সদস্যদের শপথ ও ইলেক্টোরেট বিল
১০ অক্টোবর ১৯৫৬
ঢাকা
Dacca, 10th October, 1956
The National Assembly of Pakistan met in the East Pakistan Assembly Chamber Dacca
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: On a point of order, Sir. You have allowed him to speak on the Bill, but he is discussing about your rules and procedure whether you can suspend the rule or not. Mr. Choudhury was supporting the point of order of Mr. Farid Ahmad and also supporting that of the Leader of the Opposition. Now, Sir, he has started speaking about food and the merits and demerits of the Constitution and of clause 145 of the constitution. I would, therefore, request you, sir, to ask him to concentrate on the relevant point.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: It is a one clause Bill and there are Mr. Chundrigar, Mr. Daulatana and Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury and they only require half an hour to submit amendments. Everybody under stands why they want time. We know that it is only delaying tactics When they were in the Government party they forced 12 members of Mr. Suhrawardy’s party to sit up to 3 at night for nothing.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Point of order. Sir, What does the Honourable Member mean by saying that citizens of Pakistan want the help of the other countries. Is it possible that members of the minority community who are sitting in the House will hear this and will not protest against the insinuation…
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: You appeal to the Leader of the House through the speaker and not directly.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Pakistan: Muslim): Sir, we had no intention to speak about this question which has been raised by Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury as it should have been left to the Leader of the single-party majority opposition. sir, let us take some history of the United Front Party for the purpose of clarifying the stand taken by my friend, Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury, who has declared that the United Front is a party. I tell you. Sir, that it is no party at all. The United Front combined some other parties to fight against Muslim League and as you know. Sir, it included Awami League. Gantantari Dal. Krishak Sramik, Nizan-e-Islam Parties having their own party, their own organization, their own leaders. Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury
has also unfortunately said that a minor group crossed the other side. But he should remember that this group was not in minority, rather it was a majority group of the United Front. Here, Sir, I would like to say about his party position. He has claimed 12 members in his party while the Muslim League has got 11 members out of which one is an associate member. The Muslim League Party is the only party both inside and outside the House with certain standing. What about Mr. Hamidul Huq’s party which he calls the United Front party. That is not a party but that is a group of which he claims to be the leader and that is how he claims to be the Leader of the Opposition. I cannot understand what is the meaning of this opposition Party. A party which is consolidated as one party with one consolidated organization if it is a single-majority party it can claim to be an Opposition party and its leader can perhaps be called the Leader of the Opposition. We know, Sir, that you as Speaker of the House have discussed this matter with the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Muslim League Party, Mr. Chundrigar and Mr. Hamidul Huq of the United Front group, As I said, Sir, there is no United Front Party and we do not accept that, because truly speaking this United Front Party was composed of the Naizam-e-Islam Party and others in order to fight the last general election for the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly. Now, Sir, what is the position at the present moment? The Nizam-e-Islam Party have declared that they have no connection with they United Front and they adopted a resolution to that effect. Secondly, there is the group of Mr. Abdus Salam Khan, Mr. Abdul Karim and Mr. Mafizul Huq have declared that they have no connection with the United Front Party. so, Sir, you can see that this United Front was formed only for the purpose of running the genera election in East Pakistan and not for the Central parliamentary party or Central politics. Let Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury sit with the Muslim League Party and decide amongst themselves and submit to you their decision about their leadership. The Leader of the House will accede to it. If the Muslim League claim that they are in a majority, if Mr. Hamidul Huq claims that his party is in majority and if Maulana Athar Ali also claims that his party is in majority then there is no end of the dispute and I do not know whose claim could be accepted. They should decide themselves as to who will be the Leader of the Opposition and so far as the Government side is concerned we have no objection to accept him.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Mr. Speaker, Sir. After long years we have got our Constitution which was framed by the Coalition Ministry, viz, Muslim League and United Front. At that time we demanded that the electorate issue should also be decided. But unfortunately the Muslim League-United Front party decided to postpone it on the Plea that public opinion was to be obtained. Sir, the Muslim League who ruled the country for eight years failed to frame the Constitution. Now, again they want to postpone this issue on the ground of eliciting public opinion and they have put in three amendments to the Bill, one by Mr. Aziz Din of the Muslim League who has given the time-limit of 15th December, another by Mr. Latif Biswas who has not given any time-limit, and the third by Mr. Rashdi who has given a time-limit of 15th November, Sir When anything comes before the House for a decision they want to postpone it on the plea that we have not taken public opinion there on. I hope my friends will withdraw their amendments, because we have given sufficient time to the country and the two Houses have given verdicts – West Pakistan has given their verdict in favour of separate electorate and East Pakistan for joint electorate. The people of East and West Pakistan have accepted this verdict. So there can be no question of obtaining further public opinion in the matter. It is only delaying tactics adopted by the Muslim League during their long eight years’ rule in the country. We have seen that the Muslim League has done four things during their regime, viz., corruption, nepotism, bribery and machination and, Sir, they are speaking about Islam and religious matters. Sir, I am not a Maulana, I want to deal with the matter in a practical manner. My friends, Mr. Fazlur Rahman and Mr, Daulatana, Delivered very good speeches. Mr. Daulatana knows very good English and his speech is a good literature, but there is nothing in it, they signify nothing.
