blame the innocent cyclists…!” I was stunned at the lying capacity o Humayun. The victim did not utter a word. Hurriedly, we got up again over the bi-cycle and I was very afraid.

"We could be attacked and beaten by mob"- said I anxiously.

"I would have run away, they would catch you!"- said Humayun laughingly.

Never more I would give him a ride upon the front-rod of my bi-cycle.

 

Our get together was going to be closed at the fall of 1964. Sometimes, there were other class-friends in that gathering in chatting. One evening, we had debate about our choice of future professions. Humayun Kabir would become an Engineer. There were some class-friends who would become doctors. When we all were quarrelling, Humayun said,- “You doctors are no better than butchers, You cut the belly and demand 1200 rupees to sew it again!”

“You Engineers are thieves who steal public money in constructions. You do not use rods and cements as you take money for and make your own fortune. You all are notorious thieves!”

“We Engineers build the nation frugality and you defame that as stealing! When the government allot 10 lakh Taka for making one building, we make two buildings out of that 10 lakh money. That takes the country to develop quicker, and do not defame that as steling!”

The would-be Engineers got a suicide goal that made them dumb.

 

 

(to continue)

 

 

Joy Kumar Sarogi-

Joy Kumar Sarogi was a Lecturer in Physics Department of Dhaka University in early 60s.

 

On December 25, 1975 he was Assiatant Professor of Physics and House Tutor of S M Hall of Dhaka University when he was arrested together with in S M Hall together with some other persons, three of them were

*Sarwar, Lecturer of Physics, a prominent ex. student leader of Student League, Assistant House Tutor of S M Hall.

*Faruk, a veteran of Sarbohara Party who left Siraj Sikder during the war of independence out of a clash of his marriage with Kazi Delwara of village Airon in Kawkhali in Barishal. Then Faruk joined with Colonel Abu Taher who managed for him a well paid job in Brac just after the independence.  

*Colonel Abu Taher, the saviour of General Ziaur Rahman via Mutiny of the low-grade soldiers with the promise of rankless army.

 

Joy Kumar Sarogi was the right-hand of Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury, the ex. VC of Dhaka University who had planned to declare Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Life President of Bangladesh, in order to override Tofael Ahmed who had declared Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as Bangabondhu. When Emergency was imposed in January 1975 and One-Party System BAKSHAL was introduced, leftist Joy Kumar Sarogi became a vanguard of Bakshal. Perhaps, he was also in the Communist Party of Moni Singh.

 

Joy Kumar Sarogi came from a well-to-do family. His parents were settled in Rajshahi.  His cousins living in Narayanganj were very rich Marwari businessmen, mainly had business in Jute. During India-Pakistan war in 1965, their property worth 50 croare rupees was confiscated as enemy property. Then many of them went back to their homeland Rajthan in India.

 

Joy Kumar Sarogi was married and lived in S M Hall together with his wife, their eight year old son named ...  and a five year old daughter Joya. They all together vanished away without any trace in the world. The Physics Department of Dhaka University could not trace him or any of his family members in Bangladesh, India, Rajthan or anywhere in the world. If there is one day a Truth Commission is set in Bangladesh, we may know about the fate of Joy Kumar Sarogi and his family members.

 

In 1965, Lecturer Joy Kumar Sarogi was Assistant House Tutor of Cosmopolitan Dacca Hall (Shahidullah Hall). He was attacked by NSF gangsters when he refused to handover the ballot papers of the Students election. Fortunately, Joy Kumar Sarogi survived the stabbing by Gonda Zulfikar of NSF. In that case, Zulfikar was fined 50 rupees and Joy Kumar Sarogi was removed from the post of Lecturer of Dhaka University. At the same time, Professor Matin Chowdhury, the Head of Physics Department was removed by VC Osman Gani, the Chief Patron of NSF. 

 

Then, newly married Joy Kumar rented an apartment in Kakrail and he taught college students privately for his living. After independence when Professor Matin Chowdhury became the VC of Dhaka University, Joy Kumar Sarogi was appointed as a Senior Lecturer of Physics.

 

Joy Kumar Sarogi was obliged to Professor Matin Chowdhury who was affectionate to him. It was on the work of Joy Kumar Sarogi for which Matin Chowdhury got his Ph.D. in Crystallography. The American Ph.D. of Matin Chowdhury on Atmospheric Physics from ChicagoUniversity was not recognised by the then VC, the famous physicist Jenkins. So, Matin Chowdhury had to take another Ph.D. from DhakaUniversity out of the works of his student Joy Kumar Sarogi. In return, Matin Chowdhury appointed him as a Lecturer in the Department.  

 

Joy Kumar Sarogi enrolled me too in Bakshal. There were only a few in Bangladesh who did not join in Bakshal. When my close friends Achintya Sen and Deepa Dutta learnt that I also became a member of Bakshal, Achitya boasted, “We are only a few who did not join in Bakshal!”.

 

“That you can dare because you are not Muslims”- said I. “I was in jail under 60A MLR during the whole period of war, but again jailed on PO 50 as a collaborator of Pakistan! Even the Jailor Nirmal Roy wondered how it could be!”

 

“I tell you Babul one thing. One day the leaves of the trees and the birds there would shed tears recalling the grievous fate of Sheikh Mujib!”

 

“In your dream”, -said I. The whole country was singing the song of Mujib, like the Muslims begin their every Rakat of prayer:

“Jato goongaan

  he chiro mohan

  Mujibur Rahman”.

 

When the whole country was under the nightmare, the killing of Mujibur Rahman came as a Bolt from the Blue. It was like the death of Goliath. Both of those incidents remind us Poet Madhushudan Dutta who wrote:

“fooldal dia katila ki biddhata shalmali tarubaore!”

 

Although Joy Kumar Sarogi joined in Bakshal, in his heart Joy Kumar Sarogi was a veteran leftist.

 

 

Latif of Kawkhali, Barishal

In March 1969, I met Latif and Rakhal Master at the office of the Chairman of Kawkhali. Latif was the Secretary of the Chairman there. The office was a white brick-built one-storied house beside the river Biskhali, near to the Kawkhali Launch Station.

 

Latif was a slim handsome boy, a student of B.A. at BagerhatCollege. As instructed by Barek, leader of EPSU (Pro-Chinese) in Jhalkathi¸ a good recruiter, I met them at the office of the Chairman of Kawkhali.

 

At that time I took a job as Science teacher at Airon-JoykulHigh School, about five kilometres from Kawkhali Launch Station, at the junction of Rajapur and Jhalkathi. Usually, I used to come at Kawkhali Station by boat but sometimes on foot. 

 

Latif. Rakhal and I formed a cell of EBWM in Kawkhali, I as the convenor. But there were not many meetings with Latif and Rakhal because he was away to Bagerhat and I was also engaged at school and in making contact with peasants. Latif had contact with the coolies of the Launch Station of Kawkhali. He introduced me with the Head of the coolies there. The Head of the coolies (Cooli Sardar) was a tall, sturdy and black man with ferocious look. When the Cooli-Sardar learnt that I am the Science teacher of Airon-JoykulHigh School, he looked out very glad and gave me a salam. Later, Latif told me that he was appointed as an irregular private tutor to teach the wife of the the Cooli Sarder. A year later when I met Latif on my way to the Launch Station, he looked as if he has been sick for a long time. His look was pale and seemed to me that he was very worried. When I inquired about Cooli-Sarder, Latif said to me that he had quarrelled with him because the Cooli-Sarder often used to beat his wife severely.

 

I met that Cooli Sardar unexpectedly at the Rajapur SSC Examination Centre in the beginning of May, 1970. At the second day of the examination when I was in-charge of an Examination Hall, situated at the ground floor, beside the foot-ball ground. It was a horrible scene. I was forced to expel out all helpers from the room because every candidate had a couple of helpers. Then they tried to supply notes through the windows. I ordered two of my colleagues to seize all notes supplied from outside.

 

I knew, it was dangerous move but I had to do that because the Examination Hall looked like a village market. I requested the examinees to collaborate with me and promised them “Open-Book” examination, i.e. they can have help of the books they had with them. Then some of the examinees rebuked their helpers and asked them not to come nearby. That Examination Hall looked different from all other Halls. Then the teachers of those students became worried and requested me to be kind. I said if they fail in English, they would get a chance for compartmental examination and learn something during those three months of studies. Then, there came the Chairman of Rajapur who was accused of murder but freed in lack of witness. I could not keep his request. The magistrate who was sent there was however looked pleased. I saw, at the outside of the room, many angry young men who were among the thousands of watchers were showing me their knives, dazzling in the sunlight. But I did not care.

 

When the Examination of English 1st Paper was over, I took the way alone through the middle of the foot-ball ground, not any small passage to my way for lunch. I wanted there should be some witness if I am killed in broad-daylight. Suddenly, that giant-like man came forward before me and gave me salam. He understood that I could not recall where I saw him before, and told me that he was the person whom Latif had introduced me in Kawkhali Launch Station. He followed me like a body-guard upto my residence where I would take my lunch together with my colleagues.

 

There, Mr. Rashid, Assistant Head Master of my school told me that if I am so strict invigilator, then the teachers of other school would become also strict which would affect our own students. I accepted a compromise. I would stay in the house there, not to be present in the Examination Hall but would be listed as invigilator for the English 2nd paper. That afternoon I went out to contact with “Bidri Shramik” workers there in Rajapur.

 

After a couple of months, on July 9, I was arrested in the village of Airon for the charge of bombing in Pakistan Council in Dhaka on 5th May 1970. A platoon of armed forces had surrounded my house. Something is wrong I understood, because I was then invigilator in Rajapur SSC centre.

 

In the middle of July, when I was being interrogated at the “White House”, in Segun Bagicha, which was directly connected to Islamabad, SB SI Israfil came there seizing a small pocket-notebook from the office of the Chairman of Kawkhali. I understood that Latif was also wanted.

 

After 18 months as a segregated under trial prisoner (UT-5619), I came out on 17 December 1971 after independence and left politics for good. My elder brother Sabuj had two friends of his age from Barishal whose business was as supplier to the Rakhi Bahini. They were not politically active but had contacts as Barishalis via Nausher Ahmed Nasu, our neighbour, the nephew of SI Israfil. During the war Israfil was promoted to Inspector, and promoted to DSP during the reign of Mujib.

 

I was told about the fate of Latif. He was still a student of BA in BagerhatCollege, Secretary of the Chairman of Kawkhali and private tutor of the young wife of the Cooli-Sarder. But he came in a conflict with the Cooli-Sarder who often used to beat his young and beautiful wife. She was from Bhola.

