121-516: Muhammad Mansur Ali (16 January 1917 – 3 November 1975) was a Bangladeshi politician who was a close confidant of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , the founding leader of Bangladesh. A senior leader of the Awami League , Mansur also served briefly as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 1975 until he was assassinated while incarcerated on 3 November 1975. Muhammad Mansur Ali was born on 16 January 1917 to
242-593: A Bengali Muslim family of Sarkars in the village of Kuripara in Qazipur , Sirajganj (then under Pabna District ), Bengal Presidency . His father's name was Haraf Ali Sarkar. Mansur pursued his education in Kolkata Islamia College (now Maulana Azad College ). He would pursue a MA degree in economics and law from the Aligarh Muslim University . During this period Mansur became an active member of
363-410: A Havilder to kill Sheikh Russel , who was crying for his mother. A witness reported soldiers looting the house. A dead policeman was seen at the entrance. Major Huda went to Sher Shah road at Mohammadpur to order 10 coffins from carpenters. Major Huda also removed the bodies the next day through an army escort. Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani was the nephew of Rahman and viewed as a likely successor. He
484-455: A one-party state -based government led by the socialist party Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League . Mujib, along with his resident family members, were killed during the coup but was survived by his two then- expat daughters, one of them being future prime minister Sheikh Hasina . The officers were led by Capt. Abdul Majed , Maj. Sayed Farooq Rahman , Maj. Khandaker Abdur Rashid and Maj. Shariful Haque Dalim . Immediately following
605-500: A presidential republic . Mujib was one of the key leaders to rally opposition to president Ayub Khan who enacted a system of electoral colleges to elect the country's parliament and president under a system known as "Basic Democracy". Universal suffrage was curtailed as part of the Basic Democracy scheme. Mujib supported opposition candidate Fatima Jinnah against Ayub Khan in the 1965 presidential election . Fatima Jinnah,
726-546: A declaration at a public meeting, held to observe the death anniversary of his mentor Suhrawardy, that henceforth East Pakistan would be called "Bangladesh": There was a time when all efforts were made to erase the word "Bangla" from this land and its map. The existence of the word "Bangla" was found nowhere except in the term Bay of Bengal. I on behalf of Pakistan announce today that this land will be called "Bangladesh" instead of East Pakistan. Mujib's fiery rhetoric ignited Bengali nationalism and pro-independence aspirations among
847-590: A federal language was successfully implemented in the 1956 constitution , which declared Urdu, Bengali and English as national languages. East Bengal, however, was renamed East Pakistan. In 1957, Mujib visited the People's Republic of China. In 1958, he toured the United States as part of the State Department 's International Visitor Leadership Program . Mujib resigned from the provincial cabinet to work full time for
968-465: A history and tradition of its own. You can change it only after the people have been consulted. If you want to change, we have to go back to Bengal and ask them whether they are ready to accept it. So far as the question of one unit is concerned it can be incorporated in the constitution. Why do you want it to be taken up right now? What about the state language, Bengali? We are prepared to consider one unit with all these things. So, I appeal to my friends on
1089-598: A jail in West Pakistan . After the independence of Bangladesh, Mujib returned to Bangladesh in January 1972 as a hero and the leader of a war-devastated country. In the following years, he played an important role in rebuilding Bangladesh, constructing a secular constitution for the country, transforming Pakistani era state apparatus, bureaucracy, armed forces, and judiciary into an independent state, initiating first general election and normalizing diplomatic ties with most of
1210-421: A job you will find a large number of people from East Bengal coming forward. There are such a large number of M.As. and B. As....... (Interruptions)....... Sir, my time has been spoiled. Mujib later became provincial minister of commerce and industries in the cabinet of Ataur Rahman Khan . These portfolios allowed Mujib to consolidate his popularity among the working class. The Awami League's demand for Bengali as
1331-511: A key role in organising protests by issuing instructions from jail to students and protestors. He played a key role in declaring 21 February 1952 as a strike day. Mujib went on hunger strike from 14 February 1952 in the prelude to the strike day. His own hunger strike lasted 13 days. On 26 February, he was released from jail amid the public outrage over police killings of protestors on 21 February, including Salam , Rafiq , Barkat , and Jabbar . The League teamed up with other parties like
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#17328515208581452-596: A lawyer and studied for the BAR at Lincoln's Inn. He is a politician and became Presidium member for Awami League and held the position of Chairman of Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Committee as well as being an MP representing his fathers constituency Kazipur in Sirajganj District. Mansur's second son Mohammad Nasim also became a leader of prominence and was MP and held ministerial posts of Telecoms and Home for Awami League government between 1996 and 2001. On 15 August 1975, Mujib
1573-479: A military court opened. During his imprisonment between 1967 and 1969, Mujib began to write his autobiography. In what is widely known as the Agartala Conspiracy Case , Mujib and 34 Bengali military officers were accused by the government of colluding with Indian government agents in a scheme to divide Pakistan and threaten its unity, order and national security. The plot was alleged to have been planned in
1694-504: A nationwide student strike on 17 March 1948. In early January 1950, the Awami League held an anti-famine rally in Dhaka during the visit of Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan . Mujib was arrested for instigating the protests. On 26 January 1952, Pakistan's then Bengali Prime Minister Khawaja Nazimuddin reiterated that Urdu will be the only state language. Despite his imprisonment, Mujib played
1815-610: A scuffle with the sons of Gazi Golam Mostafa , a leader of the Awami League, at a function at the Dhaka Ladies club . In retaliation, some officers and soldiers of the Lancer unit and 2 Field Artillery Regiment of the Bangladesh Army attacked Golam Mostofa's residence. As a result, Major Dalim, Major S.H.M.B Noor Chowdhury , and other officers were charged with breach of discipline. Major Dalim had sought help from President Sheikh Mujib but
