March 7 and Bangbandhu's uncompromising tenacity

On March 3, 1971, Yahya Khan. President of Pakistan, visited Dhaka and met with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to discuss the future of the country. They had a couple of meetings. Sheikh Mujib was so far successful in keeping the mass frustration channelled towards socially acceptable movements. President Yahya announced another date to meet with 12 National Assembly members, but Sheikh Mujib declined to attend. Yahya Khan once announced a date for the National Assembly to meet but cancelled the date without giving a new date. Now he selected and invited twelve members to meet without giving a purpose. Moreover, election was held to begin a new start for the establishment of democracy. Inviting a handful of members would not create a good tradition to begin with to establish democracy. Again, the West Pakistani leadership established that it did not have a culture or values needed for any democratic process to begin. A West Pakistani political leader made a different assessment about the reason behind Mujib's refusal to visit West Pakistan and meet with the President. Asgar Khan wrote: "Although he (Mujib) did not say so, I got the impression that he and his close associates believed that he might be assassinated if he visited West Pakistan. Mujib-ur-Rahman also probably had in mind the attempt, in his presence, on Suhrawardy's life at Gujranwala railway station a decade and a half ago."

This could have been in Mujib's mind, but he did not see any reason to meet President Yahya Khan, because for the people of East Pakistan it was a zero sum game. Politically, the people of East Pakistan remained in the same place before the election took place -they had nothing to lose. They did not have any political power then; they did not have any after the election. The whole election was a farce, a scam. The mood of the people was intense, and it would have been a disaster for Sheikh Mujib to attend any meeting with Yahya Khan. Since the inception of Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib never compromised with the interests of East Pakistanis and did not join the West Pakistani groups like many East Pakistani political figures had done. When no one spoke about the interests of Bengalis, Sheikh Mujib spoke, not just spoke, but spoke loudly. Sheikh Mujib got many opportunities or was allured to many opportunities to compromise his firm stand for the interests of Bengalis within the undemocratic Pakistani framework, but he stood firm for his commitment of democratic rights and privileges. He was not a leader of an opportunistic deal. He was consistent and forthright. This uncompromising tenacity of the character of Sheikh Mujib made him the towering figure of East Pakistan and that brought the support of millions of Bengalis.  Now, it was impossible for him to compromise; rather he would go to prison like in many previous instances. Mujib announced that he would make his strategies known to the compatriots in a public gathering at the Race Course, also known as Ramna and Suhrawardy Udyan, on March 7, 1971.

People began speculating about his fateful announcement. Sheikh Mujib had been a parliamentary politician who by commitment was a follower of maximum public disobedience. He could not go any further in defying the existing laws, how much more illegitimate could the laws be. He had excellent manoeuvring quality to organise protests and demonstrations. He had the ability to keep the movement alive; however, he was not a revolutionary leader and could not just change overnight to become a revolutionary leader.

The people of East Pakistan were not sure what Mujib was going to say at the Ramna meeting. Whatever he would say would have severe repercussion--locally and internationally. As usual, following the old Pakistani style, President Yahya again announced another date and another method to transfer power to the elected members through a conference of some selected political leaders of both wings. There was a national election for the National Assembly, and a date was announced for the meeting of the National Assembly. However, due to the pressure from one party leader, Bhutto, that date was cancelled. Now another date was given for a conference of some selected political leaders. What was the purpose of this conference when a particular political leader of West Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had earlier proposed two separate constitutions for East and West Pakistan with Mujib as Prime Minister in the East and himself prime minister in the West with linkage at centre to be the subject of negotiations between two virtually independent states, and no action was taken against him? How would one characterise this game plan of the Pakistani President Yahya Khan? There were questions about the sincerity of the President's move. Sheikh Mujib declined to attend the conference, but emphasised the importance of the March 7 meeting. What would be the major point of discussion? Would Mujib declare independence during his March 7 speech?

Mujib's speech on Sunday, March 7, 1971, was spectacular. He did not make any unilateral declaration, but said enough to keep the political momentum alive, and he also did not lose control over the leadership. The people were so volatile; it would rise to the point that no leadership would have any control over the mass's upsurge that would turn into a mass destruction.

A foreign diplomat, Arhcer K Blood, American Consul General to Dhaka, summarises the Mujib's speech very succinctly:  "Mujib's speech on Sunday March 7 was more notable for what he did not say than for what he actually said. He did not as some feared and some hoped declare an independent Bangla Desh. Instead, he called for a peaceful non-cooperation movement to continue the struggle for independence and the emancipation of the Bengalis."

The whole country listened to Mujib on that date. The people's support and loyalty made Mujib the de facto leader of the country. President Yahya, or the Pakistani administration lost total control over the masses of East Pakistan. Mujib did not declare independence because he did not have to. He already had become the ruler of the country and the best friend of Bengal-the Bangabandhu.

At the declaration of Mujib's, people of East Pakistan started following non-cooperation. Mujib actually asked for non-cooperation and a non-violent movement following Mahatma Gandhi of undivided India. Sometimes, the non-cooperation and non-violent movement are also known as civil disobedience movement. The non-cooperation movement was a tremendous success. People of East Pakistan realised for the first time that they did have some power. Unity was a force, they realised. Mujib kept his door of negotiation open though the noncooperation movement was going on very successfully. Mujib was not just an elected member of East Pakistan and the president of a political party Awami League, he was the most powerful leader of the land. Mujib did demonstrate the best of his best and though he was riding very high, he never lost his modesty and compassionate nature.

The writer is Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Virginia State University, USA.

mokerromhossain@yahoo.com

The piece is excerpted from the writer's book titled "From Protest to Freedom:

The Birth of Bangladesh."