Pakistan Observer
20 August 1967
Six-point group meets Awami League splits apart
(an OBSERVER report)
The break in the Awami League is now fait accompli after “Council” meeting by the Amena Begum group on Saturday. The Six-point group of the East Pakistan Awami League has finally decided to go-it-alone and not to join the Pakistan Democratic Movement.
They also took a move “to expel” those who had decided to join the PDM.
In a meeting of the EPAL, earlier declared illegal and cancelled by a requisitioned Working Committee meeting held on August 13 and 14 this group decided to immediately suspend from primary membership and all other posts 14 of the party’s leading members. The meeting also decided to serve a 15-day notice on these 14 leaders to show cause why they should not be expelled from the party,
The leaders against whom this Council meeting decided to take action are: Mr. Abdus Salam Khan, Mr. Zahiruddin, Mr. Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish, Mr. Mujibur Rahman (Rajshahi), Mr. Nurul Islam Chowdhury, Mr. Matiur Rahman, Mr. Abdur Rahman Khan, Mr. M. A. Rashid of Jessore, Mr. Raushan Ali, Mr. Mominuddin Ahmed, Mr. Laqiatullah, Mr. Rahimuddin Ahmed, Mr. Saad Ahmed and Mr. Jalaluddin Khan.
The charge against them is breaking party discipline and indulging in activities prejudicial to the party. The basis of the charge is the decision of the leaders to work with PDM and to hold the requisitioned Working Committee meeting.
Mujib’s view
He then pointed out that the intention of the pro PDM leaders was to avoid the Council meeting and it was upto the Council meeting to take final decisions. Syed Nazrul Islam also said that he had met Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in jail on Thursday. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had told him that if the Council accepted the Eight-Point Programme of the PDM he would accept it but if the councillors decided to uphold the six-point programme he would be grateful. Syed Nazrul Islam claimed. His speech was followed by the report of the acting General Secretary Mrs. Amena Begum which also narrated the same details.
An informed Awami League source, however, told me that the last rapprochement broke off because the Six-Point group insisted on the point that no Awami League member would be able to work with the PDM as long as the Council meeting had not taken any firm decision in this respect. While bickering went on about this point the appointed time of a meeting with the pro PDM group was over and it was only then that the decisions of the requisitioned Working Committee were released to the press. Even so the pro PDM leaders had agreed to withdraw the release. But as there was no agreement on the disabling clause insisted on by the pro SixPoint group it could not be done he told me.
After Mrs. Amena Begum’s speech Mr. Qamruzzaman, MNA, moved the resolution to carry on with the six-points and not to join the PDM.
Then there was the resolution demanding suspension of the 14 leaders. But this proceeding was marked by raising and counter raising of hands. Workers also admitted that the issue had been rendered more difficult that the eyes could meet because there was also a realisation among the saner elements. The Council meeting’ also set up a 3 member committee comprising Syed Nazrul Islam, Mrs. Amena Begum and Mr. M. A. Aziz of Chittagong to take necessary actions about the 14 leaders. The meeting adopted two resolutions, one on united action and another blanket resolution on burning issues of the day in 10 minutes time and called it a day. Resolutions were also passed condoling the death or Miss Fatema Jinnah and the victims of June 7 firing.
The meeting was also addressed by Mr. Farid Ahmed Tirmizi, Mr. Abu Asim and Mr. Abdul Malek of Karachi Awami League who pledged their support for the Six-Point programme and levelled charges of high-hanoedness against Nawab Zada Nasrullah Khan and Mr. Ghulam Jilani Malik of Pakistan Awami League.
সূত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু তৃতীয় খণ্ড: ষাটের দশক॥ দ্বিতীয় পর্ব