92-A এর ব্যাপারে বঙ্গবন্ধুর ভাষণ
৪ অক্টোবর ১৯৫৫
করাচী
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Bengal: Muslim): Opposing the motion of Mr. Chundrigar, I want to tell you, Sir, that for seven years we have tested 92-A and now I feel that we have to again taste 93. Sir, Mr. Abul Mansur Ahmad had given the details. You know how the Central Government imposed 92-A in Bengal. You can easily understand that they have now given powers to the Central Government under 93. Our Prime Minister Chaudhuri Mohammad Ali then was Finance Minister of Pakistan. You can easily remember, Sir, that Khwaja Nazimuddin was the rime Minister of Pakistan. Three days before Khwaja Nazimuddin got the full confidence of the House and got the budget passed from this House but three days later he was dismissesd and our Prime Minister Choudhuri Mohammad Ali was the finance Minister then. Unfortunately, he is not in his seat now. The next moment a man coming from Washington became Prime Minster of Pakistan even though he was not a Member the House and our Finance Minister became a Minister under Mohammad Ali. Three days before he gave full support to Khwaja Nazimuddin but three days later when he saw that the Ministro had been dismissed, and Mr. Mohammad Ali was brought from Washington to Karachi and was made the Prime Minister Chaudhuri Mohammad Ali joined the Cabinet again as Finance Minister. Sir, I do not like to give more history. I do not want to discuss the history of seven years of Pakistan but many friends sitting on the other side including our ‘great leader’-of Sind, Mr. Khuhro, can understand what is called 92-A because he was also dismissed. I must also say about our friend, Honourable Mr. Daultana. The whole House was supporting him and Mr. Nazimuddin was the prime Minister of Pakistan at that time. He went to Lahore and said, “Either you resign or I will impose 92-A.” The whole House was supporting Mr. Daultana and all the members of the Legislative Assembly were supporting him but he was forced to resign and our the then Governor of East Bengal who is now a member of the House and is now sitting with us, Mr. Firoz khan Noon, became the Chief Minister. The same was the position with regard to Bahawalpur, The Chief minister there, Makhdumzada Hasan Mahmood, was dismissed and Section 92-A was imposed. The same thing happened with Sardar Rashid. He is now a member of this House. He was dismissed because he opposed one unit and another man was brought in his place Sardar Bahadur Khan – Who is not even a member of the Provincial House. Mr. Pirzada was also removed and Mr. Khuhro became the fortunate man to come in his place. Now, you can understand, Sir, What 92-A is and they have misused it for 7 long years. They say that there must be a check. But I will ask my friends that you want a check for the Central Government, but who will check the Central Government? I want to know this from them. For all these seven or eight years they have done all sorts of misdeeds in the name of Islam, in the name of social justice in the, in the name of Quaid-i-Azam and there was nobody to check them. Now say that the Central Government must be given some check East Bengal. I must give some history of East Bengal, although my friend, Mr. Abul Mansur, has touched upon this subject. When they imposed 92-A I was the first fortunate man to be arrested within half an hour of the imposition of this section and I have got the prime Minister’s speech here with me in which he declared me a riotous man and put me in jail under the Safety Act. Sir. You know, that the United Front had routed Muslims League in East Bengal in the last election. There were some riots and it was said that perhaps I was the man who instigated people to start those riots. Now you can understand the position, Sir, because you were a member of the East Bengal Assembly. Mr. Mohammed Ali, at that time, was the President of the Muslim League and also the Prime Minister of Pakistan and you know also, Sir, what is Muslim League. The man who becomes the Prime Minister, is made the President of the Muslim League. This is the condition of the Muslim League. I know my friend, Mr. Yusuf Haroon, is laughing, but my friend must know that there is no Muslim League except in your pocket. Sir, you know, Mr Mohammed Ali spent lakhs and lakhs of rupees as President of the Muslim League and also as Prime Minister to save the Muslim League. Before that, Sir, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that when Mr. Nurul Amin was the Chief Minister of East Bengal, during all those seven years, they never imposed section 92-A there in spite of the fact that it was the same Mr. Nurul Amin who