Friday | 10 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Friday | 10 January 2025 | Epaper

Comrade Moni Singh: A legend of sacrifice in politics

Published : Monday, 30 December, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 312
Adv Hasan Tarique Chowdhury
The present world is confronting the crisis of neo fascism regionally and globally. There are a big similarity of struggle between struggle against Zionism in Palestinian soil and struggle against fascistic autocracy in Bangladesh. Both committed crime against humanity. Both have used gun and lethal weapons against innocent people undermining Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the cost of public money. These repression and mockery of fascistic and dictatorial regimes never exist for long time and ultimately toppled down by popular uprising. Selflessness and great sacrifice always remains as cardinal constituent of all popular uprising including July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh. Obviously, all uprising creates legacies of sacrifice as it happened many historic events in Bangladesh. Revolutionary Comrade Moni Singh is one of those iconic national heroes who stood against Pakistani fascistic rulers and organized voice of millions against discrimination.  

The name of revolutionary and freedom fighter Comrade Moni Singh obviously comes in the frontline whenever we discuss the discourse of struggle against discriminations. Moni Singh in his whole life struggled for combating discriminations in the name of fanatic horror or in the name of any other political doctrine. He fought against Pakistani and British occupied forces with strong ideals of socialism where fundamental rights including food, accommodation, healthcare etc. are constitutionally guaranteed. As an eminent freedom fighter he not only contributed to our independence struggle but devoted his whole life for the emancipation of working class of our society. When we read the political history of our country his name comes with a strong message of sacrifice, dedication and patriotism and especially of class-struggle. 

We often highlight stories of political legends of foreign countries but sometimes missed to notice the heroic chronicles of revolutionaries of our soil. 31st December 2024is the 34th death anniversary of legendary Bangalee revolutionary Comrade Moni Singh. Born in a middle class family in Kolkata on 28th July of 1901 where his parent used to live job, later young Moni Singh moved to 'Susong Durgapur' of the then Mymensingh district (now Netrokona) due to untimely death of his father. School-boy Moni Singh took part in the struggle against British colonial rule. He joined anti-colonial armed group ' Anushilon (practice)'.  



In his autobiography he admitted that the spirit of 'Khelafat Movement' and 'Non-Cooperation Movement' against British Raj highly influenced young Moni Singh. Consequently, he became one of those young revolutionaries who took the risk of life to make free the country from British colonialism. British government of that time declared arrest warrant against Moni Singh and other revolutionaries. At that time this type of arrest warrant was equivalent of capital punishment, since the British colonial rulers considered that democratic struggle for freedom equivalent to treason. Bearing this arrest warrant young Moni Singh continued tireless political campaign all over the country for freedom and self determination. In 1921 he simultaneously organized peasant movement in his own locality of Susong Durgapur and labour movement in Kolkata. It was written by some historian that young trade union leader was much popular among textile workers of Metiaburuj of Kolkata and it was due to his honesty and sincerity to the cause of working-class. By his brilliant understanding over labour movement young trade unionist Moni Singh even compelled Netaji Subhash Basu to fulfill the demands of textile workers. This made him more popular among textile workers. By this time the overwhelming wave of the Russian Socialist revolution reached in oppressed India and young Moni Singh was strongly influenced by the thoughts of that revolution and later in 1925 he met with renowned revolutionary Gopen Chakravarty. After discussion with that revolutionary leader he took Marxism-Leninism as his political ideology. Obtaining a membership of Communist Party was very difficult at that time. Party membership was given after heavy screening to ensure security of the party. In 1928 Moni Singh dedicated himself as a full-time activist of the Communist Party and closely involved with trade union movement in Kolkata. His vibrant role in this struggle made him enemy of the ruling class and he was imprisoned for five years in 9th May of 1930. He was released from jail in 1935 but remained house-arrest till 1937 in his maternal home Susong Durgapur. Being an outstanding leader of oppressed people Moni Singh never stopped, during his captive-time in Susong Durgapur he again started mobilizing peasants and Khetmajur(agricultural workers) to protect their rights. This time his maternal-uncles, who were jamindar (land lord) of Susong Durgapur became his opposition. Despite strong obstacle from own family revolutionary Moni Singh courageously stood for the just cause of rural poor. This made him a well-known peasant's leader of that area. During that time he again imprisoned for one and half years for demanding proper price of Jute. He was given membership of the Communist Party after his release from jail in 1937. Then he decided to restart trade union movement in Kolkata but indigenous communities of Susong Durgapur like 'Garo' and 'Hajong' seriously requested him not to move Kolkata but to start a movement against 'Tonk System' (a coercive taxation on peasants by local land lords). Comrade Moni Singh could not ignore this appeal from the rural poor. He wholeheartedly concentrated his activity on 'anti-Tonk movement' and became the unanimous leader of this movement. When this movement went its peak level Moni Singh was again arrested in 1941. In 1944 he was elected as member of presidium of the All Bengal Kishan Shava (National Peasant Association). In 1945, as a Chairman of reception committee of All India Kishan Shava Conference in Netrokona he played a significant role to enhance peasant movement of undivided Bengal. Renowned politicians Comrade Mujaffor Ahamed, Comrade Har Kishan Sing Sujeet, Lily Jogi and many other leaders participated in this conference. 

