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Update : 2017-08-15 09:38:39

Of An Epic Poet of Politics: The Inevitable Bangabandhu


Anwar A. Khan

We begin in the words of Irving Berlin: “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on...” Yes, it is
absolutely true. We know very well that the very name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the
embodiment, not of sentiment, but of a glorious history. As we mourn for him on this month and as we
remember our history on Bangladesh’s achievement in 1971, Independence Day, and as we celebrate
the Victory Day that will allow us the chance to reunite with our children, we fight for a large battle that
will recognise the most venerable veteran like the Sheikh Mujib and his great contributions to our
country. A noted journalist and columnist has aptly described him “From rebel to Founding Father” of
the country, Bangladesh in his book titled ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.’   While typically associated with
progress and change, and, indeed, with new citizens-cum voters, ‘People’s Power,’ as perhaps all too
familiar repertoire of protest, may also have emerged as part of the challenges to institutionalising
democratic consolidation under the able leadership of Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter - Sheikh
Hasina in Bangladesh. “For every end no matter how tragic, there will be a new beginning” and this
new beginning has already started under the able leadership of PM Sheikh Hasina. Veteran freedom
fighter Md. Shafiqur Rahman lamented that “the youths today are not aware of the heroism of our
veterans during the 1971 War of Liberation and they want to impart to them that their selfless
sacrifices must be emulated in our everyday lives to achieve lasting peace or progress.” “Because of
the advancement of technology, there is less focus on the valour of our heroes. That’s why, we are
trying to help bring consciousness of the importance of their sacrifices,” he has further added. The
month long observance of Bangabandhu’s assassination on this August month also an opportunity to
remember those who rendered honourable service in defending the country in times of war or peace to
gratefully acknowledge their contributions in preserving our sovereignty and defending our national
security. It is like: “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.” Mujib promised
to usher in a new politics, improve moral standards, and provide leadership by example. He was an
unyielding public opposer of Pakistani corrupt and tyrannical regime. Our country has a colourful
political past and present. He was a firebrand orator. Once he said, “We will applaud if we make the
right decision or we will weep in the end if we make a mistake.” His term was battered by what at times
seemed a never ending string of socio-political crises because of emergence of some evil forces that
were on the run because of their grave misdeeds during our glorious Liberation War in 1971. But his
administration had doggedly and consciously focused on pro-poor policies. In early 1971, “the images
of “people’s power” were about to fade into history, but remain iconic: leaders kneeling in prayer in
front of tanks, and unarmed civilians trying to push back military vehicles with their bare hands.
People were determined that before the sun sets on this terrible struggle, our flag will be recognised
throughout the world as a symbol of freedom on the one hand and of overwhelming force on the other.
  Thucydides said, “The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage.”
Bangabandhu was always very courageous for his people and the country. Like Greek poet Dinos
Christianopoulos, he used to say. “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds. It is through
difficulty that we must discover our true ability.” The strength of will is the grace of survival. The
struggle of change is all ways winning.   Challenges make us grow in faith, in spirit and in strength.
“The anchor of my life is the grace of Allah” was his firm conviction. Brute force, no  matter how
strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom. Rabindranath Tagore said,
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.”  The Sheikh
was a great soul. “A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us
together again and again” has correctly been spelt out by Maya Angelou. If we remember
Bangabandhu, we should also remember what Angelo Patri said, “In one sense there is no death. The
life of a soul on earth lasts beyond departure. You will always feel that life touching yours, that voice
speaking to you. He or she lives on in your life and in the lives of all others that knew him or her.” The
next generation should also know that leadership is critical in all struggles: It is critical to harnessing
free elements to produce results, to uniting and conjugating human forces to achieve desired ends
and to achieving successful human interactions. Strong leadership must work for the general interest
as opposed to personal enrichment. Leadership should create durable democratic institutions that
could operate independent of charismatic leadership. Sheikh Mujib’s politics was in line with these
spirits. We can call him, “the incarnation of the heroic figure of the fighter”. One of his true votaries and
a 1971 war veteran Syed Shahidul Haque Mama once said, “He did politics with integrity, commitment,
dedication and honesty. After him, there is no one who will take a principled stand in politics. I used to
say to him that he should write his memoirs. He would reply that he was writing them. He knew a lot.
