April 17th is the Historic Mujibnagar Day. This year marks the 51st anniversary of the historic Mujibnagar government. This day is unique in the history of Bangladesh's freedom struggle and liberation war. During the war of liberation in 1971, the first provisional government of independent Bangladesh was officially sworn in on this day in Amarkanan of Baidyanathtala village in Meherpur. Later this Baidyanathatala was named as the historical Mujibnagar.
Earlier, on 10 April of the same year, the independent sovereign government of Bangladesh was formed. The next day, April 11, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Tajuddin Ahmed, delivered a radio address to the nation, which was broadcast on Akashvani more than once. In his speech, he gave a detailed account of the country-wide resistance war. The cabinet was also scheduled to be sworn in on April 17.
Following that path, the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was established on the morning of 17th April at Mujibnagar by taking an official oath. Through this, the people of the country and abroad can know that a lawful government has been formed for the purpose of conducting the liberation struggle of Bangladesh.
The process of forming the MujibNagar government had started long ago. Many senior Awami League leaders went into hiding during the Pakistani attacks on March 25, 1971. Most of them later took refuge in India.
On April 1, 1971, Tajuddin Ahmed and Amirul Islam boarded a cargo plane of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in strict secrecy and left Calcutta for Delhi. There, on April 3, Tajuddin Ahmed had a meeting with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This was India's first contact with Awami League leaders since Operation Search-Light began in Dhaka on March 25.
Tajuddin Ahmed told Indira Gandhi that the people of Bangladesh were determined to continue their struggle till independence was achieved. He sought the full cooperation of the Government of India. In that meeting with Indira Gandhi, Tajuddin Ahmed discussed the formation of an interim government and taking oath.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected President and Syed Nazrul Islam was elected Vice President (Acting President). Syed Nazrul Islam later elected Tajuddin Ahmed as the Prime Minister. Other members of the Cabinet are M Mansur Ali (Finance, Commerce and Industry) and AHM Kamaruzzaman (Home, Supply, Relief, Rehabilitation and Agriculture). Later, the most hated person in Bangabandhu's cabinet, Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed (Foreign, Law and Parliament) was also a member of the cabinet.
HT Imam served as the Cabinet Secretary to the Government of Mujibnagar. General Ataul Gani Osmani was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation Army of the Provisional Government and Major General Abdur Rob was appointed Chief of Staff.
AThe Mujibnagar government is divided into 15 ministries and divisions. In addition, several departments are under the authority of the cabinet. The Ministry of Defense divided the war zone into 11 sectors and appointed one sector commander in each. However, there was no sector commander in the 10th or naval sector, the area where the commandos were operating was under the command of the sector commander. In addition, three brigades named Z Force, K Force and S Force were formed.
Abdul Mannan conducted the ceremony at Baidyanaththala and Yusuf Ali, Speaker of the Constituent Assembly, read out the Declaration of Independence. He was the one who administered the oath to the acting president and ministers. The Guard of Honor was conferred on Syed Nazrul Islam, the caretaker President of the newly formed government. Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam and Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed addressed the gathering after taking oath.
Later the activities of the Mujibnagar government were conducted from kolkata. A temporary office of the expatriate government was set up at 8,Theater Road, Kolkata. From there political, military and diplomatic affairs were conducted during the war of liberation. During the nine months of the war, the Provisional Government has dealt with various instability and turmoil. Coordinating with the Indian government, resolving divisions among themselves and building international public opinion - all these things the caretaker government has to do together.
The impact of forming the Mujibnagar government was far-reaching. Hossain Ali, a Bengali officer, was the Deputy High Commissioner to the Pakistan Embassy in kolkata. Soon after the formation of the expatriate government, about 50 people working in the sub-embassy led by Hussain Ali revolted against Pakistan. He transformed the Pakistani embassy into a diplomatic mission to independent Bangladesh. That diplomatic office in Kolkata was the first office of independent Bangladesh abroad. The diplomatic mission was opened after receiving assurances of full security and cooperation from India.
The Bangladesh government in Kolkata realized from the outset that the only thing that needed to be done besides the war was to increase diplomatic activity. It was essential to explain to the international community why the Bengalis were fighting. Establishing a diplomatic mission in London under the leadership of Abu Saeed Chowdhury was the biggest step in this direction. He tried to get international support for the liberation war of Bangladesh and he succeeded in doing so.
Bangladesh gained independence on 16 December 1971 through a 9-month armed liberation war under the successful leadership of MujibNagar government. Not only that, in the diplomatic efforts of this first government of independent sovereign Bangladesh, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was released from prison in Pakistan on January 10, 1972. Earlier, India and Bhutan recognized the government.
The MujibNagar government thus played the biggest role in organizing the liberation war. The MujibNagar government and our war of independence are therefore referred to in the same vein.
The writer is pursuing LLB (Hons)
at Department of Law,
Rajshahi University
