Bangabandhu Parishad was formed at a time when, following the assassination of Bangabandhu, the political parties in favour of independence was utterly subdued by general Zia. The military establishment oppressed the Awami League, the party through which Bangabandhu carried out the independence movement in such a scale that none could stand up on its way. Major Zia being the illegal head of the government tried in all possible way to erase the name of Bangabandhu from the page of history. It was then under the leadership of Bose Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury, a renowned physicist of the country who organized the pro-independence intellectuals under the banner of Bangabandhu Parishad. Since then the organization has been working ceaselessly to protest and counter propaganda launched by Zia’s government and then Begum Khaleda Zia and Ershad against Bangabandhu’s ideology and his government.
Bangabandhu Parishad came under wrath of the Zia’s government which was involved in not only making vile propaganda against the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time, but also distorting true history of War of Liberation. Defying threat by the administration and armed hoodlums Zia’s so-called political party the pro-liberation intellectuals continued to raise their voice against their nefarious acts.
General Zia restored the politics of Jamaat, the arch rival of our War of
Liberation. He brought back Ghulam Azam and rehabilitated him in the
politics of Bangladesh. He also rehabilitated the killers of Bangabandhu
Bangabandhu had specific ideas to free the country from West Pakistan’s exploitation and also he had specific plan to liberate the suppressed and oppressed people of East Pakistan from all sorts of exploitations.
His strategy was incorporated in the constitution of Bangladesh which could be described as Bengali nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism. His secularism was not without religion, rather he admitted the role of religion in social life. Bangabandhu had categorically said that he wanted to establish an exploitation free society.
On 7th March in the beginning of historic speech he talked about freeing the people first and then he talked about the independence. In fact, that was the ideas of Bangabandhu that ultimately could get a lot of ideas about the ideology of Bangabandhu.
Similarly, we found that an initiative was taken to form Zia Parishad a few years after the killing of Zia. It was formed by pro-BNP intellectuals.
But till today they have failed to explain what they mean by Zia’s ideology. They talked about Bangladeshi nationalism instead of Bengali nationalism. The Bangladeshi nationalism cannot be an ideology of Zia as every citizen of Bangladesh is a Bangladeshi. The people of Bangladesh are Bangladeshis, but they have their own culture and heritage. They felt proud about Bengali nationalism.
General Zia restored the politics of Jamaat, the arch rival of our War of Liberation. He brought back Ghulam Azam and rehabilitated him in the politics of Bangladesh. He also rehabilitated the killers of Bangabandhu.
Zia killed thousands of freedom fighter army officers on charges of alleged coup bid against him. He told many times about Islam, but he introduced porno video to destroy character of the young generation.
Zia also introduced Hijbul Bahar, a naval ship used for river cruise for the students to do student politics in line of his political party. He said money is no problem. He ruled the country as ruled by Pakistan
. Thousands people became rich during his tenure. He ruled the country to protect the interest of the rich, but not the poor. He formed political party involving the communist and pro-leftists. General Zia destroyed the voting system by introducing `Yes’ `No’ vote. He has no political philosophy of his own. So when his supporters say to implement the ideology of Zia we mean nothing. It’s nothing but mockery.
Zia introduced `Bismillah’ in the constitution to reintroduce the religion based nationalism of Pakistan in place of secularism incorporated by Bangabandhu. It was in fact a political hoax to perpetuate his rule rather than to bring about a change in culture.
He had no philosophy and the programme for economic emancipation and improving the lot of the people.
His philosophy was to give opportunity to his party men to amaze wealth and grow rich class. He had no idea to bring about a radical change in social order.
If these are the reality, then what was the ideology? Zia blindly followed the pro-Pakistan policy for independent Bangladesh. He encouraged the people to have a system of economy that was in favour of the capitalists. He had no programme for the oppressed and depressed.
Dr S A Malek is a member of Awami League Advisory Council and President of Bangabandhu Parishad, former political adviser to the Prime Minister, member of parliament
and columnist