killed the innocent boys of Dacca in that language movement who forced the people to purchase salt at Rs.16 per seer. His Govt in East Bengal was responsible for that Drum case in some people have been committed in the High Court. It was Mr. Nurul Amin who was responsible for all that smuggling and bad position in East Bengal. In his time the economic position of East Bengal was the worst and maladministration, nepotism and corruption were the three ideal principles o Government. This is the record of seven years administratie Nurul Amin Government and during all these seven years never imposed section 92-A because of the fact that Mr. Nur Amin had a majority in this House which would have affected the Central Government. So, they never imposed this section on Mr Nurul Amin who was responsible for all these misdeeds. Now they want to give this power to them for two months. Now, Siri would like to discuss about the Adamjee Jute Mill riot. Mr. Abul Mansur, Mr. Ataur Rahman and other friends were in the Government House, when we got the information about that riot. Now, just at that time the Awami League had joined the Cabinet because the United Front was created with the collaboration and co-operation of Awami League, Krishak Sramik Party of Mr. Fazlul Huq and other parties. Now, the first resolution of the United Front party was that we must ask the old members of the Constituent Assembly – representatives of Bengal – to resign because now they have no right to represent East Bengal. Mr. Fazlul Huq, Mr. Ataur Rahman and others came here to Karachi and there was some sort of understanding between Mr Fazlul Huq and Mr. Mohammed Ali, the then Prime Minister, that Mr. Fazlul Huq will not accept the Awami League in his Cabinet. But Mr. Fazlul Huq knew that it was the Awami League which was the single majority party in the House with whom he should coalesce otherwise his Government could not continue. But they planned in such a way with Mr. Fazlul Huq that he would not ask the members of the Constituent Assembly to resign from membership and he told them that I am also a member and I have not resigned. Now that was the first resolution of the United Front Party and he acted like that on some sort of assurance from Mr. Mohammed All who thought at that time that he will be able to utilize Mr. Fazlul Huq against Awami League and specially against Mr. Suhrawardi whom he feared very much. He knew that Mr. Suhrawardy, being the leader of the Awami League, may be the next Prime Minister of Pakistan. Now they imposed Section 92-A and arrested 1500 people. 50 M. L. A. s and warrant against 500 workers. After Fazlul Huq went from here and his position was very precardius and he invited us to join the Cabinet. There was a talk but we thought that we will not allow Mr. Mohammed Ali to play and use Mr. Fazlul Huq at the cost of the United Front d the Cabinet and three days before that when Mr. Mohammed Ali came to know that well the Awami League and Mr Fazlul Huq are again going to be united and his position will be precarious, a riot was started in East Bengal. Now, here I want to tell you as to how they imposed Section 92-A. When the riot started our Prime Minister, Mr. Mohammed Ali, sent a telegram the Chief Minister, Mr. Fazlul Huq, asking him to come to Karachi. We from there requested that Mr. Mohammed Ali should come to Dacca and see the position himself and enquire into the matter and then pass his own judgment. But he invited us to Karachi. Fortunately Mr. Ataur Rahman, Mr. Fazlul Huq Mr. Azizul Huq, Mr. Ashrafuddin Chaudhury and Mr. Mohan Mian came to Karachi. There was a meeting in the Government House and they were discussing the situation with the Prime Minister. I know some of the friends from West Pakistan were not in favour of imposition of 92-A but it was those who were defeated there including the ex-Prime Minister who has now gone to Washington that they wanted to impose section 92-A there. Now, Mr. Mohammed Ali started telling us that wait for one day, wait for two days and so on and in the meantime he sent the Army there. The Governor of East Bengal at that time Mr. Khaliquzzaman – used to impose section 92-A there but he was removed and another man was sent in his place. The Chief Secretary of East Bengal told them not to impose section 92-A and he too was transferred and a new man was sent from here. Now these people left Karachi and when they arrived at Dacca, at that moment the whole town was surrounded by the Military and they arrested 1500 persons – 50 M.L.A.s including myself who was unfortunately at that time a Minister and other workers and all of them were put in jail. Then they declared that Maulana