Bangladesh & Global Studies 1 Chapter-1 The Political Movement in East Bengal and the Rise of Nationalism (1947-1970) At the midnight of 14 August 1947, the colonial rules of the Raj ended in India, and gave birth to two independent nations called India and Pakistan. The eastern part of Bengal was included in Pakistan as a province and named East Pakistan.The key part of Pakistan was called West Pakistan. The administrative power had been exercising by the elites of West Pakistan since the very beginning, and they engaged their political muscle in controlling the culture, economy, politics, and the social system of East Pakistan. So the people of East Pakistan organised protest against the injustice and discrimination, and started agitation and mass movement. The language movement was the first move to defend the honour of our mother tongue, Bangla. The Bengalis of then East Pakistan were united on the issue.The spirit of the language movement contributed a lot to launch agitation, demonstrations and mass movements against the Pakistani rulers that were communal, partial and autocratic in nature. Based on the historic 6 point demands, the people of East Bengal voted in favoure of the Bengali nationalism in 1970, and gave their verdict for a secular nation named Bangladesh. A national unity was urged on the identity based on language, history, tradition, culture and Bengali nationalism. This national unification is called the Bengali Nationalism that encouraged people to form a secular, non-communal Bangladesh, and after a bloody war of nine months, Bangladesh emerged as an independent country in 1971. In this chapter we will know about the political movement in East Bengal and the rise of nationalism. After reading this chapter, we will be able to- • explain the background and significance of • realize the spirit of the Bengali Nationalism; the language movement; • explain the reasons and consequences of the • analyse the significance of the language anti martial-law movement in 1958; movement in the formation of nationalism; • analyse the nature of discrimination between • explain the significance of declaring 21 West Pakistan and East Pakistan; February as the International Mother • explain the significance of the historic 6 point Language Day by the United Nation; demands; • be respectful to our own as well as the • explain the historic Agartala Case (State languages of others; Vs. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Others); • explain the reasons of forming the Awami • describe the background of the Mass Muslim League and the Jukto (United) Front; Uprising in 1969; • explain the impact of the election in 1954 of • evaluate the role of the mass movement as an the Jukto (United) Front; influence to the Liberation War; • understand the reason of transformation from • describe the election of 1970 and explain its the Awami Muslim League to the Awami aftermath; League in 1955, and explain the political • be conscious to defend the interest of the situation from 1958 onwards; country. Section 1.1: The Role of the Language Movement for Flourishing the Bengali Nationalism Background of the Language Movement Before the establishment of Pakistan, a debate erupted on the issue of the official language of the proposed country. As Mohammad Ali Jinnah proposed Urdu as the official language of the Muslim League in 1937, Sher-e-Bangla A K Fazlul Haque, a veteran leader of Bengal protested against it. When the division of India and the establishment of Pakistan was absolutely certain in 1947, the debate again sharpened on 2 Bangladesh & Global Studies the issue of the state language. On 17 May 1947, Chowdhury Kaliquzzaman and in July, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Aligarh proposed Urdu as the state language of Pakistan. Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah, an eminent linguist of East Bengal, Professor Dr. Muhammad Enamul Haque of the University of Dhaka and some other intellectuals protested against the proposal by writing articles in the newspapers. The Gano Azadi League, headed by Kamruddin Ahmed demanded the mother tongue as the medium of education in 1947. A cultural organization called Tamaddun Majlish was formed at the University of Dhaka headed by Professor Abul Kashem in September. In a meeting of the young workers of this organization on 6-7 September, it was unanimously decided to propose Bangla as a medium of education and legal proceedings. On 15 September, they published a booklet titled ‘What is the state language of Pakistan- Bangla or Urdu’. Then Tamaddun Picture 1.1: The Procession of the Majlish formed Rastrabhasha Sangram Porishad Language Movement (The National Language Action Committee). A fierce protest broke out in East Bengal when a decision was taken in an education conference in Karachi in December 1947 that Urdu should be the state language of Pakistan. People from all walks of life raised their voice to declare Bangla as the state language of Pakistan instead. Articles were published