আমরা ‘বাঙ্গালী’ হিসেবেই পরিচয় দিতে চাই
- ৬ দফার পূর্ব ইঙ্গিত
২১ সেপ্টেম্বর ১৯৫৫
করাচী
The constituent assembly of Pakistan:
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: Sir, I did not say anything against you. But anyhow if you like it to be withdrawn, I will do when, sir, you did not mind it, why are they objecting to this word?
Mr. Speaker: You should withdraw it.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I will definitely withdraw it.
Now, Sir, I tell you the feelings of the people of East Bengal. We want categorical assurance on these four points. My friends in opposite side blame us that we are disturbing the Constitution. They are entirely wrong in thinking so. Come on with the Constitution. We are anxiously waiting for it. we ourselves want you to place it before the House first. We have no objection in taking up the Constitution first. But what is this piece-meal legislation-for Karachi, Karachi, Karachi? Friends, do not play with the fire. Every East Bengal man will oppose it and if necessary they will give their blood just like they have given their blood on the issue of Bengali being a state language very recently. They are not going to leave Karachi, they will not allow Karachi to be included in West Pakistan Unit. We have seen the provision of the Bill that though administratively it will be under the Central Government but it will be integrated with the One Unit immediately. How can you bluff the people of Pakistan in this way? You have said in the Bill that for the time being the administration of Karachi will be under the Central Government but at the same time you have given the power to the Governor-General that he can demarcate the area and now you are saying that Gadap is also inside Karachi. Then, Sir, similarly Sind is also in Karachi, sir, we want Greater Karachi. I want to tell you one point and it is that we have established Karachi as the Federal Capital for so many years. People have come here from all over the world, such as Great Britain, America, India, etc. They have purchased their houses here; they have purchased lands and erected their embassies and houses. How can you show your face to the people? These people have spent lakhs of rupees here in Karachi because the Quaid-i-Azam declared that Karachi will be the Federal Capital. They have purchased their lands, they have built their houses and have spent lakhs of rupees on them. Now how are you going to compensate them? Our Government will have to give a huge amount of compensation for all these things which will mean a considerable amount of loss to the exchequer.
Mr. Yusuf A. Haroon: He is repeating the same argument.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: I say, you cannot change it. Sir, you have come from East Bengal. You are the Speaker of this House. You are the property of everybody in this House, not only the property of the Muslim Leaguers. So I draw your attention only to this point that this sort of feeling exists in East Bengal. I know my friends who are Ministers today. But their days are numbered and days are numbered. The same fate of Nurul Amin, the same fate of Muslim League will overtake them. You will get the consequences of that. You have betrayed East Bengal; you have betrayed the people of Pakistan; you have betrayed the people of Frontier; you have betrayed the people of Sind. You will get the consequences of it and you will then understand. I have got the sentiments of the people of East Bengal and you will find yourselves in trouble if you pass this One Unit without getting regional autonomy for Bengal and Bengali as one of the State languages. Let these three subjects, namely, Defence, Foreign Affairs and Currency be kept by the Centre and nothing more. We have nothing more to say. So far as the changing of name is concerned, we would like to be called ourselves as Bengali. What is there in it? After all we are Pakistani.
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