AK Khandaker apologizes, what about BB Governor?

Former minister Air Vice Marshal (Retd) AK Khandaker apologized to the nation for certain wrong information in his book "1971: Bhitore Baire" (1971: Inside and Outside) at a press conference in Dhaka on 1st June 2019. He clearly said that he is responsible for the words "Joy Bangla, Joy Pakistan" incorrectly ascribing the slogan to Bangabandhu in the book. He added that Bangabandhu did not at all say "Joy Pakistan" in any of his speeches. AK Khandaker further said that he would eliminate the paragraph from his book which contains these words.

AK Khandaker was the Deputy Chief of Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Liberation War of 1971. He was present at the historic moment when Pakistan army surrendered to General Jagjit Singh Aurora in Dhaka on 16 December 1971 marking the independence of Bangladesh. AK Khandaker did the right job by confessing his mistake and thus he saved history from getting distorted.

It may be recalled that Bangladesh Bank (BB) published a book on the central bank's history titled, "Bangladesh Banker Itihash" (Bangladesh Bank's History) in 2018 which does not contain a single picture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman. Neither does the book make references to the role played by Bangabandhu in the establishment of the central bank. Rather this book contains pictures of Pakistani dictator Ayub Khan and East Pakistan Governor Monayem Khan. Civil society members have raised questions if AK Khandaker can apologize for his book, why Bangladesh Bank's Governor Fazle Kabir cannot do the same.

Surprisingly Bangladesh Bank has not yet made any official statement regarding the distortion of history in the book "Bangladesh Banker Itihash". Academic scholars, economists and patriotic platforms have demanded apologies from Bangladesh Bank's Governor Fazle Kabir over the issue but the central bank authority has not yet apologized to the nation for ignoring Bangabandhu in the book.

The Asian Age published a report headlined "Bangabandhu ignored in BB history book: Academics blame authority and anti-liberation wing's ploy" on 16 September 2018. Another report appeared in The Asian Age with the title, "BB history book: Governor must apologize" on 17 September 2018. Some other newspapers and online portals also published reports on this phenomenon.

Following the publication of the reports in print and electronic media, Bangladesh Human Rights Development Commission's Chairman and FBCCI Director Dr. Kazi Ertaza Hassan filed a writ petition with High Court in this regard on 2nd October 2018.

The High Court instructed the authorities concerned of the government on 19 February 2019 to immediately remove all the copies of the book titled "Bangladesh Banker Itihas (Bangladesh Bank's History)" from the market as some of its contents include distorted history.

The book was published in December 2017 and Governor Fazle Kabir unwrapped it on 25th March 2018. There are criticisms and questions why 25th March was chosen for the book's launching. BB Governor Fazle Kabir wrote the book's preface which proves that the book was published with his consent.

Bangladesh Bank remained silent even after Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman blamed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members in connection with the central bank's reserve heist. Tarique Rahman's speeches defaming Bangabandhu's family and the present government went viral on social networks including facebook but Bangladesh Bank launched no activity to deal with the misperceptions Tarique Rahman propagated. It should be noted that larger portions of the heisted money has been meanwhile retrieved to Bangladesh from abroad but Bangladesh Bank did not circulate the matter to keep the nation updated.

Last year gold vanished from Bangladesh Bank's vault for which Bangladesh Bank and National Board of Revenue (NBR) blamed one another. NBR Chairman is a member of Bangladesh Bank's board of directors but still the central bank could not sort it out before the incident got unfolded by newspapers.

Nazrul Islam Bashir, Editor of Corporate & Banking, sent a letter to Governor Fazle Kabir informing him about the anomalies he found in Bangladesh Banker Itihas. The letter was issued on 23 April 2018. Nazrul Islam Bashir wanted to meet Fazle Kabir to talk about the mistakes in the book but Fazle Kabir did not meet him.

Smriti Karmaker, Joint Secretary, Liberation War Affairs Ministry, Mohsin Chowdhury, Joint Secretary, Home Ministry, ABM Ruhul Azad, Additional Secretary, Finance Ministry and Dr. Zafar Uddin, Additional Secretary, Finance Ministry were the members of the inquiry committee which was set up to look into the allegations about Bangladesh Banker Itihas. The members of the inquiry committee conveyed the opinion that there was lack of consistency and continuation in the book.

Nazrul Islam Bashir's book Bangabandhu O Bangladesh Bank contains a photograph showing the then Governor of the central bank A. N. Hamid Ullah handing over a set of new coins to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This photograph is preserved in the National Museum and it proves Bangabandhu's decisive roles in the establishment of Bangladesh Bank.

Professor Dr. Syed Anwar Hussain, Department of History, Dhaka University, told The Asian Age, "Excluding Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's photographs from Bangladesh Bank's book is an instance of distortion of history. The anti-independence quarters tried to eradicate Bangabandhu's contributions in the past. We should always uphold the ideology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Nobody should be allowed to undermine Bangabandhu."

Professor Dr. Abul Barkat, President, Bangladesh Economics Association, said to The Asian Age, "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is another name for Bangladesh. Bangladesh would not have been created if Bangabandhu was not born. It is totally unacceptable that Bangabandhu's pictures and role were not included in Bangladesh Bank's history book. Bangladesh Bank's top management should admit their error to the nation."

Professor Dr. AAMS Arefin Siddique, former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, told The Asian Age, "It was certainly a big offence not to include Bangabandhu's pictures in the book on Bangladesh Bank's history. I hope Bangladesh Bank will rectify this error and reprint the book with required corrections."