in the newspapers focusing on the demand, and in December, Rasrtabhasha Sangram Porishad was reorganised, and they brought out processions, rallies and held meetings at the University of Dhaka including the secretariat and other organisations. The Pakistan government imposed Section 144 and banned meetings and rallies. Dhirendranath Dutta, a member of the Pakistan Assembly (The Gano Porishad) demanded Bangla along with Urdu and English as the medium of proceedings in the Assembly on 23 February 1948. As his demand was rejected, there was a call for strike in Dhaka on 26 and 29 February. Rastrabhasha Sangram Porishad was reformed on 2 March at the University of Dhaka. March 11 was declared ‘A Call for Bangla Language Day’, and people forced the issue by striking. Founded on 4 January 1948, the East Pakistan Muslim Chatra League played a significant role to observe the protest. At least 69 protesters including Sheikh Mujib, Shamsul Haque, Oli Ahad were arrested while demonstrating, and strikes were observed on 13-15 March in protest against their arrest. Having no other way out, Khawja Nazimuddin, the Chief Minister of Pakistan signed an eight-point-agreement with the Rastrabhasha Sangram Porishad stated below: 1. All detainees in connection with the language movement would unconditionally be released; 2. A thorough investigation of the police atrocity would be initiated soon, and after its completion, the report would be made public; 3. A proposal of declaring Bangla as one of the state languages would be tabled in the Parliament of East Pakistan; 4. Bangla would replace English as the official language of East Pakistan; 5. All restrictions would be withdrawn from the newspapers; 6. No legal action would be taken against the participants of the language movement; 7. Section 144 imposed since 29 February would instantly be withdrawn; 8. The Chief Minister would unequivocally state that ’the language movement was not provoked by the enemies of the state. Bangladesh & Global Studies 3 Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Governor General of Pakistan, came Dhaka on 19 March 1948. He categorically declared in a public meeting arranged at the Racecourse (now Suhrawardy Uddayn) on 21 March, ‘Urdu and only Urdu shall be the state language of Pakistan’. When he repeated the declaration at the University of Dhaka, the students vehemently protested saying ‘No, No’. They also Group work: Make a chart spontaneously protested against the declaration made by Jinnah in the Racecourse. When the Pakistan successive of the events of the Government proposed to write Bangla by using the language movement. Arabic alphabets, the protest took a violent shape. Within a few months immediately after the emergence of Pakistan, the movement on the language issue boosted up the confidence in the Bengalis and strengthened the ideals of Bengali Nationalism as well. By defending the honour of the mother tongue, the people of East Bengal understood the importance of growing up as a nation. The minority ethnic groups of this land also supported Bangla, not Urdu as the state language of Pakistan. Khawja Najimuddin, the new prime minister of Pakistan followed the footsteps of his predecessor Jinnah and reiterated their vow on 26 January 1952 that Urdu would be the state language of Pakistan. Students again protested against the declaration by observing strike on 30 January. Rastrabhasha Sangram Porishad was reorganised with its new convener Abdul Matin. A fresh agitation began, and the political parties extended their supports to the movement. Students observed a strike on 4 February in Dhaka, and they called for a general strike on 21 February and decided to observe the day as the National Language Day. Abdus Salam Abul Barkat Abdul Jabber Shafiur Rahman Rafiquddin Ahmed Picture: 1.2: Language Martyrs They declared their firm determination to continue the movement until the demand was fulfilled. Imprisoned Sheikh Mujib, while under the treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, gave the students and the workers of the Awami Muslim League necessary instructions. After that, Sheikh Mujib and another detainee Mohiuddin Ahmed were transferred from Dhaka Central Jail to Faridpur district prison. As both of them went on a hunger strike demanding unconditional release of the arrested political leaders and immediate declaration of Bangla as the state language, the agitation received a great energy and enthusiasm. People’s opinion was drummed up. The government imposed Section 144 since 21 February onwards, and banned all meetings, rallies and procession for a month. The leaders moblising the movement discussed at length and were in dilemma whether they would violate the government order or not, but in the end, they decided to break the section 144. A meeting was held at Amtala (under the mango tree in front of the Dhaka Medical College) of the University of Dhaka at 11 am of 21 February. It was decided that they would bring out small processions comprising 10 persons.