Bhashani was a Communist and he will bot be allowed to enter Pakistan. Now, my friends must know that Maulana Bhashani has come back and he will continue to be there and he will fight them to last. Nobody can touch him and if anybody does so, he will see the consequences. He was at that time in London and I sent him a telegram asking him to come. He is the man who has sacrificed more than anybody for the achievement of Pakistan and he was declared a Communist by a man who has never sacrificed a single penny or has struggled for the sake of Pakistan. In this way they have insulted him and branded him as a Communist. You know it Sir, Mr. Fazlul Huq also knows it and he can also remember that how his house was surrounded by the Military and nobody was permitted to see him without the prior permission of the Military authorities. You know, Sir, Mr. Mohammad Ali declared on the Floor of this House that Mr. Fazlul Huq was a traitor and now this very traitor is the Interior Minister. My friend, Chaudhuri Mohammad Ali who was then Finance Minister is now Prime Minister of Pakistan. Chaudhuri Mohammad Ali used to control the administration of Pakistan. Everybody knows it and you are now giving him more power under this section 93, even for two months. We do not like to give any power to them. At the same time you are declaring to the world that we are doing away with 92-A. Suppose general elections are held in East Bengal and Awami League are returned in large number and form the Cabinet there. Now what will the Coalition Ministry at the Centre do? At once they will impose 92-A and arrest Awami League Leaders saying that they are rioters and law-brakers, etc. It is true, Sir, that the United Front party people who were opposed to 92-A have now joined the Muslim League Party. Only two people in the Fazlul Huq group had suffered but 1,600 people were arrested on which 1,400 alone were from the Awami League. Only me from the Fazlul Huq party did suffer. The list of the arrested people is with me and I can challenge them. They can make friends with them on this important point, but we cannot do. Because still there are cases pending against us in East Bengal.There is still a case against Mr. Qurban Ali of the Awami League which was started in the days of 92-A.
They have ruined many families, they have massacred many families of political workers of East Bengal who have made sacrifices for the achievement of Pakistan, which these people never sacrificed even a single pie for Pakistan. Sir, they can give power, they can pass this Bill, but we cannot and we must oppose it.
Sir my friend, Sardar Amir Azam, was a State Minister in the previous Government and he is still a State Minister. You were there also as a State Minister and Chaudhuri Mohammad Ali, Who was the then Finance Minister, the power behind the Government, is now again Prime Minister and we are now to have section 93 in place of section 92-A. I know 92-A is very unpopular, particularly in East Bengal. That shrewd man, Mr. Hamidul Huq, has joined them and I feel, Sir, it is his brain which has put 93 here. Under this 93 they can have power for two months only and they can have it for four months if they pass Assembly and they will pass it in the Assembly. You see the majority they have got and they will pass it. The Central Government will impose it with the connivance of the Legislature. It will mean more bluff. Why do you not say straight way and plainly, we have right to impose 93 which is same as 92-A. Make this quite plain and bring the amending Bill and pass it. You are in majority, why bluff the people of East Bengal? They know how to fight, they know how lo sacrifice. When they fight the election and go to their places, they know the people of East Bengal will make their life measureable. Because you had promised then that you will not support 92-A. Now, by one stroke of pen you want to replace 92-A because the Muslim League has been defeated in East Bengal and is in power in the Central Government. So, Sir, we cannot allow this law to go on the Statute Book. We must oppose it. We have made sacrifices for the country. People have suffered considerably and gone into jail; their families have been ruined and massacred and you want to impose 92-A in another form completely disregarding the wishes of the people?
In no country in the world there is a provision like this a 92-A or 93. You are giving power to the Central Government in no other democratic country there is such a power given to the Central Government. With these words, I oppose this Bill.
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 79-90, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani