The yearlong celebrations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary comes to an official close on March 17. Shahriar Kabir, acclaimed proponent of secular humanism in Bangladesh, recalls Bangabandhu’s ideology and praxis in this dialogue with Subhoranjan Dasgupta, professor of human sciences.

Q: The BBC conducted an opinion poll on who was the greatest Bengali of the last century. The majority replied “Bangabandhu”. What was so special and extraordinary about him?

Kabir: The history of Bengal and the Bengali people go back 5,000 years. If one leaves aside for a moment the momentous formation of Bangladesh in 1971, we find that through this long phase Bengalis have never been ruled or governed by Bengalis themselves. In other words, the rulers were primarily external elements.

This picture changed dramatically in 1971 when, under the astute leadership of Bangabandhu, the jatirashtra --- or the sovereign State of Bangladesh, peopled by Bengalis --- was established.

This formation was the culmination of a process that began in 1947. In that crucial year, Bangabandhu formed the Ganatantrik Karma Shibir and Ganatantrik Jubo League, which were precursors to an independent Bengal. In this particular phase, Bangabandhu asserted that Bengali would be the national language of the Bengali people.

Sheikh Mujib also drew the political and economic contours of this new republic in 1971. He established the democratic, sovereign, socialist and secular nation of Bangladesh. He was the first and foremost architect of this new nation --- therein lies his historic and unique worth. And in recognition of this exemplary achievement, he was hailed as the greatest Bengali who lived and worked in the last 100 years.

Q: When the eminent litterateur Annada Shankar Ray asked Sheikh Mujib since when he had nurtured his dream of an independent and secular Bangladesh, he replied, “Since 1947”. How did he realise his dream?

Kabir: A series of dramatic and steadfast political movements led to the emergence of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu led and directed this revolutionary process from its beginning. It all began with the Language Movement that broke out in 1952. It was followed by the Teachers’ Movement in 1962 and a militant students’ agitation in the same year.

Then came the historic Six-Point Demand Movement (for an end to discrimination against, and more autonomy for, East Pakistan) and the Agartala Conspiracy Case (in which the Ayub Khan regime accused Sheikh Mujib and others of sedition). In 1969, East Bengal was rocked by an all-out people’s movement, then by a non-cooperation movement in 1971, and finally the all-out struggle for liberation. Sheikh Mujib, who spent months and years in prison, directed these political uprisings. He was the consummate architect.

In 1966, at a function devoted to Rabindrasangeet, he earnestly requested the great artiste Sanjida Khatun to sing Amar Sonar Bangla. Sanjida Khatun pointedly asked, why this particular song? Mujib, in his straightforward reply, said: “When we become a free, sovereign nation, we shall make this song composed by Kabiguru our national anthem.”

Such interventions prove beyond doubt that he had aspired to a free and independent Bangladesh since 1947. Obviously, this heart’s desire was fervently expressed in the historic speech he delivered on March 7, 1971. He said unequivocally, “I reject the post and position of the Prime Minister; my only commitment is to free my people.”

We are not surprised that since 1947 the Pakistani secret service had described Bangabandhu as a diehard anti-Pakistani element.

Q: But his phenomenal contribution, according to his critics, carried a few dark spots like Baksal or one-party rule and the formation of the Rakshi Bahini (a special security force). How would you explain this contradiction?

Kabir: Before we pass any summary verdict on this subject, we need to analyse the situation prevailing then. Bangladesh was going through an extremely difficult phase. Law and order was under threat and abysmal poverty had almost crippled the people. The situation had turned even more critical with the fundamentalist elements sharpening their weapons and the Left extremists (Naxalites) also baring their fangs.

On top of it, the US had cancelled its PL 480 assistance programme because Mujib had approved the export of jute to the bete noire of the US, Cuba. To put it candidly, Mujib had no option but to exercise firm control. However, even at that point, he had said these draconian steps were nothing more than time-bound measures.

Q: Mujib was supremely self-confident. He had declared, “Kono Bangali amare marbana (No Bengali will ever try to kill me).” But the tragic truth is that he was assassinated by Bengalis.

Kabir: What is most tragic and distressingly unfortunate is that he was killed by Bengali agents of Pakistan. The well-known journalist David Frost had interviewed him in April 1972. Frost asked him how he would describe his relationship with his people. He answered, “I love my people.”

When Frost asked, “What is the nature of your disqualification,” he replied, “I love them far too much.”

Obviously, this burning love was nothing more than an outlier in the dark and suspicious world of politics. Those who killed him – diehard political elements – were not moved by his expression of deathless love.

Indeed, Indira Gandhi had rung him twice over the red telephone to warn him. She said some nefarious elements in the army were planning to assassinate him. Mujib paid no heed to this warning. He replied in his characteristic manner, “The Pakistanis could not kill me; why should my own children attempt to murder me?” Well, the tragedy occurred.

Q: Two other great Bengalis – Rabindranath and Netaji --- had a profound influence on him. How would you measure this impact?

Kabir: I should begin with the statement that he was not particularly enamoured of Mahatma Gandhi. Although he adopted Gandhi’s non-cooperation programme, his writings do not refer to Gandhi in any mentionable way.

But he goes back to Tagore repeatedly. Not only did he choose his song Amar Sonar Bangla as the national anthem much before the Liberation, he had during his prison terms concentrated on Tagore’s poems. He had requested his wife to send him a copy of Sanchayita. He knew several poems of Tagore by heart and used to quote his lines again and again.

As for Netaji, he (Mujib) was mesmerised by his bravery and humaneness, his secularism in particular. He had a special love for militants like Khudiram (Bose), Surya Sen, Bagha Jatin and, above all, Netaji, whose flaming broadcasts he would listen to regularly. It is not an exaggeration to say that Netaji steeled his resolve and inspired him to launch his movement.

All said and done, he was the most charismatic and visionary Bengali to have loved and laboured in the last century.