Bangabandhu in analysis in memory


The connection was unprecedented, revolving around a book written about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Professor Nurul Islam from far away the United States joined Prothom Alo's Facebook Live on October 22 at 10 pm.


Professor Nurul Islam, 92, was blessed to be close to Bangabandhu before and after the War of Liberation.


Writer and organizer of the cultural movement Abul Momen was also involved in the conversation titled 'Bangabandhu: Looking Back'. He joined from Chittagong. Syed Manjurul Islam, a fiction writer and academician and former professor of English at Dhaka University, joined from Dhaka.


In this 1 hour and 25-minute conversation conducted by this reporter, some special episodes of Bangabandhu's life, the characteristics of his political leadership, the importance of his various contributions to the history of Bangladesh came up.


On the occasion of the conversation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: The book seen up close, written by Professor Nurul Islam. The book is out this year, from its first publication. This year is the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. His various celebrations are going on all over the country. But the publication of this memoir and evaluation book of Nurul Islam and the level of discussion about him on that occasion was different.


When Nurul Islam joined him in 1979 at the call of Bangabandhu, Bangabandhu made his debut as the main public leader of Bengal. Six points demand everyone's life.


The freedom movement will soon move towards the demand for independence. Bangabandhu has given the task to economists like Prof. Rehman Sobhan, Prof. Mosharraf Hossain and Prof. Anisur Rahman along with Prof. Nurul Islam to interpret and analyze the six points, present its meaning to the politicians and people and draft a future constitution based on the six-point demands.


Nurul Islam joined Bangabandhu and remained attached. Bangabandhu formed a planning commission in war-torn independent Bangladesh and appointed him as its deputy chairman. Nurul Islam formulated the country's first five-year plan. Until 1984, he worked uninterruptedly with Bangabandhu. His books and conversations on Facebook Live were about his memories and analysis.


Professional in the arena of politics


How did professional Nurul Islam start working with politician Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman? In reply, he said that he had no acquaintance with Bangabandhu.


In 1969, his friend M Rashchid, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, told him that Bangabandhu had asked him to meet him. He met her a little surprised. Bangabandhu told him, ‘I want your help. Explain with other economists what will come before us when implementing the six points. We need it to negotiate with the Pakistanis. "


Professor Nurul Islam joined the work. His experience is sweet. Bangabandhu treated any teacher with the utmost respect and gave him equal status. A committee was formed for their work.


Among the political colleagues of Bangabandhu were Tajuddin Ahmed, Syed Nazrul Islam, Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed and others. Along with economists, other intellectuals included Mozaffar Ahmed and Khan Sarwar Murshid.


Professor Nurul Islam said it was doubtful whether everyone understood the significance of the six points even till the 1970 elections. Because the six points are practically almost freedom.


Abul Momen said that after the mass movement of 1969, Bangabandhu was released from prison and reorganized the Awami League. At that time many new people joined the team. Bangabandhu had doubts about their confidence and commitment to the six points.


That is why he took an oath with them in the platoon. Nurul Islam's book has a unique description of it. He saids Bangabandhu fully understood the aspiration of the peoples within the party and proceeded in the that way


Syed Manjurul Islam said in his discussion that the economic condition of East Bengal before independence was weak due to inequality. Most people are uneducated.


 Bangabandhu's contribution in taking that nation to this position of independent Bangladesh is the greatest. In his book, Professor Nurul Islam reviews Bangabandhu's leadership with deep insight and foresight.

In the newly independent country


From the source of Nurul Islam's book, various topics of Bangabandhu's life came up in the words of three discussants. The negotiators also spoke about the experience of the First Planning Commission, Bangabandhu's outstanding memory, his position on foreign affairs based on national interests, and his kind treatment of opposition politicians of his time.


Talking about the experience of the first Planning Commission, Nurul Islam said the new government of Bangladesh was the legacy of a provincial government, not a central government.


That is why they did not have the experience of a ministry like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an organization like the Planning Commission. That was one of the main obstacles facing the commission.


Nurul Islam saidet "We had to coordinate the worked between different ministrie. Besides, many ministries have not yet developed the capacity to implement various projects.


The commission would approve the project and help. Even though Bangabandhu cooperated, the people's representatives of other ministries except for Tajuddin Ahmed and Syed Nazrul Islam did not want to understand it and could not like it. 'However, he criticized himself and said,

Talking about Bangabandhu's foreign affairs, Abul Momen said that the events described by Nurul Islam in his book show the deep wisdom of Bangabandhu in this regard.


He said Bangabandhu had given diplomatic status to the US Consul General and his colleagues who remained in Bangladesh despite opposition and non-recognition of independence during the war of liberation.


Despite India's generous praise for its assistance in the war of liberation, Bangabandhu took a firm stand in the national interest on the Farakka Dam and border trade. His support for the non-aligned movement was sincere.


Syed Manjurul Islam thinks that the present politicians have a lot to take from Bangabandhu. He said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman never sat in politics sitting on the ivory tower.


He was truly a grassroots politician. He could read the aspirations of the people and understand the direction of political events. In this way, he combined the aspirations of the people with political realities.


During the discussion, the history of Bangladesh and the political career of Bangabandhu came back again and again in the context of the Indian subcontinent. In the middle of the discussion, Professor Nurul Islam presented another book written by him, India Pakistan Bangladesh: A Primer of Political History.


"We needed to understands the significance of the rised of the states of Bangladesh in this subcontinent," he saids This book may help in that. 'By the way, the publisher of this book published last year is also the first publication.


The discussion comes to an end. The meaningful remnants of this discussion remain in front of the golden jubilee of the war of liberation.