Morning News
20th June 1962
RELEASE OF DETENUS
Mujib’s Statement
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, former General Secretary of the now defunct East Pakistan Awami League, released from the Dacca Central Jail on Monday has issued the following statement to the Press:
“My release from jail gives me little solace while a great many patriots of the country, including my beloved leader Mr. H.S. Suhrawardy and Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, and Khan Abdul Ghaffar khan whose sacrifice for the independence of the country and love for the people are known to everybody, are still groaning behind the prison bars. It is also not unknown to anybody that members of the East Pakistan Assembly and most of the National Assembly, both from East Pakistan and West Pakistan, who were elected on a very limited franchise during the very Martial Law Regime have unequivocally and unanimously demanded the unconditional release of all political prisoners without delay and withdrawal of all warrants of arrest against political workers. It is most astounding that even after such a move having the backing of the entire nation, the Government both at the Centre and in the Province seem to be determined to turn a deaf ear to this popular demand. The release of some political prisoners, batch by batch, is nothing but delaying tactics whose implications are not unknown to the people. The voice of the people is the voice of God and the present ruling authorities would do well to respect the people’s will even now.
“The joint statement issued to the Press some time back by Messrs. Nurul Amin, Ataur Rahman Khan, Abu Hossain Sarkar, Hamidul Haque Choudhury, Yousuf Ali Choudhury, Mahmud Ali, Syed Azizul Haque and Pir Mohsenuddin Ahmed, who are leaders of East Pakistan having popular support, has also urged the Government to release all pollitical prisoners unconditionally. This statement voices the demand of the people and I join hands with them to concede this demand without delay.
“In this connection I congratuate those members of the National Assembly from East Pakistan who have taken a popular stand demanding the minimum acceptance of a seven-point programme and those members in the National Assembly from West Pakistan who have also extended their unstinted support for those seven points and I also congratulate the students and youths of the country for their struggle and sufferings they have undergone in the fight for the democratic rights of the people.
“I convey to the members of the National Assembly an assurance on my behalf and on behalf of the people of East Pakistan that their just and righteous stand on the sevenpoint programme is the demand of the people and I am sure they shall be able to realise them through sheer justness of the cause and unity.
“I hope Government will immediately release all political prisoners and accept the 7-point demand of the National Assembly members for the greater interests of the country. “I am now told that some serious restrictions are being imposed on some former political prisoners who have been recently released from jail denying them freedom of movement, speech and other activities and in pursuance of this some over-zealous intelligence people are running after them to serve such notice and even exerting pressure to accept notice. I think this is not the Government’s policy when they have released them unconditionally but is due to the over-zealous activities of certain interested persons. I hope Government will issue proper instructions asking them not to do such things.
সূত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড: ষাটের দশক ॥ প্রথম পর্ব