Morning News
15th February 1969
Mammoth Paltan meeting urges Mujib’s release
(By Our Staff Reporter)
The release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, withdrawal of Agartala Conspiracy Case and the endorsement of the students’ 11-point- programme were the keynote of the speeches made at the mammoth public meeting held at the Paltan Maidan on Friday.
The meeting organised by the Democratic Action Committee was supported by the All-Party Students Committee of Action. Stream of procession from all over the city and suburbs converged on Paltan Maidan to turn the assembly into a vast sea of humanity. All the processions were lustily cheered as they approached the Paltan Maidan.
The processionists carried placards and chanted slogans in support of their demand by 3 p.m. the entire Paltan Maidan was jam-packed. The progress of the meeting was halted for some time as the student demanded the endorsement of their 11-point programme by the leaders. The students demanded of the leaders that they should give unqualified support to their 11-point programme. The students were supported by the entire assembly.
At this stage the student leaders took control of the dais and shouted slogans in support of their programme. Amidst thunderous cheers from the crowd they said “no compromise on 11-point programme”.
Addressing crowd, Mr. Tofail Ahmed, Vice-President, DUCSU, said that there could be no parley without Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He wanted to know from the DAC leaders on what basis they had agreed to go for a parley with the Government and on what basis they had formulated their 8-point programme.
He demanded the immediate release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and he was supported by the entire crowd. At this stage slogans were raised by the crowd demanding the release of Sheikh Mujib and withdrawal of Agartala Conspiracy Case.
Tofail said that if the leaders did not press for the release of Sheikh Mujib the DAC leaders would be strengthening the hands of President Ayub.
RESTIVE CROWD
After Tufail had soothed a restive crowd, Mr. Mohiuddin made a speech saying that this movement had gained momentum after great sacrifices had been made and Government was bound to yield under the tremendous pressure of the mass movement. He was speaking with a garland portrait of Sheikh Mujib in front of him and a big banner demanding the release of Sheikh Mujib and withdrawal of Agartala Conspiracy Case behind him.
At this point Khondoker Mushtaq Ahmed proposed the name of Mr. Nurul Amin as the President for the meeting but the proposal was rejected by the crowd. The crowd was bustling with excitement and was clearly in no mood to listen to the leaders unless they had acceded to the demand of the students.
It against fell to a student leader, Abdur Rouf, President, EPSL, to persuade the crowd to listen to the leaders. His words were drowned in slogans “accepted 11-point programme” and “release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman”.
The crowd again became restive and they want beyond the control of the leaders. Tufail was requested by the leaders at the dais to come to their aid and he again took the stage and brought the crowd under control.
AMENA BEGUM
Speaking next, Amena Begum, said that it was inconceivable to think that after the amount of bxiood that had been shed Sheikh Mujib would not be released and the economic discrepancies would not be removed.
She said as an individual she wholly supports the 11-point programme of the students. She however, cautioned the crowd that under no circumstances the movement would be allowed to be subverted.
TAJUDDIN
Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, General Secretary, Awami League, demanding the release of Sheikh Mujib and Withdrawal of Agartala Conspiracy Case said that the movement would go unabated until Sheikh Mujib was released.
He created the students for the release of political prisoners but regretted that Sheikh Mujib was not with them on Friday. He said the solution of any problem was not possible without the participation of Sheikh Mujib.
The entire movement, he said, was woven around the 11-point programme of the students and if the movement was further accentuated peoples’ victory was inevitable.
He said unless Sheikh Mujib and other political prisoners were released they would take no rest, and aiming at the students, he declared that from this movement onwards “we are with you”. He said those who were trying to use the students to their own use would be frustrated and warned the crowd that let this movement not be misguided vested interest.
FARID AHMED
Moulvi Farid Ahmed another DAC leader, then took the dais and appeared to the crowd particularly the students to listen to his speech mindfully before making any reservation on it. He said that there should not be any misunderstanding whatsoever about his views on demand of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s release. He asserted that Sheikh Mujib was his personal friend and he had very close relation with him and as such, he questioned how could he (speaker) oppose the demand of his (Mujib) release?
On the other hand, he added, we would continue our fight for the release of the Sheikh “in all possible ways”. He was applauded by the crowd. He said the current popular movement was the binding force between people of East and West Pakistan.
Referring to the proposed round-table conference Moulvi Farid Ahmed said that the DAC leaders, if decided in Lahore meeting would go to the conference table “to discuss” the present situation with the Government. He repeatedly tried to make it clear that “discussion” and “compromise” were not the same thing and they would not in any case go to the talks for “compromise” with the Government. At this stage slogans were raised and he was asked by many among the crowd to “speak” about the 11-point demand of students.
Resuming his speech after a short pause Moulvi Farid Ahmed informed the gathering that he sad filed case with the Tejgaon Police Station about Nakhalpara firing in which one baby was killed. He said that he had already challenged the validity of imposition of curfew in the High Court and soon he would take the matter with the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Moulvi Farid said that Governor Monem Khan was one of the persons who did not want to hold any dialogue with the opposition leaders. He did not understand how President Ayub was talking about dialogue when a man like the Governor of the Province was against any such dialogue. After this he was again asked by the crowd to speak about the 11-point. This interruption led Moulvi Farid Ahmed to discontinue his speech and leave the dais.
MUZAFFAR AHMED
Moulvi Farid Ahmed was followed by Mr. Muzaffar Ahmed NAP (requisitionist). He in his speech explained the 8-point demand of the DAC and said that the success achieved so far in recent countrywide mass movements was the testimony to the victory of the people. He also demanded release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Repeatedly asked about his stand on the 11-point programme of the students, Mr. Muzaffar Ahmed said he had supported the demands in a Press statement as soon as the students had prepared them. As the students kept on putting questions, Mr. Muzaffar Ahmed went on to explain that the eight points of DAC formed the hard core of the 11-point demand of the students. He congratulated the students for the mass movement that they had generated.
He said that mass movement was not an easy affair. People had to be cautious about the hurdles before them. Elaborating his point on the identity of the DAC demands and the demands of the students, he said DAC asked for a sovereign parliament under a federal system of government. All this time interruptions came from the crowd.
Mr. Muzaffar Ahmed said that he was not one of those who believed in the Nuxalbari type of movement. He also did not believe in such slogans as “jalo jalo agoon jalo”. Immediately a large section of the crowd went into a chorus of “jalo jalo agoon jalo” drowning his speech, Mr. Ahmed at this stage raised slogans for release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and stopped speaking.
The last speaker at the meeting was Syed Nazrul Islam, the acting President of the Six-point Awami League. He said the demand for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the demand of the 12 crore people of Pakistan. He said he felt proud at the fact that the masses had supported the leader of his party for which the party was grateful to the people. He said he and his party would go to Lahore with the mandate of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He also reminded the assembly that so far the political movements in the country had been limited to East Pakistan only. Now the wave has reached West Pakistan too. The whole country, he said, was united in its resolve to protest against repression.
He said as far as he and his party was concerned there could be no doubt about their full support to the eleven-point demands of the students.
The Six-point Awami League had joined the DAC, he said to strengthen the people movement in the country. He said that as long as emergency was lifted and all political prisoners were released “we will not participate in the dialogue.”
He asserted discussions and compromise were the same thing. He said he had repeated many times that unless some minimum demands were accepted, there could not be any compromise with the government. He said they did not want anything from the government by begging. “Whatever we achieve we shall do it through a united, peaceful and disciplined movement”. He warned against disunity among the democratic forces.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