 

When the war of independence broke out, Latif became a freedom fighter. In the middle of the war, Latif eloped with the wife of the Cooi-Sarder to Bhola to her parents. There Latif fighter for a couple of months. But he was home-sick and broke with the family of the parents of the Cooli-Sarder’s wife. One night he came to Kawkhali in disguise to see his parents. But the Cooli-Sarder could recognise him and informed the Pakistani Army. Latif was caught at his parents’ home in Kawkhali and sent to Pirojpur Army posting. Then the Chairman of Kawkhali together with some other members of Shanti Committee appeared to there and pleaded for Latif as an innocent young boy. The Pakistani Army officer was convinced and decided to set Latif free. But, unfortunately the Death’s Angle Israfil appeared there. He was then promoted to SB Inspector for his efficiency in “search and destroy” of the freedom fighters. Israfil became very glad to find one of his victims there at hand which will hasten his promotion. “You Latif, you are here! We have been searching you so long!” screamed he. He immediately stopped the order of release of Latif.

 

On that very day Latif was executed at the side of Biskhali river, together with two other suspected freedom fighters. It was then the autumn of 1971.

 

Monayem Khan (Governor) -

If Monayem Khan had survived the war of 1971, he would become a famous man, as many other Tagma-i-Pakistan-holder Bengali leaders. Probably, he would become one of the bona fide Presidents of Bangladesh. Although, most of his puppies belonging to NSF, jumped upon the Awami-boat at the rising of the Red Sun in Bangladesh, Monayem Khan succumbed to death under a raid by the freedom-fighters who were later banished.

 

Pinaki Bhattacharya (Jagannath Hall) -

Pinaki Bhattacharya was my batch-mate who belonged to another faculty of Dhaka University and lived in Jagannath Hall, and a member of EPSU (Pro-Chinese). He was a serious boy who could make everyone laugh by his words, although he was not at all a joker.

 

In 1965, he won the prize for telling funs in many Halls of Dacca University, inclusive Dacca Hall (Presently Shaheedullsh Hall). 

 

At the end of December 1971, I saw Pinaki in front of GPO, standing beside Indian armoured cars. Pinaki usually spoke in colloquial Bengali in tone to make one to laugh.

“When have you come out from the jail?” (jeil thaikya kobe alien?)- asked jolly Pinaki.

“After the Independence?”- replied I quietly.

“Indepnedence! What Independence? It is an occupied country!”- burst Pinaki with a satirical laugh.

That made me afraid.

“Speak quietly Pinaki! You see Indian army and Awami volunteers all around here!”- uttered I frightendly.

“They will not catch me! I belong to the cursed race!” (amare dhorto naa. Aami to malyyun!) - asserted Pinaki.

I hurriedly left Pinaki in a panic.

 

When later I saw Pinaki in the City, he looked depressed and he was bitter with his leader Comrade Toha. Pinaki was then the editor of the Weekly Gonoshakti.

“They will have an open weekly and write Bangladesh under citation sign which is contradictory. Then they should have an underground weekly instead!”- said Pinaki.

 

Pinaki told me that he was planning his future to become a Chattered Accountant and to have a firm of his own. That was our last meet. Perhaps, Achintya Sen or Deepa Dutta could tell me more about Pinaki, but I did not ask them. I could not reach the same Pinaki Bhattacharya via Internet. I never could think that there are so many Pinaki Bhattacharya in the world! I Babulanam am so alone, and for that thank by father and me myself.

 

Saidur Rahman, Principal

In early 1960s, Principal Saidur Rahman was the Head of Alia Madrasa in Dhaka. At that time Abdul Monayem Khan was the Governor of East Pakistan. While Governor Azam Khan became popular, President Ayub Khan set Monayem Khan as the Governor of East Pakistan.

 

At that time East Pakistan got equal share in the national budget in paper only. There was always great deficit in West Pakistan and good surplus in East Pakistan, the surplus money was given back to the Central Government. Thus, Monayem Khan always tried to please the Central Government. JagannathCollege was then private one and it had good amount of money in the bank. In order to seize the money and send that to West Pakistan, Monayem Khan ordered the nationalisation of JagannathCollege. He wanted to set a puppet Principal there. In 1963, Principal Saidur Rahman of Alia Madrasa was selected for the post.

 

Then someone whispered in the ears of Monayem Khan that Saidur Rahman, the Principal of Alia Madrasa was an atheist, an active member of Milon Sangha. Monayem Khan could not believe his ears that the Principal of Alia Madrasha was an atheist. So, he ordered further inquiry about the rumour. Then, Mr. Bari, the Chairman of Public Service Commission and Pathologist Professor Wadud, Azizur Rahman Khalifa, Reader of Mathematics Department of Dhaka University and some other member of Milon Sangha was in panic of missing such an opportunity and they arranged a Milad Mahfil in Dhanmondi, in the two-storied house of Professor Wadud where Abdul Monayem Khan was invited as Chief guest. There, Saidur Rahman, Principal of Alia Madrasha conducted the prayer. He made such a long and attractive Munadjat which fooled Monayem Khan, and on the next day he confirmed the transfer of Principal Saidur Rahman to JagannathCollege.

 

Now, it was Principal Saidur Rahman’s turn. Just securing the Chair as the Principal of Jagannath College, Saidur Rahman signed the contraction of a few large buildings for the college which would consume all of the saved money. In order to fill the College, he admitted students who had got third division in SSC of HSC for whom higher studies were stopped. JagannathCollege enrolled 22,000 students where DhakaUniversity had only 18,000.

 

Once upon a time, Principal Principal Saidur Rahman asked at the interview of a student seeking admission in JagannathCollege whether the boy wished to become a Human or a Muslim. The student said,- a Muslim.  Bengali Muslims dilemma is whether he/she is a Muslim or Bengali. Principal Saidur Rahman said angrily, “Then why have you come here? We make human beings, not Muslims. Go directly to Alia Madrasha which makes Muslims!” When the boy narrated about that interview, all religious minded people were hurt, because it was a stupid question whether someone would like to become a Muslim or a Human being. A Muslim also can be a Human being, - they argued. That story about Principal Saidur Rahman I heard from my elder brother who was a B.Sc. student there.