Sad, I don’t see the kind of integrity that he had in any of the current lot of politicians except some few
ones.” Another 1971 war veteran and Editor of weekly Postcard Md. Mujibur Rahman has said, “His
death has brought a chapter of progressive politics to a close. He ended his journey from where he
began, that is, he never moved away from his path. He always preferred society’s happiness to
personal happiness. He did not succeed to shape society the way he wanted because of his brutal
murder, so his dreams remained unfulfilled. We shall have to work more hard to fufill his dreams for
betterment of our people.” A few days back, there was an event held to celebrate Bangabandhu’s life.
There were many participants and Dhali Moazzem Hossain, a senior most 1971 war veteran and once
senior post holding leader in BCL, Juba League and AL was discussing that these days people like
Mujib are hard to find. It is a great loss for us and for Bangladesh.” He further added, “Bangabandhu
belonged to that generation which was full of imagination and had ideals. It was a time when there
was commotion in the entire world: Several countries were gaining independence, American
imperialism was being protested against, in America itself street fighting was happening. At that time,
he played an important part in the movement and protested against Ayub Khan’s military dictatorship.
…. jailed for the Agartala Conspiracy case which elicited a strong response from the whole country.
Because of his clarion call for independence, we pledged to leave our families to go out on the
battlefield in 1971 to attain Bangladesh.” In 1971, bullets were whizzing right over our heads but our
people cared very little to them. Bangladesh had to be achieved- that was the principal motto of them.
“August is the cruellest month” for us as correctly said by noted educationist Dr. Rashid Askari. On this
cruellest month, the spirit of remembrance remembers and honours Bangabandhu and for those
whose sacrifices have provided us with the freedom that we enjoy today. Our dedication is from the
heart, as we provide a complete form of remembrance that comes from understanding and explaining
the events that has led to the immense sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of our men and women in
innumerable incidents almost three decades in particular. True understanding of remembrance comes
from visiting where history was made in the company of like minded people and expert battlefield
guides like the above-mentioned great freedom fighters. The Sheikh led the Bangladesh people to its
greatest victory against impossible odds – daring to defy the red eyes of the Pakistani rulers.  His
battle was like: “We shall defend our land, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we
shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills … we shall never surrender.”
However, the highpoint in his career came when he addressed the nation on 7th March, 1971 in the
Race Course Ground in a thunderous voice: “The struggle this time is for emancipation. The struggle
this time is for independence.” He is known for his extensive work of fighting for the rights of his own
people. His story is one of perseverance and success against all odds. …..thereby earning the title,
“Father of the Bengali Nation” from his people. He combined an unapologetically progressive view of
what the country could be with a pragmatic willingness to work across party-lines to get things done.
The momentous shift of the political landscape in that time has enshrined him in the pantheon of
Bangladesh’s people. He remains as the most popular and beloved political leader in history during his
time and afterwards. Politicians play an important role in the development of a country. The world has
seen many great politicians emerging out in last decade. Mujib committed his life to working with the
poor throughout the country. He loved to live among impoverished people so that he could better serve
them. He personified the potential for goodness in humans and in doing so; he became a role model
for people throughout the world. A great orator, Bangabandhu felt that liberation of the nation was
more important than his great personal sacrifice throughout his life. He inspired people of Bangladesh
to rise up and challenge injustices and exploitations imposed on us by the Pakistani rulers. He
continued to fight for human rights, democracy and creation of Bangladesh. His 7th March speech
served as a model for other political revolutionary movements leading to a large scale armed struggle
against the Pakistani occupation forces. He is known as a great politician, and a world leader. He was
noted for his courage in directing his people, his vision in protecting his people from exploitation by
the Pakistani regime and his commitment to the cause of betterment of his people. He transformed all
people of Bangladesh into a single platform to fight against the brutal Pakistani Military junta and
achieve our beloved country in 1971. “One thing I believe profoundly: We make our own history. The
course of history is directed by the choices we make and our choices grow out of the ideas, the beliefs,
the values, the dreams of the people. It is not so much the powerful leaders that determine our destiny
as the much more powerful influence of the combined voices of the people themselves” and these
words of Eleanor Roosevelt are truly compatible with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s long
struggle for Bangladesh’s independence. His political voice was continued to have heard throughout
his life and his legacy as an advocate for the downtrodden has continued. His ability to summarise the
range of human emotions in simple yet eloquent words and phrases have led to his enduring
popularity and power and the standard to which others are held. There is that great proverb – “that
until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” He was
like a lion. He wrote history through his great deeds. He made history by his unswerving services to
his nation. He inspired so many by his example of caring for the poor and needy. He was canonised as
“The Friend of Bengal” or Bangabandhu by our people. He began his leadership role early in life. He