1936-465: A smaller budget allocation than West Pakistan. The 1965 war between India and Pakistan ended in stalemate. The Tashkent Declaration was domestically seen as giving away Pakistan's gains to India. Ayub Khan's foreign minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto resigned from the government, formed the Pakistan Peoples Party , and exploited public discontent against the regime. In 1965, Pakistan banned
2057-549: A student activist in the province of Bengal during the final years of the British Raj . He was a member of the All India Muslim League . He supported Muslim nationalism and had a Pakistani establishmentalist outlook in his early political career. In 1949, he was part of a liberal, secular and left-wing faction which later became the Awami League . In the 1950s, he was elected to Pakistan's parliament where he defended
2178-617: Is recognized by UNESCO for its historic value, and was listed in the Memory of the World Register . Many of his diaries and travelogues were published many years after his death and have been translated into several languages. Mujib was born on 17 March 1920 into the Bengali Muslim aristocratic Sheikh family of the village of Tungipara in Gopalganj sub-division of Faridpur district in
2299-585: The six point movement – recognised as the turning point towards East and West Pakistan becoming two nations. Mujib insisted on a federal democracy and obtained broad support from the Bengali population. In 1966, Mujib was elected as President of the Awami League. Tajuddin Ahmad succeeded him as General Secretary. Mujib was arrested by the Pakistan Army and after two years in jail, an official sedition trial in
2420-721: The Constituent Assembly of Pakistan to declare both Urdu and Bengali as national languages, in addition to English. During a conference in Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall , Sheikh Mujib was instrumental in establishing the All-Party State Language Action Committee. He was repeatedly arrested during the movement. When he was released from jail in 1948, he was greeted by a rally of the State Language Struggle Committee . Mujib announced
2541-461: The Indian subcontinent . Bengalis increasingly referred to him as Bangabandhu . In March 1969, Ayub Khan resigned and Yahya Khan became president. Prior to the scheduled general election for 1970, one of the most powerful cyclones on record devastated East Pakistan, leaving half a million people dead and millions displaced. President Yahya Khan, who was flying back from China after the cyclone, viewed
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#17328515208582662-712: The Krishak Praja Party of A. K. Fazlul Huq to form the United Front coalition. During the East Bengali legislative election, 1954 , Mujib was elected to public office for the first time. He became a member of the East Bengal Legislative Assembly . This was the first election in East Bengal since the partition of India in 1947. The Awami League-led United Front secured a landslide victory of 223 seats in
2783-826: The Muslim League , which under Muhammad Ali Jinnah demanded a separate Muslim state of Pakistan . He served as the vice-president of the Pabna District Muslim League from 1946 to 1950. He received training at Jessore Cantonment as a captain in PLG (Pakistan Lancers Group) in 1948. Since then he was widely known as Captain Mansur. Deciding to practise law, he enrolled in the Pabna District Court in 1951. He would soon be elected member of Awami League's central executive committee and president of its Pabna District unit. Mansur
2904-548: The National Awami Party , though Mujib remained loyal to Suhrawardy. Mujib joined the Alpha Insurance Company in 1960. He continued to work in the insurance industry for many years. The 1958 Pakistani military coup ended Pakistan's first era of parliamentary democracy as Muhammad Ayub Khan , the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army , overthrew the Bengali president Iskandar Ali Mirza and abolished
3025-562: The Rose Garden mansion on K. M. Das Lane in Old Dhaka , which was organized by Yar Mohammad Khan and Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani . Sheikh Mujib was elected as one of its joint secretaries. The term "Muslim" was later dropped from the party's nomenclature. The Awami League sought to represent both Muslims and Pakistan's religious minorities, including Bengali Hindus and Pakistani Christians . Hence, it dropped "Muslim" from its name to appeal to
3146-567: The Six point movement led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , who demanded substantial regional autonomy and opposed the military regime. In the 1970 elections, he was elected member of the legislative assembly. At the outbreak of the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Mansur went underground to organise a government in exile . Mansur became the minister of finance in the Mujibnagar government. After
3267-695: The Soviet Union -influenced India . Since 1975, Bangladesh had been under different military governments, with democracy being partially restored a few times and permanently in 1990. Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana , the two daughters of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, survived the assassinations of their family as they were in West Germany in August 1975. Sheikh Hasina was subsequently elected five times Prime Minister of Bangladesh, in 1996, 2009, 2014, 2018, and January 2024. Her regime ended in self-imposed exile following
3388-465: The United Front alliance of various political parties. In the cabinet headed by Ataur Rahman Khan , Mansur served in different periods as the province's minister of law, parliamentary affairs, food, agriculture, commerce and industry. Mansur was re-arrested in the aftermath of the coup détat led by Ayub Khan , who became President of Pakistan and imposed martial law . He would remain incarcerated from 1958 to 1959. Mansur Ali played an important role in
3509-547: The province of Bengal in British India . His father Sheikh Lutfur Rahman was a sheristadar (law clerk) in the courthouse of Gopalganj; Mujib's mother Sheikh Sayera Khatun was a housewife. Mujib's father Sheikh Lutfur Rahman was a Taluqdar in Tungipara , owning landed property, around 100 Bighas of cultivable land. His clan's ancestors were Zamindars of Faridpur Mahakumar , however due to successive turns in
3630-500: The "unimpeachable" President of Bangladesh, effectively for life , which lasted for seven months. On 15 August 1975, he was assassinated with most of his family members in his Dhanmondi 32 residence in a coup d'état . A populist of the 20th century, Mujib was one of the most charismatic leaders of the Third World in the early 1970s. His post-independence legacy remains divisive among Bangladeshis due to his economic mismanagement,
