‘One Unit Bill’ সম্পর্কে সোহ্রাওয়ার্দীর অবস্থান স্পষ্ট করলেন বঙ্গবন্ধু
২১ সেপ্টেম্বর ১৯৫৫
করাচী
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Bengal: Muslim): on a point of order, Sir, we want to know when the decision will be taken by you about those documents. We want to know the date. It is fifteen days since the matter has been under your consideration. We want to know when you are going to take a decision.
Mr. Speaker: The matter has been closed.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: How can it be closed?
Mr. Speaker: For the time being it is closed.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: You said, it is under your consideration – it is the 50th time you said that. We want to know when you are going to give a decision.
Mr. Speaker: The Leader of the opposition has given his statement and I would request the Honourable Member to resume his seat.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (East Bengal: Muslim): Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are at present discussing clause 2 of the One Unit Bill which aims at the unification of West Pakistan. My friends on the other side have made reference to regional autonomy, Bengali as a State language and some other things like that in their speeches, but, you know, Sir, when we were elected we had submitted a 21-point programme to the people of East Bengal. Sir, you were also elected under that 21-point programme, but here it is said that the victory of the United Front was due to the popularity of Mr. Fazlul Haq only. Whether the victory in election was due to Mr. Fazlul Huq or Mr. Suhrawardy or Maulana Bhashani, the fact remains that we had categorically mentioned that only Defence, Foreign Affairs and Currency should remain with the Central Government and the rest should be transferred to the provinces. Sir, it has been said that when this One-Unit Bill is passed, then the question of regional autonomy will be considered. But, our demand has been and still is that only these three subjects should vest in the Centre and no other.
Sir, so far as West Pakistan is concerned, my friends have told that public opinion is in their favour. But, Sir, what is the public opinion that they have in their favour? Recently Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan has been arrested. I would not be allowed to speak about him because it may be ruled by you that it is subjudice – while he was going to address a public meeting in Baluchistan. I will not go into the merits of the case but I will only point out this much that, is this democracy that you are talking about? Will it bring free elections in the country and restore confidence in the people? I am sorry to say that this is not the way in which democracy can be established in a country; you are not allowing the free – will of the people to be expressed. Do you call this popularity of the West Pakistan leaders? We have got information and we are receiving information sitting here in Karachi that the Frontier people will not tolerate this sort of injustice that is being perpetrated upon them. Sir, each and every member on this side has expressed his views and said that we are not opposed to the plan of unification; by all means, if you want it, do it, but do it in a fair way and not by force.
Sir, you know what is happening in the province of Sind. Mr. Suhrawardy has already told you the actual state of affairs prevalent in that province. But, Mr. Khuro instead of controverting those arguments, has come on personalities and attacked Mr. Suhrawardy in his speech. His speech was nothing but personal accusation and insinuations against Mr. Suhrawardy. But, I am sure Mr. Khuro cannot deny the fact that the conditions in Sind are not such as may be called to be in favour of this One-Unit Bill. I do not want to go into the history of aministration under Mr. Khuro or other Minister; they are well nown facts. Then, Sir, Mr. Hamidul Huq Choudhry has also said that this one-Unit Bill had been submitted by Mr. Suhrawardy at Murree and at that time he was all out for this Bill, but now that he has been disappointed, he is against it. You were also attending the Murree Session and, sir, you must be remembering that Mr. Suhrawardy had also submitted the Validation Bill, but when the Assembly insisted, it was referred to a Select Committee. So, What I want to impress upon the House is that if a Bill is submitted by an Honourable Member, it does not mean that he agrees in toto with all the clauses of the Bill; he only agrees with the principle of the Bill and then it is for the House to adopt whatever clauses it pleases to adopt. The members are there to exchange their views and if Mr. Suhrawardy after being in agreement with the principle of the Bill, had submitted it to the acceptance of the House, what great harm has he done? I can only say this much at the present moment that if you satisfy the opposition Benches, then the people of Pakistan will be satisfied ….
Reference:
Iqbal, S. (1997) Sheikh Mujib in Parliament (1955-58), p. 18-29, Dhaka, Agami Prakashani
বঙ্গবন্ধুর ভাষণ সমগ্র, Farzana Yeasmine Aparajita, Dr Md Razibul Bari