‘I said what I needed to say’

GBNEWS24DESK//

After delivering his watershed speech on March 7, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned home with thousands in his wake.

He knew very well the consequences the speech could have.

During dinner with his family that night, he said, on a rather sombre note, “I said what I needed to say at today’s rally. The government can now arrest me or kill me at any time. That is why from today, you will have meals with me twice a day.”

Scientist MA Wazed Miah, in his book “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Ke Ghire Kichhu Ghotona O Bangladesh”, wrote that from that day, the family members complied with his wish until March 25 afternoon.

“Bangabandhu was busy talking to the leaders of Awami League, Chhatra League, Krishak League, Sramik League, Jubo League and other organisations on the ground floor of the house till 11:00pm [March 25]. We all except my mother-in-law [Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib] had supper,” he wrote.

On that fateful night, Bangabandhu was arrested and later taken to Pakistan where he was kept in solitary confinement.

On March 7, Wazed and his wife — Bangabandhu’s eldest daughter Sheikh Hasina — were staying at the house.

He described in his book how Bangabandhu spent the day.

It was the first Sunday of a fiery March and Bangalees were aching to join a rally to be addressed by Bangabandhu who was leading a massive non-cooperation movement at that time.

Bangabandhu’s Dhanmondi-32 home was packed with leaders and activists of the Awami League and others since the morning of March 7.

Bangabandhu sat for a closed-door meeting with AL leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, M Mansur Ali, AHM Qamaruzzaman, Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed, and Dr Kamal Hossain in the library, Wazed wrote.

After a long discussion, he came out and said they have reached a consensus, and a four-point declaration would be made at the rally in the afternoon.

He said the declaration would be made in the light of the prevailing political situation and the demands of the students and people.

After giving the necessary instructions, Bangabandhu went upstairs to have a shower and lunch. After his meal, when he was resting, Dr Kamal Hossain went up to him and showed him a draft of the declaration.

In his book “Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice”, Dr Kamal said he was asked to prepare the draft of a press statement embodying the position taken.

The statement would be released to the press after the rally. The statement would demand an end to martial law and the transfer of power to elected representatives of the people, among others.

Bangabandhu directed that Tajuddin would be in charge of the statement and that he would make any amendments necessary in the light of the speech delivered before personally issuing it to the press.