was integral to the rise and power of Bangladesh. He was the leader of Bangladesh during its height
and greatness in the world. He developed a cult following and remains an icon of the politically
revolutionary-minded people worldwide. He is an iconic symbol of revolutionary movements
worldwide. Even after his passing, the Sheikh has become a household name, a true testament to his
perseverance and dedication to the cause of people’s welfare. Leading by example, Bangabandhu
embodied the love, hope, and understanding that he expressed in his sermons and speeches. Over the
course of its magnificent history, Bangladesh has been led by the most charismatic of leaders who
have guided this country’s people and served as an inspiration for all of us. But one of the greatest
personalities ever born in this country and he is Mujib, The Great. He is also known as People’s
Politician – one of the most charming leaders in the country even in today’s time. The world is full of
aspiring political leaders but sadly, very few live up to the leadership ideals. In fact, many political
leaders seem to severely lack some of the most important leadership qualities, such as, integrity and
accountability. It is no coincidence that for many people, the word politician has such negative
connotations! However, histories – and present day – show us that there are still a few who come
close to the leadership ideals and who are good examples of an effective political leader and
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the most effective political leader.   Political leaders are
vitally important – through the authority of government, they assess the distribution of power and
resources, build relationships with other stakeholders and make decisions that can have great impact
on the well-being of a nation and its people. Leadership in the political framework requires a focus on
the long-term good of a country, above and ahead of any personal short-term gains. Good political
leadership requires a combination of charisma and integrity, as well as the ability to assess a situation
and make a decision based on what would be best for the greatest number of people. Most of all,
leadership in a political framework requires statesmanship – as opposed to just being a politician –
this means having the integrity and willingness to stand up for what is right, even if it means resigning
a position in government or losing an election. Ironically, those who make good political leaders are
often those who least want the position in the first place! These are individuals who do not seek power
but who have authority conferred upon them by others who value their judgment. A good political
leader is someone who serves as an example of integrity and loyalty to the people they represent, both
to the public and to other political leaders; someone with good communication and inter-personal
skills, who can work with a wide range of other people, regardless of political party or opinion, to
achieve the greatest good for the general population; someone who can resist various temptations
and lures of the political arena; someone of strong character, with both conscience and charisma;
someone willing to listen to the needs of the common people and to represent them faithfully;
someone with the courage to stand up and say what needs to be said – rather than just tell the general
public what it wants to hear; and someone who is willing to make difficult (and possibly unpopular)
decisions for the greater good. An effective political leader will have a leadership style that focuses on
coalition and building, while an ineffective leadership situation results from a leader who is a hustler –
i.e. who uses manipulation to get what they want, instead of inspiration and motivation. While
negotiation and even coercion are sometimes necessary, a good political leader will always try to use
persuasion first. One of the key leadership qualities many political leaders lack is ability to take
responsibility. A lot of political leaders are very adept at pointing the finger at everyone else and few
seem able to accept responsibility for their mistakes, admit their political failures and acknowledge
their own contribution to a problem. Accountability is crucial to effective political leadership, as
without this; there will be no respect from the followers. A good political leader is someone who will be
honest and responsible for his own actions and decisions and who is willing to admit when they have
made a mistake. They will focus their energies and time on representing the people rather than
spending all the time covering their backs and criticising others. Team work is a great way to build
confidence and teach leadership to youths and for many, the thought of leading a group of youths can
be a daunting one. However, youths respond to the same principles of respect, integrity and
communication that defines good leadership in other arenas so by applying the same skills when
dealing with a group of youths, it is possible to achieve success. Mujib set his principles in the right
direction to achieve success and they worked very well to attain Bangladesh. The inevitable
Bangabandhu: Possibly the greatest Bangladesh’s political leaders of all times, who profoundly
influenced the political ideas of  Bangladesh’s people as no one else could, and  left his indelible
impact on the course of the country’s history both before and after his brutal assassination. He hugely
altered the course of the movement as well as the destiny of the Nation itself. To summarise, we can
say Bangabandhu had great love for Bangladesh’s people and genuine concerns for the poor and the
down trodden. He was unmatched for his political acumen and intrepid boldness, and was a leader of
towering stature, whom one may adore, and can never afford to ignore. Mujib was the only Great
Political Leader of pre and post-independence polity, and also the last in the line of all Great Political
Leaders of Bangladesh. No one else after him qualifies for this tag until this day and time. Let us pay
rich tribute to him and his party stalwarts on this cruellest month of August.

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