3751-523: The 12 convicts on 19 November 2009. Three sought presidential pardons but were refused. On 27 January 2010, Bangladesh Supreme Court refused the convicts application for review. On 28 January 2010, five of the convicts in custody were executed. The hanged were Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan , AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed , Mohiuddin Ahmed , Syed Faruque Rahman , Bazlul Huda . On the 7 April 2020, Captain Abdul Majed who
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3872-561: The 1956 constitution. Many politicians were imprisoned and disqualified from holding public office, including Mujib's mentor Suhrawardy. A new constitution was introduced by Ayub Khan which curtailed universal suffrage and empowered electoral colleges to elect the country's parliament. Following Suhrawardy's death in 1963, Mujib became General Secretary of the All Pakistan Awami League with Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan as its titular president. The 1962 constitution introduced
3993-467: The 237 seats of the provincial assembly. Mujib himself won by a margin of 13,000 votes against his Muslim League rival Wahiduzzaman in Gopalganj. A. K. Fazlul Huq became Chief Minister and inducted Mujib into his cabinet. Mujib's initial portfolios were agriculture and forestry. After taking oath on 15 May 1954, Chief Minister Huq travelled with ministers to India and West Pakistan . The coalition government
4114-504: The 9-month 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War that ended with the surrender of Pakistani forces in Bangladesh to an allied force of Bangladesh Mukti Bahini and Indian Armed forces . In 1973, Sheikh Mujibur's Bangladesh Awami League won the first parliamentary election in independent Bangladesh by a landslide. Besides military officers, career politicians and bureaucrats like Khondoker Mostaq Ahmed and some other ministers who worked in
4235-456: The Awami League as a party organiser. Between 1956 and 1957, Mujib's mentor Suhrawardy served as the 5th Prime Minister of Pakistan . Suhrawardy strengthened Pakistan's relations with the United States and China. Suhrawardy was a strong supporter of Pakistan's membership in SEATO and CENTO . Suhrawardy's pro-Western foreign policy caused Maulana Bhashani to break away from the Awami League to form
4356-563: The Awami League to end the strike of the chefs at the InterContinental Hotel. Bhutto feared civil war, and sent a secret message to Mujib and his inner circle to arrange a meeting with them. Mubashir Hassan met with Mujib and persuaded him to form a coalition government with Bhutto. They decided that Bhutto would serve as president, with Mujib as Prime Minister. These developments took place secretly and no Pakistan Armed Forces personnel were kept informed. Meanwhile, Bhutto increased
4477-569: The Awami League to win Pakistan's first general election . When the Pakistani military junta refused to transfer power, he gave the 7th March speech and announced an independence movement. During the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Mujib declared Bangladesh's independence. Bengali nationalists declared him as the head of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh , while he was confined in
4598-562: The Awami League won 167 out of 169 seats belonging to East Pakistan in the National Assembly of Pakistan , as well as a landslide in the East Pakistan Provincial Assembly . The Awami League emerged as the single largest party in the federal parliament of Pakistan. With 167 seats, it was past the halfway mark of 150 seats in the 300 member national assembly and had the right to form a government of its own. Sheikh Mujib
4719-641: The Awami League. Mujib's delegation included the notable lawyer and constitutional expert Kamal Hossain . The Bengali negotiating position is extensively discussed in Kamal Hossain's autobiography Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice . The Pakistani government was represented by former chief justice Alvin Robert Cornelius . At the InterContinental Dhaka , Bengali chefs refused to cook food for Yahya Khan. Governor Sahabzada Yaqub Khan requested
4840-611: The Bengal Civil Service instead of the pan-Indian civil service. In parliament, Mujib spoke about parity between East and West Pakistan on 4 February 1956 and said the following. It was stated that at the time of partition there was only one I.C.S. officer in East Bengal and there were no Engineers. I say that Bengal with 16 per cent literacy has only such a meagre representation in the service. Sir, this fact must be realised that it costs an individual Rs. 200 to come from East Bengal to this place. If you recruit in East Bengal and give
4961-624: The Bengali grassroots. He had an uncanny ability to remember people by their first name regardless of whether they were political leaders, workers, or ordinary citizens. Mujib founded the Muslim Students League on 4 January 1948 as the student wing of the Muslim League in East Bengal . This organisation later transformed into the Bangladesh Chhatra League . During the visit of Governor General Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Dhaka , it
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5082-518: The Nation ) for Chittaranjan Das , and Netaji ( The Leader ) for Subhash Chandra Bose . In 1969, President Ayub Khan convened a Round Table Conference with opposition parties to find a way out of the prevailing political impasse. A few days after his release from prison, Mujib flew to Rawalpindi to attend the Round Table Conference. Mujib sought to bargain for East Pakistan's autonomy. Mujib
5203-433: The Pakistani government and Rahman's government were involved in the conspiracy as well because they still wanted to be part of Pakistan and blamed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the 1971 liberation war. According to these plans, they got involved in scuffles that made it seem they were unrelated to a deep-seated conspiracy and intentionally engineered political crises. In 1973, Shariful Haque Dalim and his wife were involved in
5324-457: The Pakistani government. He was accused of being a secessionist and an agent of India. East Pakistan's Intelligence Branch compiled many secret reports on his movements and political activities. The secret documents have been declassified by the Bangladeshi government. The formerly classified reports have also been published. The All Pakistan Awami Muslim League was founded on 23 June 1949 at
5445-410: The Pakistani government. His political activities were targeted by the government and police. In 1949, Mujib was expelled from Dhaka University on charges of inciting employees against the university. After 61 years, in 2010, the university withdrew its famously politically motivated expulsion order. Mujib emerged as a major opposition figure in Pakistani politics between 1948 and 1971. He represented
