Abid Bahar
The dark side of leadership is the human desire for personal gains, and glory but leaders who think they can fool people bound to face dilemmas in making great ethical choices. Mujib was a great leader of Bangladesh exemplified in his 6 point demands to Pakistan, he also showed his greatness in his 7th March speech especially uttering threats to the Pakistani rulers that “Aberarar Sangram, Muktier Sangram, Aberar Sangram Shadhenotar Sangram” which effectively led to a civil war in East Bengal. But Mujib was neither a rebel nor had the brilliance of a statesman, rather he emerged to prominence as a cadre politician, a rebel-rouser, and an agitator, a demagogue lacking the vision to resolve dilemmas at times of great decision making posed to him as a leader of his people. One of the great dilemmas he faced in 1971 was whether to declare the independence of Bangladesh by saying “I, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the elected supreme leader of East Bengalis (Bangladesh), declare the independence of Bangladesh.” However, he had been scaring the Pakistanis many times saying “aberear Sangram…” Despite the threats by ASM Rabb and others, from the 7th March through March 24 he kept negotians for a confederate status with separate currency for East Bengal. When the hour of choice neared, decided not to get out of his residence and lead the rebellion as a rebel leader, rather despite repeated request from his followers, he surrenders to the invading Pakistan army.
Thus, Mujib resolved the dilemma in his self interest by surrendering at midnight 25/26, 1971. Mujib’s surrender brought him personal safety for himself and his family. After the arrest, Mujib was taken to Pakistan and kept in a Pakistani General’s mansion with his access to the General’s home library and Mujib’s family remained safe in Dhaka receiving 1,500 rupees monthly. Many scholars question whether Mujib made a deal with the Generals through the mediation of Bhutto who was still in Dhaka to serve his end not the people’s.
Why the Generals didn’t kill Mujib and his family?
Mujib was a trickster. Mujib’s surrender ensured his and his family’s safety, but couldn’s stop the genocide the Pakistanis committed on the people of Bangladesh. This surrender event is famously known as the “Surrender at Midnight.” had a wideranging effect in the subsequent Bangladesh politics. This paper identies the fall outs from the surrender of Sheikh Mujib in the following:
(1) From the 7th March’s hopping and buffing to declare independence, and on the other hand during private talks with the Generals, Mujib blaming the leftist elements as the trouble making, Pakistani army felt that they invade Bangladesh and destroy not Mujib but the leftishs and pro-liberation forces who were forcing Mujib to declare independence.
Indeed, in the negotiation tables, Mujib’s sincere admission that he has been trying to save Pakistan his saved his and his family’s life at the cost of a genocide caused by Mujib’s identification of the “real enemy” the aspirators of independence- thus murder of Dhaka University professors, and masses who were seen as the intellectuals demanding independence.
(2) Mujib’s failure for a clear UDI (Unilatteral Declaration of Independence) made many Bangladeshis remain committed to Pakistan that we call today, the razakars and others at the call of Ziaur Rahman, Bhasani and Syed Nazrul Islam joined the liberation war. Thus Mujis contributed in confusing people whether to support the liberation war or oppose it, the outcome was the division of Bangladeshis between Pakistani supporters-razakars and the supporters of the liberation war.
(3) While Mujib left Bangladesh and remained the entire liberation war time in Pakistan not knowing any developments taking place in Bangladesh, he practically remained in a bubble. Indeed, Bangladeshi Bengalis during the nine months of war time radicalized from a peaceful mostly rural folk into a people connected to global events. Mujib’s exile increased his ignorance about his people he was expected to deliver democracy and economic development.
(4) Mujib’s absence was felt throughout the war time. The leaders leading the war were from the grassroots but Mujib was the elected supreme leader. This was prominently felt as the Pakistani army was surrendering to India without the presence of any Bangladeshi military or civilian leader’s present.
(5) Mujib’s absence was also felt in Indian lack of respect to the Bangladesh’s liberation forces and Bangladesh’s sovregnity. Bangladesh was clearly undermined when Indian army were engaged in looting movable goods from Bangladesh to India. If Mujib was present during the war, it could have been possibly different.
Sadly, after Mujib’s return from Pakistan, due tohis absence, he embraced his cadres to help him show the way, many of these cadres like Golam Mostofa, Tofail, Mannan themselves were known to be in Calcutta engaged in non appreciative activities, misled him to control the already radicalized people through the use of force than to deliver their democractic wishes.
India also extended Mujib a hand by forming the notorious Rakkhi bahini for his firm control over Bangladesh.
In addition, the ignorant, and inefficient Mujib who on March 25 midnight betrayed with his people began to import ideas of socialism from Russia, the spirit of Bengali nationalism from West Bengal not Bangladeshi nationalism of the East Bengalis, secularism from Indra Congress, and democracy to make the West happy came up with a hozpoz of self contradictory ideas called by Mujib followers as “ Mujibbad” as if Mujib was a philosopher, and Mujib
imposing these ideas with a one party rule called BKSAL. Mujib’s followers also declared Mujib the absentee leader as the “father of Bangladesh.”
Mujib’s short rule implimented from December 10 ending in August 15, 1975 began to make people dissatisfied at the deliverance of Mujibbadi cadre politics, anarchy, and famine, instead of democratic and economic development Mujib demanded from the Pakistani rulers.
It seems that Mujib was driven by his personal ambition to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan in a Pakistani confederation. He wasn’t driven by the wishes of people demanding independence, thus he surrendered..
During Bangladesh period his gains, and glory remained prominent in his making choices. And when faced with dilemmas, he failed to make choices in favor of the people he led, he rather was driven to establish a Mujib dynasty by killing the infant democracy in Bangladesh. In the end, he was killed by some freedom fighters of Bangladesh liberation war led by his own deputy Khondakar Mostaque Ahamed for his surrender at midnight, and for turning Bangladesh into what is called a “bottomless basket case.”
(Dr. Abid Bahar is a playwright and public speaker, now teaches in Canada on Ethics of Leadership.”.) abcanada@gmail.com