By Afshain Afzal

16^th December reminds of a horrifying day, when Pakistan lost her entire Eastern territory along with majority of its population in 1971. This day reminds how ideology of Pakistan, announced by Abul Kasem Fazul Haq, Sher-e-Bengal and Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah in 1940 proved correct that joint or secular models of Muslim system of governance and non-Muslim system are not workable in Muslim majority nations and regions.

In the 1970 national elections, despite leading his party to a major victory in the elections, Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rahman was not invited to form the government. On 25 March 1971, Mujib-ur-Rahman was arrested by the Pakistan Army in an Operation Search Light. During his nine-month detention, insurgency erupted and an attempt was made by Pakistan Army to crush Bengali nationalists and bring peace. An all-out civil-war between the Pakistan Army and East Pakistani Hindu nationalists and its supporters started in which USA played a major role in the disintegration of Pakistan. In the meantime, Indian forces intervened and it led to the liberation of East Pakistan as an independent nation and emergence of Bangladesh in 1971.

In fact, neither before the 26 March 1971 nor after the Pakistani surrender drama on 16 December 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had any role is dismemberment of East Pakistan or creation of Bangladesh as sovereign state. He was true nationalist and rightly addressed as Bangabandhu. After Bangladesh’s independence and release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Pakistani custody in January 1972, he never spoke against Pakistan, however, he wanted to punish those who created such situation that divided Pakistan and also those who exploited the situation.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the Prime Minister of Bangladesh under a parliamentary system adopted by the new country. His government under the pressure of Hindu dominated communist Mukti Bahini, enacted a constitution proclaimed socialism and secular democracy. The Awami League won a huge mandate in the country’s first general election in 1973. However, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman faced challenges of rampant unemployment, poverty, and corruption and a famine also took place in 1974 due to massive black marketing and corruption. Bangabandhu in his address to Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on 5 December 1974 said, “I have given my whole life to this country. I cannot tolerate that people are starving for the corruption and smuggling.” He asked BDR to stop corruption and smuggling. The government was criticized for denying constitutional recognition to indigenous Hindu minorities and human rights violations by its security forces, notably the National Defense Force Para Militia. Amid rising political agitation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated one party socialist rule in January 1975.

Six months later, he and most of his family were assassinated in a coup led by Bangladeshi Army officers and the day they choose was 15th of August which is celebrated as Independence and Partition Day by India and Pakistan. On this day cold blooded murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), the founder of the Bangladesh, his family members and other top leaders. On 15 August 1975, top Pakistani and Bangladeshi leader and father of Bangla nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with all his family members, except his two daughters; Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana who were saved because they were abroad at that time. A total of 17 members of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family were killed on same night in three different houses; two in Dhan-mondi and one around Minto Road, Bangladesh.

We cannot forget that late younger brother of President John F. Kennedy namely Senator Edward M Kennedy alias Ted Kennedy was the main person who disintegrated Pakistan into Pakistan and Bangladesh. He openly supported then-East Pakistan during the Liberation War. In October 2022, US Senator Edward Moore Kennedy Jr was son Ted Kennedy and his three family members paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence, Ganabhaban that immediately afterwards witnessed her downfall as planned when foreign agent Muhammad Yunus destroyed the country. The 16^th of December is important day that reminds that where we must keep good friendly relations with foreign nations but never forget how we were cheated and betrayed by our enemies in the past.