5566-529: The Rakkhi Bahini into the Bangladesh Army. On 3 November 1975 , the situation had grown tense with some officers of the Bangladesh Army led by Brigadier General Khaled Mosharraf and Colonel Shafaat Jamil launching a coup to remove the mutineers and restore order to the Army. Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem replaced Khandaker Moshtaque as president and Mosharraf was made the chief of army staff. The mutineers in
5687-404: The Rakkhi Bahini was completed. The main office of Bangladesh Betar (radio) in Dhaka was attacked by the mutineers early in the morning. They quickly disarmed the police stationed there and took control of the radio. Major Dalim and Major Shahriar were in charge of the operation at the radio station. They controlled the flow of information from there. Curfew was imposed after Mujib's death
5808-692: The Round Table Conference. West Pakistani crowds received him with chants of "Sheikh Saheb Zindabad!" (meaning Long Live the Sheikh!). He was received by huge crowds in Quetta , Baluchistan. He spoke to West Pakistani crowds in a heavily Bengali accent of Urdu , talking about chhey nukati (six points) and hum chhoy dofa mangta sab ke liye . Mujib demanded that Pakistan accept his six-point plan for federal democracy. He wasn't satisfied by Ayub Khan's pledges. When he returned to Dhaka, he declared that East Pakistan should be known as Bangladesh . On 5 December 1969 Mujib made
5929-517: The Sun", and proclaimed the Indemnity Ordinance , which granted them immunity from prosecution. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won the 1970 Pakistani general election but was denied by the Pakistani military dictatorship the position of the prime minister of Pakistan ; this was a result of long time political oppression of Bengali citizens of Pakistan who were vocally opposed to the authoritarian tyranny of
6050-558: The UN General Assembly in 1974. Mujib's government proved largely unsuccessful in curbing political and economic anarchy and corruption in post-independence Bangladesh, which ultimately gave rise to a left-wing insurgency . To quell the insurgency, he formed Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini , a special paramilitary force similar to Gestapo , which was involved in various human rights abuses , massacres , enforced disappearances , extrajudicial killings and rapes . Mujib's five-year regime
6171-584: The army on 23 August 1975. Refusing to support Ahmad's regime, they were murdered while incarcerated in the Dhaka Central Jail on 3 November, which was one of the key points for the 3 November coup , which already ousted Ahmad from power again. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), popularly known by the Bangabandhu was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman, activist and diarist , Who
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#17328515208586292-642: The charges on 22 February 1969 and unconditionally released Mujib the following day. He returned to East Pakistan as a public hero. He was given a mass reception on 23 February, at the Ramna Race Course and conferred with the popular honorary title of Bangabandhu by Tofail Ahmed . The term Bangabandhu means Friend of the Bengal in the Bengali language. Several of Bengal's historic leaders were given similar honorary titles, including Sher-e-Bangla ( Lion of Bengal ) for A. K. Fazlul Huq , Deshbandhu ( Friend of
6413-420: The chief of army staff. The coup was led by the revolutionary soldier's organisation and Colonel Abu Taher . Taher himself was executed for the killing of Khaled under the government formed by Major General Zia on 21 July 1976, in order to restore discipline in the Army and prevent any further coups. In 1976, the military regime of Bangladesh provided the coup plotters with diplomatic jobs. AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed
6534-415: The city of Agartala in the bordering Indian state of Tripura . The outcry and unrest over Mujib's arrest and the charge of sedition against him destabilised East Pakistan amidst large protests and strikes. Various Bengali political and student groups added demands to address the issues of students, workers and the poor, forming a larger "11-point plan". The government caved to the mounting pressure, dropped
6655-416: The coup, one of Mujib's close associates and cabinet ministers Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad , with support of the officers, took control of the government and declared himself President of Bangladesh . Under martial law, he made a proclamation on 20 August to amend the constitution to omit the provision for the legal basis for one-party system. He reportedly praised the assassin officers, calling them "Children of
6776-487: The custom of the region at that time. They are second cousins. Mujib began showing signs of political leadership around this time. At the Gopalganj Missionary School, Mujib's political passion was noticed by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy , who was visiting the area along with A. K. Fazlul Huq . Mujib passed out from the Gopalganj Missionary School in 1942. Mujib moved to Calcutta for higher education. At
6897-628: The demarcation of the partition. After the partition of India , Mujib was admitted into the Law Department of the University of Dhaka . The university was created in 1921 as a residential university modelled on Oxford and Cambridge where students would be affiliated with colleges; but its residential character was dramatically changed after partition and students became affiliated with departments. Mujib suffered repeated bouts of police detention due to his ability to instigate opposition protests against
7018-559: The devastation from the air. The ruling military junta was slow to respond with relief efforts. Newspapers in East Pakistan accused the federal government of "gross neglect, callous inattention, and bitter indifference". Mujib remarked that "We have a large army but it is left to the British Marines to bury our dead". International aid had to pour in due to the slow response of the Pakistani military regime. Bengalis were outraged at what
7139-616: The establishment . As the democratic demands and protests continued, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered a speech on 7 March that brought the Bengalis together to become prepared for things to come. On 25 March 1971, as part of Operation Searchlight , the Pakistan Army launched an armed operation killing intellectuals in Dhaka University and the following day Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan , triggering
7260-559: The family fortune over generations had turned them middle class. The Sheikh clan of Tungipara were of Iraqi Arab descent, being descended from Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish of Baghdad, who had come to preach Islam in the Mughal era . His lineage is; Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, son of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman, son of Sheikh Abdul Hamid, son of Sheikh Mohammad Zakir, son of Sheikh Ekramullah, son of Sheikh Borhanuddin, son of Sheikh Jan Mahmud, son of Sheikh Zahiruddin, son of Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish. Mujib
7381-549: The famine of 1974, human rights violations, and authoritarianism . Nevertheless, most Bangladeshis credit him for leading the country to independence in 1971 and restoring the Bengali sovereignty after over two centuries following the Battle of Plassey in 1757, for which he is honoured as Bangabandhu (friend of Bengal). He was voted as the Greatest Bengali of all time in the 2004 BBC opinion poll. His 7 March speech in 1971
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#17328515208587502-441: The fate of the Bengali Muslim-dominated Sylhet District of Assam Province . Sheikh Mujib worked as an organizer and campaigner for inclusion in Pakistan in the Sylhet referendum. He went to Sylhet from Calcutta with about 500 workers. In his autobiography, he expressed his displeasure about the non-adherence of Karimganj to Pakistan despite winning the referendum and the various geographical inadequacies of East Pakistan during
7623-417: The household. Artillery under command of Fauque fired mortar shells towards Dhanmondi and Mohammadpur. In Mohammadpur, 14 people died from the mortar fire near Sher Shah Suri road. Major Faruque attacked the Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini camp with 26 tanks under his command. The Rakkhi Bahini surrendered without incident, Faruque moved towards the residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after the neutralization of
7744-484: The independence of Bangladesh, Mansur was the minister of communications and later home affairs. After the introduction of a one-party, presidential system in 1975, Mujib became the President of Bangladesh . Mansur was appointed the prime minister. He helped Mujib organise the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League . He married Begum Amina the daughter of a District Judge from the area of Rangpur. They had five sons and one daughter. His eldest son Dr Mohammad Selim became
7865-407: The masses, students, professionals, and intellectuals of East Pakistan. Many observers believed that Bengali nationalism was a rejection of Pakistan's founding two-nation theory but Mujib never phrased his rhetoric in these terms. Mujib was able to galvanise support throughout East Pakistan, which was home to the majority of Pakistan's population. He became one of the most powerful political figures in
7986-437: The massive reallocation of revenue to West Pakistan despite East Pakistan's role in generating most of Pakistan's export income. Rehman Sobhan paraphrased the two-nation theory into the two economies theory. He argued that East and West Pakistan had two fundamentally distinct economies within one country. In 1966, Mujib put forward a 6-point plan at a national conference of opposition parties in Lahore . The city of Lahore
8107-568: The matter is decided. Mujib often called for increased recruitment and affirmative action in East Pakistan. Bengalis were under-represented in the civil and military services despite making up the largest ethnic group in the federation. Mujib felt that Bengalis were being relegated to provincial jobs instead of federal jobs because most Bengalis could not afford to travel outside the province in spite of holding master's degrees and bachelor's degrees. A similar situation also prevailed under British rule when Bengali degree holders were employed mostly in
8228-446: The minority votebanks. Suhrawardy joined the party within a few years and became its main leader. He relied on Sheikh Mujib to organise his political activities in East Bengal. Mujib became Suhrawardy's political protégé. Prior to partition, Suhrawardy mooted the idea of an independent United Bengal . But in Pakistan, Suhrawardy reportedly preferred to preserve the unity of Pakistan in a federal framework; while Mujib supported autonomy and
8349-435: The morning had killed former president Syed Nazrul Islam , former prime minister Tajuddin Ahmed and ministers M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman in Dhaka Central Jail where they were locked up since the mutiny on 15 August. Zia was placed under house arrest. On 4 November the mutineers were provided safe passage to Bangkok. On 7 November 1975 , Khaled Mosharraf was killed in another coup that restored Ziaur Rahman to
8470-410: The next government. Bhutto threatened to break the legs of any West Pakistani MP-elect who accepted Mujib's mandate. However, Khan Abdul Wali Khan of the Awami National Party from North West Frontier Province was open to accepting an Awami League government and travelled to Dhaka to meet with Mujib. Many in Pakistan's establishment were opposed to Mujib becoming Pakistan's prime minister. At
8591-417: The other side to allow the people to give their verdict in any way, in the form of referendum or in the form of plebiscite. Mujib was often a vocal defender of human rights . Speaking on freedom of assembly and freedom of speech , he told Pakistan's parliament the following on 29 November 1955:- For whom are you going to frame the Constitution? Are you going to give freedom of speech, freedom of action to
8712-556: The party. The Awami League veered away from the left-wing extremism of its founding president Maulana Bhashani . Under Suhrawardy and Mujib, the Awami League emerged as a centre-left party. The Awami League strongly backed the Bengali Language Movement. Bengalis argued that the Bengali language deserved to be a federal language on par with Urdu because Bengalis formed the largest ethnic group in Pakistan. The movement appealed to
8833-414: The people of Pakistan? When you do not have any other law under which you can arrest a person, you haul him under this so-called Public Safety Act. This is the blackest Act on the statute book of Pakistan. I do not know how long such an Act will continue. I want to warn you. Sir, that you must do justice to all people without fear or favour. If justice fails, equity fails, fair-play fails, then we will see how
8954-740: The politics of the Bengal Provincial Muslim League , the All India Muslim Students Federation , the Indian independence movement and the Pakistan movement . In 1943, he was elected as a councillor of the Muslim League. In 1944, he was elected as secretary of the Faridpur District Association, a Calcutta-based association of residents from Faridpur. In 1946, at the height of the Pakistan movement, Mujib
9075-586: The positions until 1996, when the Bangladesh Awami League formed the government and recalled them to Bangladesh. They refused to comply and as a result were fired from their positions. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party returned to power in 2001 and reinstated the officers who had been dismissed in 1996 to their diplomatic positions. Colonel Farooq, Colonel Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan , and former state minister Taheruddin Thakur were arrested on 14 August 1996,