 

The next move by which Principal Saidur Rahman displeased many people was the change of holiday from Friday to Sunday. When confronted, Principal Saidur Rahman argued that he followed Dhaka University which was closed on Sundays. His College was larger in number of students than that of DhakaUniversity.

 

During the fall of 1965, my class-mate of 1st year Honours in Physics of Dhaka University decided to start a Bengali Science Magazine “Bidhyt” and went on collecting a subscription of two rupees for “Bidyut Parishad”. Our teacher Joy Kumar Sarogi who taught us “Tensor Analysis” (which we understood nothing as a first year student) told us to contact Pathologist Professor Dr. Wadud at his residence in Dhanmondi for help in the publication of the magazine.

 

One afternoon we two met Dr. Wadud at his residence who took us in his car to JagannathCollege to introduce us to Principal Saidur Rahman for our cause. This was the first time I visited JagannathCollege. The large buildings were not yet fully complete. We followed Dr. Wadud and on entering a building we met a middle aged man wearing a “Ganjee” (normally man wear under a shirt) and “Lungi” (Bangladeshi man-wear like a skirt). The man was beardless, thin and slightly faircomplexioned, half-lying on a “Chauki” (wooden simple bed), smoking from a “Hukka” filtered by water. Dr. Wadud stopped there, and in my irritation began to talk with him. I took the man to be a lower clerk, and thought that Dr. Wadud wanted to have information about Principal Saidur Rahman. “This man is impolite person who did not stand up from the “Chauki” to receive us,- thought I. Why are we spoiling time here!

 

But Dr. Wadud took a seat and went on their conversation.

“What are you going to make kurbani during the Eid?”- asked the man to Dr. Wadud.

“I am offering a goat, because my wife and children want to participate in the Eid”, - replied Dr. Wadud, “Your children are grown up and you have not to think for them.”

 

“This year I am going to sacrifice a launch!”- replied the man smoking “Hukka”.

It took my attention. I know every year many overloaded launches capsize in the rivers. But why this man will sacrifice a launch. He must be an insane. I was astonished and uttered “a launch!”

 

The smoking man laughed and said politely, “Yes, launch!”

“Why?”- asked I.

I had at that time got some beard and yet did not start saving.

“Do you say you prayer?”, - the man asked me.

It was my personal matter.  “Not regularly.”, - replied I somewhat hesitated. Then, I began to suspect that the man was not simple one as he looks.

 

“Have you been in the village and see how the cowboys pass over the large canals with their cows?”-  asked the man.

“No!”- said I. I have been in my village many times. But my grandfather’s village has no large canals. It was near to Mainamati hills. Ten months in a year, the two narrow canals were dry. My maternal grandfather’s home was in the low land, but there were no large canals.

 

“Where there are large canals, the cowboys hang themselves holding the tails of the last cows swimming over to the other side of the canal. They do not have to swim. Muslims think that at the Day of Judgment, if they cannot cross the thin bridge of “Fulsirat” and fall from there, they would find the cows they sacrificed as their saviour. Holding the tail of that cow they would be able to cross “Fulsirat”. But, you see, I am a Principal. I have my own prestige. I cannot hold the tail of a cow to cross the “Fulsirat”. If I sacrifice a launch, then I shall have it there instead of a cow! Then I shall drive that launch to cross that dreadful “Fulsirat!”, he showed how he would steer the launch which made me to laugh.

Surpringly, he spoke in colloquial Bengali.

 

I then realised that it was that legendary man Principal Saidur Rahman. He was not at all religious Muslim as I had feared for. How could he be the Principal of Alia Madrasa! May be, many Principals of Madrashas in Bangladesh think so, but do not dare to express their thoughts in public.

My contact with Saidur Rahman broke shortly when in a daily newspaper they published an advisory committee for “Bidyut Parishad” without concerning us.They wanted to work like an umbrella, - and therefore formed that advisory committee, -said Dr. Wadud. Many of our student members violently protested against it as they knew all of them were atheists. To keep the ownership of magazine within the university campus, we had to break with our atheist patrons. I have never met Principal Saidur Rahman after that break. 

 

Principal Saidur Rahman was a jolly person,- my father wrote in his memoir. He did not know Principal Saidur Rahman, but met him in a wedding party in early 80s. Perhaps, it came in the news papers that Principal Saidur Rahman was seriously ill or like that. My father was introduced to Principal Saidur Rahman by someone in the party. My father wrote in his memoir about his conversation with Saidur Rahman: 

“That is you!” uttered I, wrote he, “then what I had heard…”.

“You had heard that I am no more…”, - Principal Saidur Rahman took the word from him laughingly.

 

Another story told to us by Principal Saidur Rahman was quite vulgar: Why the Muslims are circumcised and wear caps. It is redundant to tell this humiliating story to them who have already heard that and better not to tell them who have not yet heard. So, I prefer, “Do not tell and do not ask” principle.

 

They spoke intimately with each other for a while. Principal Saidur Rahman was a few years older than my father.

 

 

Preface

Whither Bangladeshis a profile of the political, economical and geneological history of Bangladesh. About twenty five years ago it was concluded that the National Democratic Revolution in Bangaldesh was under the threat of another Indian invasion and it was on its way of prolonged natural process against the military, feudal and the comprador rule. Within these constraints the politics in Bangladesh was crawling towards an Islamic Revolution.