Sir, Mr. Bari said that if there is no separate electorate there will be no Islam in Pakistan. Mr. Fazlur Rahman said that he has achieved Pakistan on the basis of religion which is the only the between East Pakistan and West Pakistan want to tell Mr. Fazlur Rahman that Muslims wanted Pakistan not on the question of religion but on the question of economy. Because the Muslims in India were poor, they wanted safeguard for the minorities and they wanted a homeland. I Would mention here for the minorities and they wanted a homeland. I Would mention here for the information of the House that the Lahore Resolution did not contemplate exchange of population, even on a small scale for if only said that the geographically contiguous units should be demarcated into regions which should be so constituted, with such territorial re-adjustments as might be necessary, that the areas in which the Muslims were numerically in a majority as in the North-Western and Eastern Zones of India Should be grouped to constitute independent States. Thus it is clear that the Lahore Resolution was never intended to carry the two-nation theory to its logical conclusion, complete exchange of population between Hindu India and Muslim India.
Now, Sir, you can understand what was the idea of Muslims of India to get Pakistan for their homeland. Some Maulanas of the Nizam-e-Islam Party declared jehad. That decision is against the fundamental principle of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. As declared by Mr. Suhrawardy there are about 50 crores of Muslims in thee world. But in Pakistan we have only 7 crores Muslim population. According to the Nizam-e-Islam party, Mr. Bari and Mr. Fazlur Rahman we Muslims of Pakistan are not Mussalmans. Sir, in Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Indonesia, Iran, China, and also Russia, in all these places there is joint electorate and even in Morocco, Iraq and Sudan there is joint electorate. So according to my Maulana friends of the Nizam-e-Islam Party the people of all these places are not Muslims.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I have to raise this question because I have to refute one thing which Mr. Fazlur Rahman said that Mr. Suhrawardy will destroy Pakistan. I want to tell him that they have ruined Pakistan and if Pakistan is to be saved it will be saved by Mr. Suhrawardy and nobody else.
According to them we East Pakistani Muslims are not Muslims because we want joint electorate and in West Pakistan they are Muslims because they want separate electorate. we have seen fatwas from Maulanas, Particularly from the Nizam-e-Islam and Moudodi group that if there is joint electorate Islam will be in danger. Sir, Mr. Athar Ali, Mr. Nurul Huq Chaudhury and Mr. Farid Ahmed all these three have been elected to the National Assembly on the Nizam-e-Islam ticket on the joint votes of the Hindus and Muslims. They did not oppose this joint voting which made them members of the National Assembly. And now they are opposing joint electorate in the country. Here we are working jointly, passing laws and other things which according to them have become illegal and Na-jaez’. Similarly as the Constitution was passed on the joint votes of both Hindus and Muslims. according to them, that has also become un-Islamic. Sir, in East Pakistan we are voting jointly for the last 30 or 40 years in the District Boards Municipalities and the Union Board elections. All these bodies according to Maulana Moududi are un Islamic no doubt. Mr. Fazlur Rahman said that Hindus who opposed Pakistan cannot be expected to be loyal to Pakistan. What about the Maulnas of the Nizam-e-Islame Hind and Maulana Moududi and Maulana Ataulla and other Maulanas who also opposed Pakistan taking the money of the Congress.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, Allah will judge what I said about the Maulanas and not Maulana Athar Ali.
Sir, the Jamiat-e-Islamia supported the Muslim League on the achievement to Pakistan. But after the achievement of Pakistan when there was a great killing at Lahore and there was a court of enquiry by Justice Munir, now the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, what Maulana Moududi said about the Quaid-e-Azam and what did he say about Pakistan. The book is with me. I can place it on the Table. We Should not forget one point that is, we have got three crores of Musalmans in India who have sacrificed and suffered for the achievement of Pakistan. Maulana Moududi declared in a question and answer form – “(Q) If we have this form of Islamic Government in Pakistan, Will you permit Hindus to base their constitution on the basis of their own religion? (A) Certainly, I should have no objection even if the Muslims of India are treated in that form of Government as Shudras and malechachs and Manu’s Laws are applied to them, depriving them of all share in the Government and the rights of a citizen, In fact such a state of affairs already exists in India. what the Maulana Moududi did say about the Shudras. At the time of Partition an agreement was arrived at that the Muslims of India will be treated equally with the Hindus; similarly in Pakistan the Hindus will be treated equally with the Muslims. We have some responsibility for the Muslims of India who sacrificed everything for Pakistan and we should not leave them at the hands of the Hindu Mahasabha, Sir, they speak of two-nation theory. Why do they not speak of five-nation theory? If that be the case then let the Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Parsees have their everything separate, viz, their Assemblies, their Speaker and their own Minister.