9196-455: The pressure on Yahya Khan to take a stand on dissolving the government. Sheikh Mujib spent 4682 days in prison in his political life. Among them, he spent 7 days in prison during the British raj and the remaining 4,675 days under the government of Pakistan. In 1938, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went to the house of Gopalganj Hindu Mahasabha president Suren Banerjee when his classmate friend Abdul Malek
9317-415: The rights of East Bengal . Mujib served 13 years in prison during the British Raj and Pakistani rule. By the 1960s, Mujib adopted Bengali nationalism and became the undisputed leader of East Pakistan soon. He became popular for opposing political, ethnic and institutional discrimination; leading the six-point autonomy movement ; and challenging the regime of Field Marshal Ayub Khan . In 1970, he led
9438-451: The same year Bangladesh Awami League returned to power. Three months later, the indemnity act was removed and the trial began. AFM Mohitul Islam , personal assistant to President Sheikh Mujib, filed a charge against the mutineers with Dhanmondi Police Station on 2 October 1996. The Criminal Investigation Department started investigating the case the next day. The CID pressed charges against 20 people on 15 January 1997. On 12 March 1997,
9559-455: The same year i.e. 63 days from 25 October to 27 December 1949 and 787 consecutive days from 1 January 1950 to 26 February 1952. Sheikh Mujib had to spend 206 days in prison even after winning the United Front elections in 1954. Sheikh Mujib was arrested again on 11 October 1958 after Ayub Khan imposed martial law. At this time, he had to spend 1 thousand 153 consecutive days in prison. Then he
9680-478: The signing of an extradition treaty between Thailand and Bangladesh. Dhaka district Justice Kazi Golam Rasul, sentenced 15 accused to death on 8 November 1998. Appeals were filled with Bangladesh High Court. On 14 November 1998 the High Court delivered a split verdict with Justice Md Ruhul Amin upholding the death penalty of 10 of the convicts, Justice ABM Khairul Haque upholding the death penalty of all 15. The case
9801-597: The sister of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, drew huge crowds in East Pakistan during her presidential campaign which was supported by the Combined Opposition Party, including the Awami League. East Pakistan was the hotbed of opposition to the presidency of Ayub Khan. Mujib became popular for voicing the grievances of the Bengali population, including under-representation in the military and central bureaucracy. Despite generating most of Pakistan's export earnings and customs tax revenue, East Pakistan received
9922-429: The situation in one such meeting. Abdur Rashid was able to communicate with Commerce Minister Khandaker Moshtaque Ahmed about the situation in the country. Rashid, Dalim, and Moshtaque decided that they must dissolve BAKSHAL and remove Sheikh Mujib. Rashid informed Faruque, who agreed with the plan, and he was also told that Major General Zia would support them. The mutineers decided to divide into teams, and each team
10043-403: The spot. Faruque had arrived and left on a tank. Colonel Jamil Uddin Ahmad , military secretary to the president, was killed on the way to Bangabondhu Residence after he was called by Sheikh Mujib. The guards surrendered after a brief firefight and were lined up outside the house. Major Noor shot Sheikh Nasser , the brother of Sheikh Mujib, in the reception area bathroom. Major Pasha ordered
10164-449: The third grade of Gopalganj Public School. His parents transferred him to Madaripur Islamia High School after two years. Mujib withdrew from school in 1934 to undergo eye surgery. He returned to formal education after four years owing to the severity of the surgery and slow recovery. Mujib was 18 years old when he was married to eight years old Fazilatunnesa , widely known in Bangladesh as Begum Mujib, in an arranged marriage , according to
10285-420: The time neither Mujib nor the Awami League had explicitly advocated political independence for East Pakistan, but smaller nationalist groups were demanding independence for Bangladesh . After the election victory, Mujib was ornamented as " Sher-e-Pakistan " (Lion of Pakistan) on a newspaper ad published on The Daily Ittefaq on 3 January 1971. Both Bhutto and Yahya Khan travelled to Dhaka for negotiations with
10406-602: The time, Calcutta was the capital of British Bengal and the largest city in undivided India. He studied liberal arts , including political science , at the erstwhile Islamia College of Calcutta and lived in Baker Hostel . Islamia College was one of the leading educational institutions for the Muslims of Bengal. He obtained his bachelor's degree from the college in 1947. During his time in Calcutta, Sheikh Mujib became involved in
10527-429: The trial started with six accused in jail and 14 being outside the country. Zobaida Rashid, wife of Khandaker Abdur Rashid, was relieved of charges after she filed a number of appeals, reducing the accused to 19. Other cases filed with the High Court challenged the legality of the trial court and its location, the cancellation of the indemnity act, which delayed the trial. Major Huda was bought from Thailand in 1998, through
10648-451: The vested interests want to divide the people of East and West Pakistan". When asked about the prospect of East Pakistan ruling West Pakistan if the Awami League gained power, Mujib replied that majority rule is important in a democracy but the people of East Pakistan had no intention to discriminate against West Pakistan, and that West Pakistani parties would continue to play an important role. Mujib toured West Pakistani cities by train after
10769-627: The vice-president of the Faridpur district branch of the All Bengal Muslim Chhatra League in 1941. After the establishment of Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib was in jail for five days from 11 March – 15 March 1948. He was arrested on 11 September of the same year and released on 21 January 1949. He spent 132 days in prison during this period. Then on 19 April 1949, he was again taken to jail and was released on 28 June after serving 80 days of imprisonment. At that point he spent 27 days in prison. In
10890-410: The violent days in the run up to partition. In 1947, Sheikh Mujib also joined the "United Bengal Movement" which was organized under the leadership of Suhrawardy, Abul Hashim , Sarat Chandra Bose and others to form an undivided independent Bengal outside the jurisdiction of India and Pakistan. Later, when the creation of the states of India and Pakistan was confirmed, a referendum was held to decide