However, the reactionary forces in Bangladesh have been rearranged within the last decade. Imperialism could no longer rely on the Islamic militants after 2001. Therefore, the the comprador class, which was weak at that time but grew strong under the globalisation, became its last resort. A fascist rule appears to be imposed in Bangladesh under the hegemony of the Bangladesh Mafias comprising the Shal-Badrs and the Kal-Badrs instead of the feared Al-Badrs.

Khan Abdus Sabur Khan was a typical example of a political elite of Bangladesh under British India and Pakistan. Remarkably he was a double Khan as described by a humourist- "Khan beforehand, Khan at the ending, Khan in Khan, Khan-Khanan, Khan Abdus Sabur Khan" (aage Khan, pichhe Khan, Khane Khan, Khan Khanan, Khan Abdus Sabur Khan, cited by Mia Muhammad Abdul Hamid, Professor of Bengali, Notre Dame College, Dhaka 1963). 

When the British rulers left their local land-revenue- collectors, the Chaudhurys in lurch, and Bengal was devided, the Khans took an upperhand. The Bengali language issue became a field of confrontation of the Khans and the Chaudhurys during the early fifties. After one step retreat, the Khans made a comeback two steps forward, occupied the stage under the leadership of Ayub Khan, Azam Khan, Jabbar Khan and Monayem Khan until Yahiya Khan and Tikka Khan. The rule of the Sheikhs was short lived. During the turmoils of military rules, the Chaudhurys and the Khans once again achieved an upperhand not only in politics, but also in bureaucracy, economy, social and cultural life. The war of independence in 1971 ousted the external Khans but the domestic Khans quickly filled their seats. East Pakistan was Khan ki Bangladesh, and remained so afterwards. Murdered Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became a crucified Jesus Christ who offered them the opportunity by his own flesh and blood as Sacrament. 

 

--- 

Another muslim youngman from Dhaka went to Delhi for a visit and he wrote in a Daily that he was puzzled by questions whether he was a Bengali or a Muslim.

During my stay in Bomaby for higher studies, Dr. Rampratap wondered, "You are Indians, but why you do not have Indian names names but names like Asadullah Khan!" We two were from Bangaldesh. He was from BUET (latter Controller of Examinations) and I from Dhaka University. When I came back, I asked my father, why we do not have names such in Indonesian Muslims where they have only a half a name in Arabic. My father said,- Bengali "Shashibala" and Muslim "Quamrunnessa" have the same meaning but identify different religion.

The Hindu/Muslim antagonism was not alone the root for Bengalis dilemma. I rather study more on Karl Marx' "The British Rule of India" and Tony Blair's practice of "New liberal imperialism". Karl Marx analysed, - the question is not whether the British had the right to rule India, rather whether India was to be ruled by some others. The history of India was to be ruled by conquerors. India could not avoid the fate to be conquered. But except the British, all other conquerors in course of time bacame conquered by Indian culture and became Hindu idolators.

But the conqueror Muslims such as Emperor Babar (his autobiography) hated the Indian natives. His grandson Emperor Akbar established a big empire and crushed the national identities through concatenation and asserted a military lingua franca Urdu, a lanuage of the military tents. So the Indian ruling class, since from the Aryans to the Mongols were "Domestic Foreigners" except the British. When a new victors established, these domestic foreigners played a peculiar role like the Jewish Sudducees under the Romans. "I am now in the hands of the Yavans. So I have to share food with them!"- said the Brahmins and the Khmsatriyas who did not dare to refuse an invitation of a dinner from a muslim king. The Muslim "domestic foreigners" were not of one nationality. The Arabs, Iranians, Turks, Moguls and others compteted themselves similarly as the Brahmins did about being of higher breed. One thing they had all common, they were "domestic foreigner". Thus India was like US today, where the Eurpean idea of a nation based on "blood, language and soil" was lacking. Bengal was not different. After the fall of the Buddhist "Pala Empire" in about 1000 A.D which was established in 736 A.D. by Gopal after the trecherous killing of the King of Bengal in Kasmir, the history of Bengal is the history of dark middle age until the great revolt in 1857 against the British East India Company's rule which lead the condition of Bengal from bad to worse, from the pan to the fire. The Hindu "Sudducees" such as Prince Dwarkanath Tagore was replaced by his grandson Rabindranath Tagore bearing the renaissance in Bengal. At the same time appeared the "Zealots" as Arabinda and "Pharisees" group lead by Mahatma Gandhi. The Muslim "Suddeekees" like Nawab Salimullah played then a different role supported by the muslim "domestic foreiners" who had the best employment as taxcollector or militia to the Hindu taxcollectors or coachman who could seldom write in Bengali.  

The first national movement of Bengali Muslim grew from the Bengali language movement starting in 1948 at Dhaka when some Bengali muslim students demanded Bengali as one of the state language of Pakistan. That grew in strength and in 1952 it became a national issue which defeated the Muslim League in the election of 1954. One of the leader of the language movement was however not a native but a dometic foreigner bearing the genes of an Arab nomad, domiciled in the soil of Bengal. Althogh he belonged to the "Sudducees" his confrontation with the Pakistani colonialists made him the prime figure in the national war of independence in 1971.    

  

Chronicles

1953 written slogans on  EBR goodswagons:

Rastra Bhasha Bangla Chai       Nurul Aminer rakto chai 

1954 cyclone, Maulana Bhashanis speech

1955 Devasting flood.

1956 Pakistan: declaration as Islamic Republic by President Iskander Mirza 23 March

        changes of prime ministers by every months 

1957

1958 Martial Law, the 27 October, Ayub Khan

1959

1960 Cyclone, Governor Azam Khan

1961 Basic Democracy

1962 Student movement.

Students Union divided. Kazi Zafar declares himself as pro-Chinese. Two members of the 16 members of the party, Toha and Sudhanshu Bimal Dutta supported him. The rests were against Kazi Zafar and under the auspicies of Comrade Forhad, Motya Chaudhuri is made the President of East Pakistan Students Union. 