One Point I want to raise, Sir, is that if we go to other countries, should we say on our passport “Pakistani Hindu, Pakistani Muslim, Pakistani Christian”? Is it not better that when we go to foreign countries we say we are Pakistanis-we are Pakistanis first, Pakistanis last and Pakistanis at all times. they however want to create such a situation where we may say we are Pakistani Muslims, Pakistani Christians and Pakistani Hindus, etc.
Sir, I may now refer to some of the attacks made by some of my friends opposite. Now, Sir, a scion has come from the Krishak Seramik Party. Their leader is Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury and the standing Resolution of this party is joint electorate. The manifesto issued by them supports joint electorate but now they have declared their support to the separate electorate. I cannot understand on what principle their policies are based. Now, Mr. Fazlur Rahman has declared that in the Awami League Council meeting Mr. Suhrawardy opposeed it. He is an old Parliamentarian who has been a Minister in the Central Government for long four, five or six years …..
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I will come to the point. You have allowed him to make an incorrect statement. I am now giving his qualifications; how many qualifications he has.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: He was the Minister for Education, for Industries, for Economic Affairs and a number or other Departments and he betrayed the people of East Pakistan from beginning to end. Now he has declared that Mr. Suhrawardy opposed joint electorate at the Awami League Council meeting. I may tell him that Mr. Suhrawardy delivered his speech at the Awami League Council meeting supporting joint electorate.
Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury: When was it?
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: It was in Dacca. Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury: When was it? In 1955?
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: In 1954 or 1955. I am not sure.
Now we have been told by Mr. Fazlur Rahman that we have declared for joint electorate in order to catch the minority votes. There was a Ministry – the Minister of Mr. Abu Hussain Sarkar -in which Mr. Basanta Kumar Das and Mr. Majumdar were Ministers. All the minorities were with the United Front Party in the Centre and in the Provinces. In the Centre Mr. A. K. Das was there. There was a coalition there. If our party was opposed to it we could have declared havoc in the country on the communal issue but we love our country, we love our people and our policy is based on definite programme and one of the items of that programme is that Pakistan is to be saved from disturbances in the country on a communal basis. That is the case and still we are told that we want joint electorate to catch the vote. Mr. Fazlur Rahman does not know that during the last nine years almost everyone of our workers has suffered for three or four or five years in jail According to the law of democracy today one man is in power, tomorrow he may be in the Opposition, If you want to give us a challenge we are ready to take it and say that the people of East Pakistan have voiced their support to the joint electorate. So far as he is concerned I give him a challenge that if tomorrow he contests, whether it be on joint or separate electorate, he will forfeit his deposit money!
Now, Sir, Mr. Suhrawardy’s integrity has been challenged: that Mr. Suhrawardy is a British toy! I may tell Mr. Fazlur Rahman that during his long administration he has economically, financially, socially and culturally-in all respects-ruined East Pakistan, rather the whole of Pakistan, not merely inside but also outside Pakistan. It is Mr. Suhrawardy and his Coalition Party which will establish full sovereignty of Pakistan and there will be a foreign policy for Pakistan which the whole world will recognize and they will say that Pakistan has now got an independent foreign policy and that Pakistan has now got a Government and that Pakistan will develop rapidly because Mr. Suhrawardy is a man who knows how to work, what does Mr Fazlur Rahman understand? We know many things about all these people. I do not like to attack anybody personally.
Now, Sir, Mian Bari has questioned the loyalty of some of my friends.
He has said that the Hindus by giving money will purchase Muslims of East Pakistan if there is a joint electorate. Sir, I do not like to say-but still I have to say: it might hit many of my friends-that in the year 1946 there were – you know, Sir, you have come from Bengal and the district of Barisal – Hindul zamindars, Hindu businessmen Hindu money-lenders, Hindu talukdars, Hindu advocates and Hindu doctors. The Mussalmans of Bengal voted for Pakistan on the call of the Quaid-i-Azam though crores of rupees had been spent. I want to mention here that at that time in the Punjab there was the Unionist Ministry of Khizir Hyat Khan and there was no Muslim League Ministry there. It was in Bengal that there was a Muslim League Ministry. In the Frontier Province also there was a Congress Ministry. Now, in the Frontier Were massacred. Of course, I do not question the bona fides of those people there I salute them – who fought against the Britishers as they had to undergo long periods of jail where they remained for years and years in their fight against the Britishers. I respect them. Now, that there has been a partition and we have got Hindus living in Pakistan, who are serving Pakistan and who will serve Pakistan like all other citizens of Pakistan they should be treated on equal footing. This is a principle of our policy which we intend to follow.