11011-618: The works of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in state media. Censorship in state media spurred Bengali civil society groups like Chhayanaut to preserve Bengali culture. When Ayub Khan compared Bengalis to beasts, the poet Sufia Kamal retorted that "If the people are beasts then as the President of the Republic, you are the king of the beasts". The Daily Ittefaq led by Tofazzal Hossain voiced growing aspirations for democracy, autonomy, and nationalism. Economists in Dhaka University pointed to
11132-469: The world. His foreign policy during the time was dominated by the principle "friendship to all and malice to none". He remained a close ally to Gandhi 's India and Brezhnev 's Soviet Union , while balancing ties with the United States . He strongly opposed the apartheid policies of South Africa and dispatched an army medical unit during the 1973 Arab-Israeli War . He gave the first Bengali speech to
11253-472: Was assassinated along with his family by a group of military officers. The 15 August coup d'état was masterminded by Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad , a disgruntled member of Mujib's regime who would become president. Mansur went into hiding immediately after the killing. When Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad invited Awami League leaders such as Mansur Ali, Syed Nazrul Islam , A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman and Tajuddin Ahmad to join his government, they refused. They were arrested by
11374-605: Was a forceful orator at the assembly in Karachi. He opposed the government's plan to rename East Bengal as East Pakistan as part of the One Unit scheme. On 25 August 1955, he delivered the following speech. Sir [President of the Constituent Assembly], you will see that they want to use the phrase 'East Pakistan' instead of 'East Bengal'. We have demanded many times that you should use Bengal instead of Pakistan. The word Bengal has
11495-559: Was announced on Bangladesh Radio nationwide. Khandaker Mostaq Ahmad addressed the nation from the radio station. His speech, written by Taheruddin Thakur , announced the formation of a new government led by him. Following him, the Chief of the army, his deputy, the chief of naval staff, the chief of the air force, the police chief and Bangladesh Rifles pledged their allegiance to the new government. Khandaker Moshtaque appointed General M. A. G. Osmani as his defence adviser. General Ziaur Rahman
11616-411: Was arrested again on 6 January 1962 and released on 18 June of that year. He spent 158 days in prison. Then in 1964 and 1965 he was in prison for 665 days in different terms. After making the six-point proposal, he was arrested at the place where he went to hold the rally. At that time, he held 32 public meetings and spent 90 days in prison for different periods. Then he was arrested again on 8 May 1966 and
11737-539: Was arrested by police in 1952 for helping to organise protests against the declaration of Urdu as the sole official language, in what became known as the Language Movement . Mansur and his party demanded that Bengali also receive recognition and the provinces be granted autonomy . After his release, Mansur was elected a member of the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly in 1954 as a candidate of
11858-515: Was attacked by a team that was led by Major Aziz Pasha, Captain Majed, Major Shahriar Rashid, and Captain Nurul Huda. Serniabat's nephew Shahid Serniabat, daughter Baby Serniabat, grandson Sukanto Abdullah Babu, and son Arif Serniabat were also killed in the attack. Three domestic servants were also killed in the attack. His son, Abul Hasnat Abdullah , survived the attack and nine other people were injured in
11979-457: Was beaten up. Sheikh Mujib was arrested for the first time in a case filed by the leaders of the Hindu Mahasabha when the scuffle took place there. After seven days in jail, Sheikh Mujib was released when the case was dropped through settlement. In addition, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was temporarily arrested twice for making a speech and staying at the meeting place during disturbances while being
12100-569: Was chosen because of its symbolism as the place where the Lahore Resolution was adopted by the Muslim League in 1940. The six points called for abolishing the Basic Democracy scheme, restoring universal suffrage, devolving federal power to the provinces of East and West Pakistan, separate fiscal, monetary and trade policies for East and West Pakistan, and increased security spending for East Pakistan. Mujib's points catalysed public support across East Pakistan, launching what historians have termed
12221-461: Was coming down the stairs. Sheikh Mujib's son, Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal , Jamal's wife Rosy, Sheikh Kamal's wife Sultana Kamal, and Sheikh Mujib's wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa were taken to the bathroom on the first floor. They were shot and killed there by Major Abdul Aziz Pasha and Risaldar Moslemuddin . Major Faruque promoted Captain Huda to major and Subedar Major Abdul Wahab Joardar to lieutenant on
12342-534: Was declared that Urdu will be the sole national language of Pakistan. This sparked the Bengali Language Movement . Mujib became embroiled in the language movement, as well as left-wing trade unionism among Bengali factions of the Muslim League. Bengali factions eventually split away and formed the Awami Muslim League in 1949. Mujib was arrested many times. His movements were tracked by spies of
12463-500: Was dismissed on 30 May 1954. Mujib was arrested upon his return to Dhaka from Karachi . He was released on 23 December 1954. Governor's rule was imposed in East Bengal. The elected government was eventually restored in 1955. On 5 June 1955, Mujib was elected to a newly reconstituted second Constituent Assembly of Pakistan . The Awami League organised a huge public meeting at Paltan Maidan in Dhaka on 17 June 1955 which outlined 21 points demanding autonomy for Pakistan's provinces. Mujib
12584-555: Was elected as General Secretary of the Islamia College Students Union in Calcutta. His political mentor Suhrawardy led the center-left faction of the Muslim League. Suhrawardy was responsible for creating 36 trade unions in Bengal, including unions for sailors, railway workers, jute and cotton mills workers, rickshaw pullers, cart drivers and other working class groups. Mujib assisted Suhrawardy in these efforts and also worked to ensure protection for Muslim families during
12705-626: Was hiding in Kolkata, India , was arrested at Mirpur by the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police . He was sent to Dhaka Central Jail, Keraniganj , and was executed by hanging a few days later on the 12 April 2020. Lawrence Lifschultz characterized this incident as an outcome of the Cold War between the United States -influenced Pakistan and
12826-411: Was in charge of the guards, had served under Major Dalim. Some of the guards were killed defending the residence after the mutineers tried to force their way in. Sheikh Kamal was injured defending the residence, and was executed by Captain Huda after the attackers had crossed into the compound. Sheikh Mujib asked "what do you want?" to the mutineers. Major Noor and Captain Huda shot Sheikh Mujib as he
