Dawn
19th March 1969
Mujib’s release due to Bhashani, says NAP leader
DACCA, March 18: Mr. Mohammad Toha, General Secretary of the pro-peking East Pakistan National Awami Party said here yesterday that the “anti-people circles” which has been trying to subvert the people’s struggle, hatched out a plot to send Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the Round Table Conference on parole.
It was due to Maulana Bhashani that Sheikh Mujib could go to Pindi as a free citizen instead of on parole, he added.
Mr. Toha was addressing a public meeting at the Baitul Mokarram here organised in protest against the attack on Maulana Bhashani at Shahiwal station on Saturday.
The meeting was addressed by Messrs Mohammad Sultan, Secretary City NAP, Abdul Mannan and student leader Reahed Khan Menon.
Continuing, the NAP leader said it was decided in the plot that Sheikh Mujib on his arrival at Rawalpindi on parole would broadcast that he was there to save the country from diorder and disaster. But, he said, before Sheikh Mujib could go to Pindi the plot was unmasked. Subsequently other accused persons of the Agartala Conspiracy began favouring Sheikh’s going to Pindi as free citizen and Maulana Bhashani declared, he would not allow Mujib to go to Pindi on parole.
Mr. Toha further said, some Government officials also came to Maulana Saheb for pleading Sheikh’s going to Pindi on parole. The Maulana told the officers, Mr. Toha continued, Mujib could not go on parole but as a free citizen.
Claiming that Sheikh Mujib was released as a result of the movement launched by the Manulana Bhashani on Dec. 6, Mr. Toha regretted, Sheikh Mujib was now advising Maulana Saheb to retire from politics.
He further said during Sheikh post release meeting with Maulana Saheb he was told by the Maulana to wait only one week to see all demands fulfilled. But Mr. Toha said, Sheikh Mujib told Maulana Saheb he (Mujib) was promise bound to attend the Round Table Conference. The Maulana Bhashani advised him to press the 11-point demands of the students at the conference.
Mr. Toha further said Sheikh Mujib went to RTC and returned disappointed.
Referring to the Sheikh’s statement that East Pakistanis demands would have been established at the Round Table Conference had been supported by all the East Pakistan delegates to RTC and had Maulana Bhashani joined it, Mr. Toha said even if Maulana Saheb joined the talks and East Pakistan delegates supported Sheikh Mujib our demands would not have been accepted.
He further said whatever we had so far achieved had been achieved through movement and not at the RTC.
Claiming himself to be a close friend of Sheikh Mujib as a “contemporary freedom fighter”. Mr. Toha said we knew Sheikh Mujib as a struggling, mass leader.
He hoped that Sheikh Mujib would continue his spirit of struggle for people’s rights.
He criticised Sheikh for his proposal to amend the Ayub Constitution for its democratisation, he said we do not think the present Constitution could be democratised through a amendments and Maulana Bhashani had proposed for framing a new Constitution within next six months.
Rarlier addressing the meeting Mr. M. Sultan said Maulana Bhashani was fighting for the emancipation of the down-trodden workers, peasants and people in general of Africa, Asia and Latin America.-PPI.
সুত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু: পঞ্চম খণ্ড ॥ ষাটের দশক ॥ চতুর্থ পর্ব ॥ ১৯৬৯