Now, Sir, these people say they will purchase Mussalmans of Bengal. I may tell my friends opposite that during the last general elections in East Pakistan in the year 1954 the Muslim League had spent from 25 to 30 lakhs of rupees against the combined United Front which had only spent about Rs. 1 lake, and they were heavily defeated here. Only nine seats they got out of 309. Why could they not purchase the Mussalmans of East Pakistan? I have toured many of the countries of the world and I also know the Mussalmans of Bengal and I know that they are better Mussalmans than others. They might be illiterate but they are not fools and to say that 15 per cent.of the population will govern and purchase the 85 per cent of Muslims and recapture their seats what do you think about it? What do they think about East Pakistan Mussalmans. It is an insult to question the loyalty of the Mussalmans of East Pakistan. When they were 46 per cent. in Bengal they failed to be purchased, except by betrayers who now are supporting the separate electorate, I know I do not like to mention names-but I would ask the Maulana Sahib to keep his head on his shoulders and tell one of his Ministers, who was in the previous Government, that the Hindus opposed Pakistan from beginning to end. Sir, I do not like to say that Mr. Basanta Kumar Das and Mr. Ashrafuddin Chaudhury joined together and as Ministers there was no agreement.
(Interruptions)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: He was after all a Minister. He wants to sit in the front! Mr. Nurul Huq was a Minister on behalf of the Nizam-i-Islam party at the Centre. M. K. K. Dutta was also a Minister and they were governing the country by sitting together. Is it not a crime; is it not Najaiz ? But when we Muslims and Hindus and Christians vote together it becomes un-Islamic and we will go to Dozakh”
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: They say that Pakistan will be divided. Pakistan will continue! Pakistan will continue whether Mr. Fazlur Rahman is there or Mr. Bari is there or Mr. Suhrawardy is there. Pakistan has come to stay, and it will continue.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I am sorry. I say Maulana Mian Abdul Bari. We know public opinion and if the people of West Pakistan are educated they will accept joint electorate for the whole of Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: We want to work for the betterment of the country and do something for the poor. The Muslim League have ruined them and finished them.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I had no intention to speak today on the food problem because I am habituated to see the crocodile tears of my friends sitting opposite. My friend, Mr. Ramizuddin, a new member of this House, has criticised personally the Chief of the Awami League and the Prime Minister of Pakistan. It was not fit on the part of Mr. Ramizuddin whose character is well known to every body in East Pakistan to criticise Mr. Suhrawardy.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: You have done blackmarketing in your own constituency. I know. it; everybody else knows it. Sir, we know the character of these people. sir, Coming to the point, the Awami League Party had given some practical suggestions to the them Government of East Pakistan to solve the problem but they were not at all considered by that Ministry. Only a month before the present Ministry of East Pakistan has come into power and the people have seen and know it how this Government is tackling with the food situation. Sir, our party from the very beginning of the food crisis had been drawing the attention of both the Central and Provincial Governments at that time to the acute food situation in the Province but they remained lethargic and did not take it seriously. Perhaps you will remember, Sir, because you happen to be Speaker of the House since quite a long time, we moved an adjournment motion on food in Karachi in the month of September, 1955, Wherein we had drawn the attention of the Central Government to this serious situation. Mr. Suhrawardy, Maulana Bhashani and hundreds of other political workers of our party shouted that the food position in East Pakistan was very very serious but unfortunately the then Central Government and the Provincial Government never informed the House or the country or to the People that the situation was worse. Sir, last time when you came here, after you had visited your constituency in Barisal District, you issued a statement on the unsatisfactory distribution of rice in that area and when you went to see the then Chief Minister in that connection, he threatened you and asked you “why did you issue the statement” and you were asked to immediately leave the province. Sir, you being the Speaker of the House, were a nonparty man. You came to see the condition yourself and you issued a statement that food situation was very serious. Sir, is it not a fact that you were asked to go back from Dacca? You cannot deny the fact. Is it not a fact that in the month of September and October, 1955 and even from the very begining in Karachi, many times we drew the attention of the House and the then Central Government that food situation was going to be worse day by day but they always denied it; they also contradicted your statement that the people were dying of hunger and starvation in spite of the fact that there were 33 lakhs maunds of rice in thee godowns. They distributed the rice without any programme, without any planning as to how to sell, Who will sell, in what area they will sell. One of the Ministers declared: We will give so much rice that it will be flooded” and they flooded so much that the people have died. The then Government of East Pakistan gave order to the District and Sub-Divisional Magistrates that M.L.A.s will recommend. But recommendation is one thing and taking permit is another thing. I can give this assurance to the House that within five or ten days a list will be prepared which will show the names of the persons who sold rice in blackmarket and how they earned their money and such people shall bee punished by this Government. An investigation is going on in the matter as to who has taken so much of rice and where has he sold.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: You will welcome it because you have taken permit. But there are people who are very much frightened to hear this and they are so much frightened that they might leave the country for ever and ever.
(At this stage Mr. Ramizuddin Ahmad stood up and was seen by Mr, Speaker.
Mr. Speaker: Please do not interrupt.)
