By Afshain Afzal

The tragic murder of Bangabandhu, his family and top leadership

Where 15th of August is celebrated as Independence and Partition Day by India and Pakistan, it reminds the horrifying 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 Bangabandhu’s family were killed on same night in three different houses; two in Dhan-mondi and one around Minto Road, Bangladesh.

Today, 15^th August is a sorrowful day to observe 47th anniversary of the assassination of Bangabandhu. Here in Pakistan and Bangladesh as well as many other countries of the world 15^th August will always be remembered for the brutal attempt by Indian trained and funded Mukti Bahini, mostly Bengali Communist Hindus conspiracy against Bangabandhu’s Bengal. Post 15^th August was the darkest period in Bangladesh's history with a military government dominated by pro-Indian officers and soldiers, taking over the country. They were the same insurgents and terrorists who blackmailed Bangabandhu to include them in the Armed Forces on account of their services for the liberation of Bangladesh.

Cold blooded murder of Bangabandhu and his family members was followed by other series of murders on 3 November 1975, when four prominent leaders of the Awami League, formerly Ministers, including the Acting President and the Prime Minister during our War of Liberation were brutally killed within the Dhaka Central Jail.

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. However, he was true nationalist and rightly addressed as Bangabandhu.After Bangladesh’s independence and release of Bangabhandu 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. A martial law government was subsequently established to wipe out remaining of followers of Bangabandhu. This day reminds how ideology of Pakistan, announced by Abul Kasem Fazul Huq, Sher-e-Bengal 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, Let us hope and pray for strong and prosperous Bangladesh as envisaged by Bangabandhu, Maulana Bhashani and other Bangla leaders.