British colonialism defeated but left behind its residuals, from that debris communalism erupted and so-called two nation theory evolved, which realized by the creation religion based Pakistan. Moni Singh and many of his fellow comrades did not accepted so-called 'two nation theory'. They continued struggle for secularism and socialism. Consequently, Pakistani authority declared Communist Party and him outlaw and issued arrest warrant. Also declared Tk. 10,000 as prize money for arresting Comrade Moni Singh. This difficulty compelled Moni Singh to remain underground and thus he had to stay underground about 20 years since the inception of Pakistan. Despite this repression Comrade Moni Singh played pivotal role against Pakistani military autocratic regime. In this tougher period in 1951 banned Communist Party held its 2nd National Conference and Moni Singh elected as General Secretary and subsequently in 3rd Conference he again reelected at the same position. In 1968 he was arrested by Pakistani authority and released in 1969 by the mass upsurge but again arrested in the same year. When the Liberation war began in 1971 prisoners broke Rajshahi jail and freed Comrade Moni Singh. 

At the time of Liberation war Comrade Moni Singh organized freedom fighters, established special Guerilla Force of NAP-CPB and Chattra Union. He also made remarkable contribution to organize support from Soviet Union and Socialist countries in favour of our liberation war of 1971. He was elected as Advisor of the then Mujib Nagar government.

In the Independent Bangladesh, he continued the struggle for true democracy and discrimination-free society. For this reason, he criticized some wrong policies of the then ruler Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman which practically benefited reactionary forces. Comrade Moni Singh was elected as the President of the Communist Party of Bangladesh in 2nd Congress (national conference) in 1973 and subsequently in 3rd Congress in 1980. After the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman the Communist Party was declared illegal by the military government and during the military rule of Lt. Gen. Ziaur Rahman in the middle of 1977 Comrade Moni Singh was again arrested at the age of 77. This legendary revolutionary was politically active up to the age of 84. In 23rd February of 1984 he became seriously sick and breathed his last in 31st December of 1990.

As we realize that popular discussion in Bangladesh is to reconstruct the politics and to introduce young leadership in national politics. In this regard, life of this legendary political leader is yet a strong source of inspiration for all young patriots. Whole life of Comrade Moni Singh is full of sacrifice and love for oppressed people. From British to Bangladeshi rulers, no rulers spared him. In spite of this severe repression, no one can sever patriotism from his struggling life. His life partner eminent peasant's leader Comrade Anima Singh also strengthened his struggle for a just society. He established the strong ideals of honesty and sincerity in his whole life. As a young revolutionary, he placed an example of discipline and self-respect. In his youth, as a renowned leader he guided his fellow comrades to keep themselves responsible to the common people. By his long stimulating and adventurous political life, he always taught his followers strength of simplicity and sacrifice in politics.  
    
Red Salute - Comrade Moni Singh. 

The writer is a Lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and General Secretary, 
Democratic Lawyers Association of Bangladesh



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