12947-551: Was killed in his home along with his wife, Begum Arzu Moni, who was believed to be pregnant at the time. His sons Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash survived. His home on Road 13/1 in Dhanmondi was surrounded by 20-25 army personnel on 15 August 1975. Abdur Rab Serniabat , a former minister of water resources and brother-in-law of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was killed in his home in Mintoo road, Dhaka at 5:00 am. His home
13068-543: Was made the chief of army staff on 24 August 1975 and Khalilur Rahman was made the first Chief of Defence Staff of Bangladesh Army. On 26 September 1975, Khandaker Moshtaque proclaimed the Indemnity Ordinance which protected those involved in the coup legal protection. On 5 October 1975, the Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini (Absorption in the Army) Ordinance was passed with strong support from Ziaur Rahman; which absorbed
13189-713: Was made the second secretary of the embassy in Algeria , AM Rashed Chowdhury was made the consulate general in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, S.H.M.B Noor Chowdhury was made the second secretary in the embassy in Tehran , Shariful Haque Dalim was made the first secretary to the embassy in Beijing, and Abdul Aziz Pasha was made the first secretary to the embassy in Buenos Aires , Argentina. They held
13310-523: Was not a very good player but still had a good position in the school team. At this time I was not interested in politics." Once the farmers in his village lost their crops and faced a near-famine situation, which had a great impact on Mujib. During these days, he usually used to distribute rice among the poor farmers and students from his own or collecting from others. Mujib was enrolled in Gimadanga Primary School in 1927. In 1929, he entered
13431-511: Was open to the idea of East Bengali independence. Mujib reportedly remarked that "[t]he Bengalis had initially failed to appreciate a leader of Mr. Suhrawardy's stature. By the time they learned to value him, they had run out of time". At the federal level, the Awami League was led by Suhrawardy. At the provincial level, the League was led by Sheikh Mujib who was given a free rein over the party's activities by Suhrawardy. Mujib consolidated his control of
13552-465: Was referred to a third Justice, Mohammad Fazlul Karim , who broke the tie by sentencing 12 of the accused to death. Then Chief Justice Ruhul Amin constituted an appeal court with five justices: Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha , Justice Md Abdul Aziz, Justice Md Tafazzul Islam , Justice BK Das, and Justice Md Muzammel Hossain . The verdict of the Appellate Division confirmed the death sentences of
13673-463: Was refused. Major Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan resigned from the army over the incident. Major Dalim and Major Noor were among the officers who lost their commissions over the charges of indiscipline. In 1974, Sayed Farooq had become dissatisfied with the Awami League government. He would often discuss his dissatisfaction with Major General Ziaur Rahman who was the deputy chief of army staff. Ziaur Rahman had suggested that Faruque "do something" about
13794-651: Was released on 22 February 1969 through a popular uprising. At that time he was in prison for 1,021 days. He was arrested by the Pakistan government soon after declaring independence in the early hours of 26 March 1971. During this period he was in prison for 288 days. 15 August 1975 Bangladesh coup d%27%C3%A9tat The military coup in Bangladesh on August 15 of 1975 was launched by mid-ranking army officers in order to assassinate founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman , whose administration post-independence grew corrupt and reportedly authoritarian until he established
13915-413: Was the eldest son and third child in the family of four daughters (Fatima, Achia, Helen, Laili) and two sons (Mujib, Naser ). His parents nicknamed him "Khoka". As a child, Mujib was described as "compassionate and very energetic". Either playing or roaming around. Feeding birds, monkeys and dogs. In his autobiography, Mujib mentions, "I used to play football , volleyball and field hockey . Although I
14036-402: Was the founder of Bangladesh . As the leader of Bangladesh, he had held continuous positions either as Bangladesh's president or as its prime minister from April 1971 until his assassination in August 1975. His nationalist ideology, socio-political theories, and political doctrines are collectively known as Mujibism . Born in an aristocratic Muslim family in Tungipara , Mujib emerged as
14157-413: Was the most powerful opposition leader at the Round Table Conference. Ayub Khan shook hands with Mujib, whom Khan previously had imprisoned. Talking to British media, Mujib said "East Pakistan must get full regional autonomy. It must be self-sufficient in all respects. It must get its due share and legitimate share in the central administration. The West Pakistani people support [East Pakistani demands]. Only
14278-410: Was the only socialist period in Bangladesh's history, which was marked with huge economic mismanagement and failure, leading to the high mortality rate in the deadly famine of 1974 . In 1975, he launched Second Revolution , under which he installed a one party regime and abolished all kinds of civil liberties and democratic institutions, by which he "institutionalized autocracy " and made himself
14399-460: Was to be given specific instructions and targets. The operation at the personal residence of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was led by Major A.K.M. Mohiuddin Ahmed . Major Bazlul Huda was placed in the team as he was the adjutant to the 2nd Field Regiment of Artillery, which was guarding the home of the President. The team also included Major S.H.M.B Noor Chowdhury . Captain Abul Bashar, who
14520-474: Was widely considered to be the Prime Minister-elect , including by President Yahya Khan. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) came in second with 86 seats. The new parliament was scheduled to hold its first sitting in Dhaka, Pakistan's legislative capital under the 1962 constitution. The political crisis emerged when PPP leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared that his party would boycott parliament if Mujib formed
14641-434: Was widely considered to be the weak and ineffective response of the federal government to the disaster. Public opinion and political parties in East Pakistan blamed the ruling military junta for the lack of relief efforts. The dissatisfaction led to divisions between East Pakistanis and West Pakistanis within the civil services, police and Pakistani Armed Forces. In the Pakistani general elections held on 7 December 1970 ,
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