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: He is very much adamant. Then Sir, I asked the then Central Government how much deficit will be this year; some said that there was the deficit of one lakh tons, some said there was the deficit of 3 lakh tons. But they did not understand how many tons we required for East Pakistan. People had no purchasing power. You will agree with me that even during normal times, the month of October is considered to be the worst month as far as the food situation is concerned but still they did not take notice of this and remained a silent spectator. My friend, Mr. Sattar, said that “O, you have agitated this hungry mass”. My friend tried to bring some people from Jinzira to Dacca for the Purpose of demonstration when the Assembly was sitting here. He asked the people to come to Dacca and demonstrate before the Assembly but he failed in his attempt because the people are quite satisfied with our efforts. Our prime Minister and the Central Government has sent telegrams to all over the world, even to India, Burma, Thailand, Italy and even to China to send us foodgrains and the Central Government has received offers from many countries. But, Sir, you know the capacity of our Chittagong and Chalana Ports. You know the shipping arrangement of our country; we cannot bring food all at once from all these places on account of nonavailability of shipping space. We are going to hoard at least 5 lakh tons of foodgrains in Government godown very shortly. We have tried all sources to procure foodgrains and we have succeeded to a very Targe extent and the situation is in hand. The then Chief Minister of East Bengal said that let somebody die. But why did he not die; why did he ask the people to die?
Sir, you are aware that when Mr. Abdul Latif Biswas was Minister-in-charge of the Food Department he declared on the floor of the House that the food situation was under control. The then Foreign Minister once thought that Government would be able to solve the food problem in East Bengal. He declared that it would be managed by the Central Government and the Provincial Government. But, Sir, you remember that when we came to power 15 days before I found that the people were starving I can challenge that not a single worker of the Awami League asked any people to make a march to Dacca or to make any hunger march to the city. They came of their own initiative in a starving condition in search of food and they came in thousands what did we do? They were given milk by the Government and with the help of the Police food was distributed to the poor masses. What happened during the hunger marches? Instead of food they received lathi charge and bullets and several persons were killed. Such a thing never took place anywhere in the world. No Government in any country could perpetrate such cruelties on hungry people except the United Front Government here and the Government at the Centre at that time. The hungry people who sought food were killed mercilessly in the Dacca areas. We have come to power only a few days ago. We have told the world that we have brought the food situation under control. We are asking all other Government to help us. As soon as we came to power we had conferences at the Government House and then we went to Karachi and held Cabinet meetings and arranged permits for people to bring rice from Karachi. But your permits failed to bring rice from Karachi. I know many things about the Central Hotel affairs. I know the jainamaz and Koran affair. somebody have taken these as bribes. I am however investigating into this matter. It is most disgraceful that people will take the jainamaz and the Holy Koran as bribes. Time will come when you will see what will happen to these people. They minimized the food situation in their own interest.
These M. L. A.s were anxious to keep their party intact and issued permits to their followers. When we came to power we found that rice was selling at Rs. 7 to Rs. 80 per maund. There was a downward tendency again in the month of October. The Chief Minister and the Food Minister ordered that they could keep a single stock in the godown. One crore of rupees as agricultural loan was given. All that is possible should be done. We cannot allow our people to die for food. what is the position now? Free distribution of food is going on in Dacca and in the Suburban areas. In Kamalapur and Fakirapul areas 2 maunds of rice is distributed everyday, we are collecting money from the public and the workers. They are cooking food and distributing food to the people. We have also started gruel kitchens. Altogether 22 gruel kitchens have been working and we have introduced rations in some areas, and increased ration is being given. History will show what we have done in this matter. When our friends speak about the conditions of the masses I feel as if I am drawing my sword from the sheath. I shall not say anything more now. The Food Minister will reply.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Mr. Speaker, Sir, unfortunately my friends who have spoken about food problem, particularly Mr. Abdul Latif Biswas the ex-Food Minister of the Government of Pakistan, and Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury, ex-Foreign Minister of the Government of Pakistan, and Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury, ex-Foreign Minister of the Government of Pakistan have criticised not the food policy, but such small matters which are the concern of the Provincial Governments. Sir, while discussing this food problem they started from hell and finished at heaven or started from heaven and finished at hell and they did not spare anything in the world.
Sir, I feel ashamed to answer to the questions and the speeches of Mr. Biswas and Hamidul Haq Chaudhury, because the country knows. the world knows and the people of Pakistan know what these people did when they were the Ministers to solve the food problem. Sir, you were the Speaker of this House in the year 1956 and also in 1955, you will recall how our Leader, Mr. Suhrawardy, and the members of the Awami League tried to discuss the food problem and impressed upon the Government that the food situation in the country was getting out of control and people were dying. We never utilised this issue as a political one or a personal one. You know, Sir, there was a hot debate in this House; what was the reply given by the Food Minister then? Well, I tell this House they never informed the people, they never took the country into confidence by telling that there was a serious food problem in the country and actually nobody knew that the food position had grown so serious, because they never informed any body. On the other hand what they did was that they stored lakhs of tons of rice and wheat in their godowns and they distributed these foodgrains to their nephews, their brothers-in-law and their party M.L.A.s only to be sold in blackmarket and smuggled across the border. That is the root cause of the deterioration in food situation. Sir, when we came into power we set ourselves seriously to tackle this problem. we are indeed grateful to the Central Government and other countries of the world who helped us in our mission, but we do not say that we have solved the problem fully. Sir, one thing you can say sincerely and honestly that we have worked so honestly that nobody in my party of the country in East Pakistan, can say that we have bungled the food position of East Pakistan after we came into power. Can Mr. Hamidul Haq Choudhury and other Muslim Leaguers, who are now speaking big things, Challenge us? We have given a befitting reply in the recent bye-elections, which means that we have to some extent solved the food problem. These people spoke to the people, “We will give you food, all this and that”, but they could not get the people behind them; they on the other hand lost their votes miserably and the result was that they were defeated in almost all the constituencies. The people knew full well that we were honest and sincere in solving the food problem, and they gave us vehement support in winning the elections. Sir, Mr. Biswas has spoken about the corruption and favouritism. Sir, you know that 1,600 cases of corruption were investigated when he was the Minister in East Pakistan and he had appointed his son-in-law, who was only a Sub-Inspector of Food Supplies, to the Jute Board on promotion on a salary of Rs. 1,000 per month. Can he speak of corruption and favouritism in face of what he did; all the people in East Pakistan know what frauds they had committed and the result was that they could not face the public.
Sir, about the smuggling a theory has been advanced by Hamidul Haq Choudhury and Mr. Biswas has severly criticized us. During their regime in East Pakistan everybody knows that there was wholesale smuggling across the borders i.e. from East Pakistan to West Bengal What they did to stop that? Nothing at all. Whereas to end this menace we have taken the help of military, we have posted special police, we have sent our ML.A.S and we have invited all the parties to help us stop smuggling to eradicate these inhuman activities, to end this anti-social element form our society. Let me inform you, Sir, that in this noble task not a single M. L. A. from the Krishak Praja Party, unfortunately, has come forward.I am talking about this Krishak Praja Party who has no leader and who has no manifesto, not a single M. L. A. came to work with us. May I ask Mr. Biswas and Mr. Hamidul Haq Choudhury that when they were Ministers how much money did they spend from the Government Exchequer to meet their own ends? They have never learnt to suffer for the people, to make sacrifices for the people. I know when he was a Minister what he did to smuggle the grains to Calcatta; he had his agents there to work for him and he facilitated the process of smuggling by organized conspiracy and sent the foodgrains form East Pakistan to West Bengal; and today he speaks about corruption and smuggling. He today is making a tall talk. Not a single man in East Pakistan has got any respect or regard for them. On the other hand we have suffered, we have made sacrifices for the people and the people have faith in us, and that is why we are sitting today on Government Benches, nothing more and nothing less.
Sir, he talked of the Tripurra State that there is no chance of smuggling there. How the prices soared in that particular place when he was in charge of the Government? And today, Sir, I am glad to be able to inform this House that we have almost stopped smuggling from East Pakistan to West Bengal we have put the whole machinery into action both official and non-official. As the corruption is concerned I know it is everywhere, because our Muslim Leaguers who ruled this country for about eight or nine years have set the roots of corruption and sowed the seeds and never hesitated to earn any money that came their way. The man in the street knows all about it and they spared no efforts to starve the people there in East Pakistan, and today they are speaking of corruption. We feel for the country, we feel for the people. Although we know that to root out corruption is a difficult task, yet we are sparing no efforts to eradicate this evil and to improve the lot of the common man. We have no desire to monopolise the Ministry but service is our motto and devotedly we are working. We are aware and the people are aware how Section 92A was applied there in those times, these Muslim Leaguers had made a mess, We have no such desire of monopoly, to keep ourselves in power at any cost. When we find that we cannot solve the food problem we will go out of the office, we will not remain in office. They have talked about the procurement of foodgrains. We know our difficulties gentlemen, we have not failed to procure,we have procured something, we are getting help from the people and we have already started over it. We know what happened in Dacca on the 4th of December, 1956. Let me assure the Members that if we cannot face the people by giving them food and the necessaries of life which is our responsibility, we will quit the show. In the last bye-elections we did not spend even a single penny from the Government Exchequer; can the Minister Leaguers deny what they did in the last general election in East Pakistan? Lakhs and lakhs of rupees were spent on party propaganda and the officials were used by them to come into power, but we have never done it. These people are speaking of character! We have never used any Government transport for election purposes-cannot think of that. They spent lakhs and lakhs and yet they are here to tell us “character”! They have ruined and demoralised the whole nation. We would require time to put the house in order. I cannot understand how shamelessly they can come and speak in ui House. They were Ministers of the Muslim League for nine 103 years-dismissed ministers, transferred ministers, this minister that minister. They went on for nine years without any plan or programme. I love my friend, Mr. Rashdi, and ask him, “Leave the Muslim League; you have no future in the Muslim League.”