1963

1964 Education Movement

1965 Pakistan-India War, Sucide squad of Bengali soldiers at Khemkharan sector

1966 

Ayub Khan dissapointed with USA writes "Friends not Masters" and makes friendship with China.

Naxalites uprising in the villages Naxalbari, Kharibari and Fanshi-deoya police station in      Darjeeling districts of West Bengal, lead by Charu Majumder and hailed by Peking Review 

Sheikh Mujib, a loyal to USA, presents 6-Points Movement demanding two currencies

1967

Amena Begum is elected leader of Awami League. Students Union (Motia) backs Awami League.

The 6-point Movement becomes popular but repression became hard. Sirajul Alam Khan (Kapalik) tries to reach the workers. The Cheist Communists attempt to inflitrate in Awami League. 

Agartala Conpiracy Case, Comodor Moazzems "Socialist Republic of Bengal".Sheikh Mujib is concacted to the case.

1968 Student uprising.  

Motia Group makes a reteat after the election of Wali Khan and Osmani as the President and GS. They are insisted from Moscow to think of integrated Pakistan. PDM is formed under the leadership of Nurul Amin.

Januari 8, Siraj Sikder, Mustafizur Rahman and a few others came with the theory that "East Bengal" has been turned into a colony of Pakistan since 1958. They manage to find a book written by General Giap who defeated the French at the war of Dien- Bien-Fu. That leads to spilits in the Pro-Chines Communist party. The group forms "East Pakistan Workers Moevent" (Purba Bangla Shramik Andolon" comprising 8 members.

Siraj Sikder after completion of his degree at BUET with a first class moves to his village Damodya in Madaripur to work with the peasanats. He complies a challenge to integrate with the poor peasants he marries a daughter of a poor peasant in the village. The young girl is not accepted by his family. His father was a Circle Officer and his elder brother was an Engineer.

Siraj Sikder left Dhaka with seven followers to dig tunnels in Chittagong Hill Tracts for the Guerilla War for indepedence. Some of them were Azmi, B.Sc. student of Quaidi-Azam College, an immigrant from UP; his younger brother Acchu, a first year student of Honours in Chemistry of Dhaka University; Mahfuzullah, a second year HSC student of Dhaka college and younger brother of student leader Mahbubullah; and the rests were from Dhaka college who lived with their parents in Dhanmondi.

After a few months Mahfuzullah and his school friends desserted. Siraj Sikder declared death sentence to the deseters.

Through Teknaf Siraj Sikder went to meet the Communist leader in Burma. 

Redgurad Movement: Mahbubullah as a leader. Mahfuzullah got refuge at his elder brother. Siraj-Sikder and Mahbubullah splits. Dissapointed Siraj Sikder, Azmi and Acchu return to Dhaka and open a office i Malibag with a signboard "Mao-Tse Tung's Thought Research Centre" to propagate the war against Pakistani occupation as Mao-Tse Tung did against the Japanese. Siraj Sikder becomes lecturer at Tejgaon Technical College and lived in his father's house in Khilgaon, Dhaka. His parents were away from Dhaka at his father's working place. His elder brother was posted in Dinajpur. Then he came with the menifesto of "East Bengal Worker's Movement". He lived with his wife, their daughter Shikha and a brother-in-law. Soon they got a son too. Siraj Sikder gave money to his brother-in-law, who was non-political, to open a groceries shop in Khilgaon.  

East Pakistan Students Union (Motia) could at last unite Students League and Students Union (Menon) under 11-points movement.

1969

The surge against Ayub Khan.

Siraj Sikder leaves the lecturer job to work for Jaharul Islams Firm with three times higher salary. He rents a brickbuilt house in Rampura Road.

March 25, Yahiya Khan takes power.

1970

Jahanara Begum, alias Rahela escapes from her husband Hakim, the Director of NSI leaving her two minor sons behind with the help of her cousin Roknuddin of S M Hall, DU. She gets a sheltar in East Bengal Worker's Movement. She lived a while in a Police Mess in Doyaganj in Dhaka and later moved to Sabujbagh near Kamalapur. There she lived together with Siraj Sikder.

May 5, Rokuddin throws two Molotov Cocktail Bombs in Pakistan Council after treatening all to leave the house. It was to protest against the interwing marriage where the couple was given 500 rupees in cash and hope of a lucrative job if a Bengali had married a Pakistani. But only a few people knew that. The naxalites were blamed.  But East Bengal Workers Movement declared naxalites were putschimists for waging a agrarian revolution before a national revolution. But when they circulated a leaflet that they have succesfully bombed Pakistan Council to destroy the integraty of Pakistan, the NSI was now seriously after them and the director himself of personal anger to find his wife who ran away from home.  

May 11, Altaf a painter i send to throw two hand-made bombs at Pakistan Council. His one hand was paralysed from boyhood. He could use only one hand. Pakistan Council was the heavily guarded. So he left the bombs in a litterbin. Altaf dropped from that place silently. But two homeless young boys found twolucrative bolls in the litterbin. When they tried to pick-up those coloured bolls they blasted. Those two boys were killed. They were first offers of Siraj Sikders whimsical deeds. 

1971 

Januari election is over. Awami wins a landslide victory.

March 6, Dhaka Central Jail broken to recue Student Leage leaders Khasru, Mantu and Selim.

March 7, Sheikh Mujibs speech.

March 19, Civil riots against non-Bengalis

March 25, Yahiya's onslaught.

December 3, Pakistan at war with India

December 16, General Niazi surrenders.

1972

Februari,  Sheikh Mujib returns

1973

1974  Famine takes millions lives while a few Bengalis make their fortune.

December 30, Siraj Sikder caught i Chittagong through the help of an informer party member.

December 31, Siraj Sikder flown to Dhaka, tortured and killed. Jahanara Begum leaves for Comilla at her parents house while their son Arun got a home at Siraj Sikder's father's house.

1975

Emergency, one party system BAKSAL.

Sheikh Kamal, eldest son of Sheikh Mujib kidnapped the wife of Shariful Islam Dalim, an artillery officer from a wedding ceremonny in Dhaka. Kamal's wife Sultana was then in an advanced stage. Dalim and four others went to complain about it to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sheikh Mujib rebuked his own wife for the missdeeds of his son but ordered to suspend all the officers who came to complain to him against his son for breaking the dicipline. 

August 14, Bomb-blast at the roof of Curzon Hall, DU by JSD (Col. Abu Taher's group) to ease the artilleries plan lead by Khondoker Mustaq Ahmed.

August 15, Sheikh Mujib killed by a group a Bangladesh army lead by those angry officers just a few hours before he was to be declared as the President for life by DU VC Abdul Matin Chaudhury at a cermemony in TSC DU.

Khondaker Mustaq becomes President.

Nov 3, Khaled Mosharaf and Liakat lead a Coup de tat.

Nov 7, Sepoys lead by Col. Abu Taher revolt. Khaleda Mosharaff killed. Major General Ziaur Rahman takes leadership where Justice Sayem is set as the President of Bangladesh.

1978

Ziaur Rahman becomes President of Bangladesh through YES/NO vote.

1979

Zia becomes a civilian President.

1982

May 30, Ziaur Rahman killed in Chittagong. 

 

(Discussions over internet; 2011 spring)

Zia was passively and Col. Abu Taher was actively involved to topple would be Saddam, Gaddafi or Mubarak of Bangladesh. A thousand Bangladeshis became very rich overnight who are grateful to all of the great leaders, 20 billion dollars and let i million die of starvation.

Truth is seldom pure and never simple. Col. Taher was hanged because he was more popular than Zia.

Tagore wrote: "the king is supreme of all others, someone equal to him shades him and is the most fearful at behind of him!"


I recall Jean-Paul Satre who wrote "We live on our weakness and die of accidents." Perhaps, I am surviving because of my weakness. I know a part of the history of independence movement.

On 9th and 10th instant I was in Stockholm, on the occasion of Swedish Educational Writers Annual Meeting at Raddisson Hotel, Solna, Stockholm. I have to digest five lectures on how we learn and what is the cause of our behaviour. New techniques like MRI have helped the scientists to trace the activities of our brain.

Perhaps, I wrote you before that the accused of Agartala Conspiracy were the first to make the flag, (as came in the dailies) of "Socialist Republic of Bengal" where Brigadier Moazzem Hossain was the 2nd accused. They had golden paddy plant upon a green background.

Azmi took name Taher who was the 2nd in EBWM. I wrote a detail of EBWM over a magnetic tape which three decades ago and has a reprint. It was scanned and hoisted in Geocities, the major part of it is erased and a few pages left in Rheocities, rising from the ashes.

In September 1968, after return from Raipura in Dhaka, Mahbubul Alam and I joined in EBWM. He was a CC member of Motiya Group. Comrade Forhad asked us to resign, but we asked them top expel us for speaking for Independent East Bengal.

GS of EPSU Menon was sentenced for 10 flogging and 1 year imprisonment for Presiding a meeting in Paltan Maidan in 1969 where a resolution for independent East Bengal was passed. They demanded independence for "Geographical Reasons" which was ridiculed by Azmi.

I convinced Mahbub who blamed Agartala Case for CIA to become the driving force in EBWM to organise East Bengal National Liberation Front in accordance with Vietnamese National Liberation Front. It was Vietnam war for which we had no desire to leave home for USA as most of our class-mates of Notre Dame did in 1969-70. Firoz Kabir met me in Airon-Joykul villages of Kawkhali where I worked as a B.Sc. teacher to make a base. It was situated at the triple point of Jhalkathi-Rajapur-Kawkhali so that a Thana would have diffuculties. The place had very bad communication. Mahbub and I regularly went to USIS at Topkhana, to learn from their books and articles how Vietkongs worked, for example: to lie low where the support was strong and kill two policemen where people collaborated, so that becuase of oppression those people would become anti-US. So, I, a dreamer together with Mahbub (who later took the place of Azmi) made the flag of EBNLF, with a red sun on a green base.

I was very close to Siraj Sikder, like a comrade-in-arms during the writing of the Thesis of EBWM. I secretly left Dhaka after surviving the attack on Mao-Tse-Tung's Thought Research Centre. My idea was the leader of EBWM and EBNLF would be different person, but Siraj Sikder, would be Polpot of Bangladesh, wanted to be the Heads of the both at a time.

Again, I think the past while I attended the lectures yesterday, the difference of the brains of men and women. A few men has the Neurons like that of women and some women that of men. Perhaps, I had some of the women. So, I avoided clash. After independence I asked Selim Shah Newaz to step aside. But he was 100% male like that of Siraj Sikder or Sheikh Mujib. Perhaps carrying YYX chromosome of Superman (who are only one in a thousand among men, but where among the murderers one in five hundred men have normal YX gene, there are five in one hundred of those supermen carrying YYX gene). Genetic is quite important. We see there are lack genes of democracy among the Sheikhs. We may wonder whether without GM, Muslim countries can have democracy. Or all Muslim heroes become Gaddafis in course of time.

I hope to write my memoir to have a continuity of my father's maemoir "Chiriakhana" and "Halkhata" when I can. Sometimes I recall my days under segregation in Dacca Central jail was the happiest (11 July 1970- 17 December 1971; 29 August 1972- 16 November 1972). Then I lived like a hermit in Curzon Hall, in research and teaching until I left Bangladesh 8 December just after my visit to AndhraUniversity in India. I came for a year but as I had no foreign-travel line on my palm, Sweden became my new homeland.

 

The flags of independent Bangladesh

 

1968:  Golden Paddy on Green background: SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF BENGAL

           by Commodore Moazzem Hossain and others, the 2nd accused is AGARTALA CONSPIRACY  CASE, who after fall of Ayub Khan launched “East Bengal Nationalist Party, killed by Pakistan Army on the night of 25th March 1971, in front of his wife and 3 months old daughter.  (All I know only from the Bengali dailies: Ittefaq, Purbadesh, and Sangbad).

 

1966: in the 10th Annual conference of EPSU (Motiya), the grand celebration, Mahbubul Alam Bulbul and I got the charge for the exhibition of Vietnam War. Then we were influenced by NLF of Vietnam and its flag.

 

While in 1967 Siraj Sikder, Azmi, Achchhu, Mahfuzullah and other four were digging tunnels is Chittagong Hill tracts, we two left Fazlul Huq Hall and Dacca Hall, both GS of the respective EPSU Motiya, and trained us in Raiypura near RaipuraCollege to move secretly under water-hyacinth. Mahbub got high fever after two days.

 

After return to Dhaka we completed our B.Sc. Honours in Physics and from the information of our class-mate Achintya Sen, member CC of CP (Pro-Chinese) that a few CIA agents have infiltrated in their party who demand independent East Bengal, we came in contact with “Test-Tube Group) at Mao-Tse-Tung’s Thought Research centre in Malibag.

 

So, from the inspiration of Agartala Conspiracy Case, 6-point movement and Vietnamese war, I designed the flag of EBNLF, nothing genuine of mine but a copy of Vietnamese one. Although I was from EPSU pro-Russian, I wanted to unite both the pro-Russian and pro-Chinese as that was in Vietnam. Comrade Forhad and others were bitter enemies of Pro-Chinese Communists. On the other hand, Pro-Peking group after 1968 when China improved relation with USA, became bitter enemy of Soviet Social Imperialism. So, we were odd men out in both the groups.

 

I knew little of politics and Azmi taught me a lot. I wrote a long poem praising the Naxalite revolt. When I showed that manuscript to Azmi, he convinced me that Naxalite movement was actually putschimism which would divide the people. He showed three stages of revolution:

 

National struggle against COLONIALISM when not only the Bourgeoisies, but patriot feudal lords are also friends.

 

Democratic struggle against Feudalism when the progressive Bourgeosies are also friends.

 

Socialist struggle against the Capitalism when the petty Bourgeoisies are also friends.

 

Therefore, we should not at present stage fight against feudalism or capitalism but struggle of

For 5 features:

Sovereign Independent, Democratic, Neutral, Peaceful and Progressive Bengal

Which would be named “Democratic Republic of Bengal” because “East Bengal” would not be allowed in UN.

 

On July 9, I was arrested in the village of Airon in Barishal and sent to Dhaka for interrogations and was under custody upto 17 December 1971. I stepped down from politics but on 29 August morning, before I would sit for tutorial examination in Quantum Mechanics of Wazed Mia, I was put in jail under President Order 50 (Collaborator, enemy of independence). That surprised Jailor Nirmal Roy, who knew me well before for two years. However, I came out on 16th November by help of my relative and family friend Minister Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury on the conditions not to go out of Dhaka City and be at home dusk to dawn.

 

It is pity that I did not join in the demonstration against bombing of Hanoi in January 1973 where three DU students were killed and the University was closed sine die. I got more time to prepare for M.Sc. final and stood Gold Medalist First Class First and joined in the Department. My teacher JK Sarogi enlisted me in Bakshal for my safety although I hated Bakshal. I got Assistantship in Michigan and Kentucky but was afraid to apply for passport.

I was one of the 40 teachers invited to dinner at Government House on 8th January 1981 where I politely opposed Zia that if he would sack the false teachers and keep the real teachers only it may happen that the real would be out and the false would stay. People know scientists who delivers lectures on science and not us who works day and night in the labs. President Zia smiled and said, “I have got the same experience during digging canals.”    

 

I got “Grattis Passport” in June 1976 to study Molecular Biology at LulumbaUniversity, Moscow but did not fly because I was still then in leave vacancy and had to leave my post as a lecturer. On 8 September 1982 I came to UppsalaUniversity for a year but stayed there for three years. In 1985 I came to ChalmersUniversity as a Research Associate. In 1988, I was removed from my post of Assistant Professor of Dhaka University. Then in December, 1988 I went to my Alma Mater. My colleagues said, “Leave and let others live”. I came back to Sweden. My class-mate and colleague Dr. Moyen Khan wished I should come back when he was minister. It was too late. Now my class-mate and intimate friend from school, Yafes Osman is Minister and junior intimate Dilip Barua is also a Minister. My student of AironSchool in Barishal, Harun is Pro-VC of DU. I wish all of them well.

 

I want to be away from that “Disconsolate Den”. But I am like that Kabuli man who screamed “Mai ne kambli ko chhor dia, magar kambli ne mujhko nehi chhorta!”