Sir I do not want to take up much time of the House. We do not claim that we have solved the food problem. We are trying; we are trying our utmost to solve this problem. We cannot expect overnight results. We shall have our provincial session in the month of March. Unfortunately Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhury will not be there to tell us his philosophy and theories. He has failed as a Foreign Minister; he has failed as the Finance Minister. He has failed as a Foreign Minister; he has failed as the Finance Minister of Bengal. You know what he has done. I do not like to mention all those things. He has criticised our land system. We have called a conference of all sections of the people because we wanted their advice. we want to make reforms in our land system in East Bengal. But Mr. Choudhury knows where the shoe pinches. He has some land. He claims to be a landlord -unfortunately a small one. He should know he has no hope in the East. No landlord has any hope in the East. They must go to the masses. Exploiters have no political life in East. Insha-Allah, if God grants, say in June 1958, we will have our general elections. Let them see, I declare here in this House.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Pakistan: Muslim): Mr. Speaker! Sir, we are discussing the cut-motions that have been moved in regard to Industries and I have heard speeches from the Opposition, particularly the members of the Muslim League Party. Sir, I have heard the speech of Mian Mumtaz Daultana on behalf of the Muslim League criticising the industrial policy of Government of Pakistan and he has talked about Muslim League ideology. Sir, in this House they have not discussed the demand, but they have discussed the Muslim League ideology as a party policy. I do not know what that ideology is. Sir, this Government has been in office for the last five months and the public outside can judge what we have done for them; similarly, people also know what the Muslim League Government did for them for the last nine years that they have been in power. People will give a verdict as to who has done better things for them. Sir, Mian Mumtaz Daultana was telling us to do justice to East Pakistan because the Finance Minister has said that East Pakistan is under-developed and we must pay special attention to it-he has also criticised the policy in the same way. But, sir, What did the Muslim Leaguers do towards East Pakistan so far as industries are concerned. The Muslim League Government once appointed an expert to submit a report on the development of East Pakistan in the field of industries and that report was suppressed it in such a way that until now nobody knows about it. What was the reason for that? He had declared in that report that special attention should be paid to East Pakistan so far as industries were concerned. Sir, we have to live together like two brothers and if one hand is weak, the whole body is likely to go weak; if one limb is paralysed, the whole body is likely to paralyse; therefore, we must pay special attention to the neglected industries of East Pakistan. Mian Daultana spoke of the industries that have been established in East Pakistan. I do not know what industries have been established there but this much I know that we have developed sufficiently in West Pakistan so far as industries are concerned. Sir, I do not like to go into details but my demand upon the Government is that the Central Government should pay special attention because East Pakistan is heavily populated and it cannot be settled on agriculture alone; you have to set up industries there; we must start setting up industries there so that we employ more and more people in them. That is our ideology and we are working in that. But, Sir, let me tell you what is the ideology of the Muslim League Government. They had only one and one ideology and that is that they have given to Pakistan “corruption”, issuing permits to their relatives, to their friends and they have created the evil of favouritism so that they made the poor the poorer and the rich the richer. That so that they made the poor the poorer and the rich the richer. That is the ideology of the Muslim League. Mr. Khuhro was Chief Minister of Sind and later on Minister in West Pakistan; What did he do then Punjab and then a Minister in West Pakistan; What did he do during that period for the people? Mr. Yousuf Haroon was Chief Minister of Sind and also an Ambassador of Pakistan in Australia; What did he do in the two capacities for the sake of common man of Pakistan? And, now he is talking about the Commercial Secretaries and making wild allegations against this Government which has been in office for only five months. Now as members of the Opposition they are hurling abuses and making attacks on us and referring to Kagmari Conference and also to the Awami League’s Ideology. My friends should not forget that everyone of us had been for two or three years in jails and we have never surrendered to you; we had our ideology, we had our manifesto, we had our principles and we know how to sacrifice, which you people never have experienced
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: ‘You can only manipulate things in such a way that there will be corruption everywhere. I know the history of all of you. You read the proceedings of the last year and you will find it there. Now, it does not lie in your mouth to speak about Commercial secretaries, Mr. Haroon. Sir, What ideology they have given to Pakistan since the inception , since the birth of Pakistan? Our officers sincerely worked day and night because we had no sufficient officers in this country. But, Sir is it not a fact that these Muslims Leaguers made themselves corrupt because when the people at the helm of affairs are corrupt, the people under them are bound to be so, Everywhere there was corruption rampant. So, Sir, these Muslim Leaguers were discrediting Pakistan by their actions; they were spoiling the nation as a whole by corrupt means. Is it not a fact, Sir, that these Muslim Leaguers and Muslim Leaguers alone are responsible for creating this cleavage between East and West? Did the Awami Leaguers do that? No. It were the Muslim Leaguers who spread the venom of provincialism and sectarianism, why are the people of East Pakistan now saying that they have been for long neglected” Was it not due to the neglect of Muslim Leaguers? The people of East Pakistan were right in thinking that their position was not secure. Is it not a fact, Sir, that in the last Constituent Assembly of Pakistan five to six seats of East Pakistan were taken away by the Muslim Leaguers from West? Now, they are conscious that they will not give a single quota. These Muslim Leaguers, Sir, have created disaffection between East and West. They have thus harmed Pakistan as a whole.
Now, Sir, so far as industry is concerned, I have something to say to the Industries Minister as well as to the Finance Minister. I am now directing my attention towards the Treasury Benches.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Yes, Sir, every thing is said in the House is directed through you. Sir, we have discussed about agrarian reform. Mr. Daultana, who is really a brilliant and able speaker and I love his speech very much, does not have a tongue in his cheeks to speak on agrarian reform and against landlordism and for poor man of this country when he himself is enjoying zamindari of about 80 lakhs of rupees. Sir, I am really surprised to find how can he champion the cause of the landless when he himself owns vast acres of land and probably he is the biggest landlord of Pakistan, rather I may say and sometime I feel the biggest landlord of the world. I say to him, do something for the poor masses of Punjab, sacrifice something for them. Distribute your land to the landless labourers of Punjab; give them some land and then come and deliver speech here. Otherwise it is not proper for you to speak for them when you are yourself enjoying your life without working and by taking money of the poor workers. When these labourers have not been given any property right by you, then you should be ashamed of speaking of the land reform. Sir, Land reform is not possible until and unless landlordism is abolished from this country. Until and unless our peasants feel that landlordism is abolished, the Land cannot be developed which is the fundamental thing of the agrarian reform of the country. We say that we are not only concentrating our attention on the industrialization of country but we have to develop the country as a whole. we will come forward with agrarian reform.
Now, Sir, one word about small-scale industries. Sir, here I will draw the attention of the Commerce Minister and the Finance Minister that there was a conference in Dacca which was represented by representatives of both the wings as well as the Central Government. It was presided over by the Central Minister. We decided after discussing for two days long that we should start two Corporations, one for West Pakistan and another for East Pakistan, and we also recommended to the Central Government that one crore for each wing should be allocated for the small-scale and cottage industries Corporation.
Unfortunately, Sir, I have not seen any money in the budget for the setting up of this corporation. I expect the Finance Minister will kindly see to it that money is provided for this Corporation. Sir, you know there is very acute unemployment problem in both the parts of the country and if we can help our people with the setting up of cottage and small-scale industries and also handloom industries, we can employ our people and in this way we can solve our employment problem to a very considerable extent. We can also export our commodities; we can us our things; we can save foreign exchange if we help to develop our cottage industries and handicraft and also our small-scale industries. I am very sorry that no money has been sanctioned in the budget. I request the Finance Minister and the Commerce Minister that this money should have been provided for in the budget. I believe the Finance Minister has got many coffers and he can arrange money for us and I shall be glad to hear form him that he has provided money for this purpose. Sir, you know we are directly responsible to the people. The Central Government, they can save themselves easily in Karachi But our people come to us and we have to face them. We have to convince them. We have declared this that we have taken decision. My friend Mr. Qizilbash has declared in West Pakistan that money will be provided for this industry and I have declared as nation’s Minister in East Pakistan that we shall set up the Corporation and we have already started work. If you do not sanction this money, we will be untrue to our people.
Sir, there is another point to which I want to draw the attention of the Finance Minister, sir, you know there are Standing Committees of Parliament in respect of different Ministries. Fortunately or unfortunately I happen to be a member of the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Industries. There was a meeting of this Standing Committee in Karachi Which was attended by the representatives of the Governments of both the wings and the Central Government. After discussion we came to certain conclusions, and it was a very good sign for the first time in the history of Pakistan that the Central Minister was taking into consideration the demand of the provincial Governments. Then, Sir, Mr. Mansur Ahmad, the Minister of Industry, called an industrial conference here and the representatives of the Provincial Governments also attended it and we decided something in that conference. Mr. Mansur Ahmad also declared in the House the other day that he has handed over certain industries to the Provinces. But, Sir, we have not yet received any communication in that connection and I hope he will give communication to the provinces as soon as possible and we want to know what is the position. Sir, one fact which I forgot to mention earlier is that in the standing Committee which was presided over by the Industries Minister, we decided that two film Corporations should be set up, one in each wing. It was the recommendation of the Standing Committee but we do not know what has happened to that and for this purpose also I do not find any provision in the budget. Therefore, I request to the Finance Minister and also the Industries Minister to see that some-not some, I want full quota-amount should be sanctioned immediately because we have to continue our work and we have also promised for that to the people that we are going to set up film corporations, one for East Pakistan and the other for West. I hope the Finance Minister will accept my request.
Then, Sir, in conclusion I wish to say that the Central Government and particularly the Industries Minister should give special attention towards East Pakistan so far as industries are concerned. Sir, I do not like to discuss the details of the work of P. I. D. C. Which it has done in nine years of its activities. Sir, everybody knows that East Pakistan has been neglected for long nine years I do not want to discuss any more but I close my speech with the request that the Central Government should give special attention to it because we feel we have to do something for the country.
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 264-304, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani