O Victory Day, My Victory Day!

 

After our brave freedom fighter pilots went airborne with roaring sounds of their aircraft to hit the targets like Patenga Oil Depots and Central Railway Building (CRB) area in Chittagong to destroy the fuel supply line and communication network of Pakistani occupying forces respectively; after brave Indian Air Force pilot with their robust flying machine destroyed the runway of Tejgaon Airport and grounded all the fighter jets of Pakistani Air force; and valiant freedom fighters hand in hand with allied Indian forces were closing the nets in Dhaka and other areas in Bangladesh in early Dec 1971 to bring the occupying Pakistani forces to their knees for unconditional surrender; our patience, as guerilla freedom fighter in the ground of all occupied areas was exhausting fast to witness the occupying forces surrender in great ignominy. Amid unbound excitement to destroy the last soldiers of the evil forces from the sacred soil of Bangladesh, at last we heaved a great sigh of relief to witness the surrender of Pakistani forces on December 16, 1971 at Race Course (Shuhrawardi Uddan) after wading through rivers of blood, in nine months long Liberation War to reach the pinnacle of Victory. Our guns rattled in exhilarations with our spirit soaring to Himalayan height to breath fresh air in free Bangladesh. Sadly, two days before long cherished Victory Day, our intellectuals including doctors, engineers, journalists and academics were abducted under a curfew blanket all over the city of Dhaka on December 14,  1971 by the goon squad of al-badars and al-shams. They were dragged to Rayer Bazar killing ground and slaughtered after horrible torcher and crime ever committed in war in known history. 

In Chittagong, still Pakistani forces were in their holes after the surrender in Dhaka on 16th December, Razakar and Al-Badar gangsters were in run to escapes from the wrath of freedom fighters. Few of them after being caught, while escaping, fell on the rage and fury of freedom fighters and paid the price by their lives riddled with bullets from the guns of freedom fighters. On the following day after surrender in Dhaka, Pakistani forces escorted by the allied Indian forces proceeded for cantonment for safety amid boos and jeers hurled at them by the onlookers stood with rage and fury on both side of the street. With spirit brimming in full in the prime time of youth, guerilla freedom fighters of my likes on the ground ventured to snatch some evil Pakistani forces from the hands of allied Indian forces, but was denied because it was the duty of the allied forces to take the surrendering forces to safety as per Geneva Convention.

Basking in crisp sunshine, all December days after 16th December in free Bangladesh was so exotic and splendid that no words could adequately express at the passage of time of 50 years of Bangladesh Independence and Victory Day on 16th December 1971. With dreams flashing in eyes instilled to establish an egalitarian state, free from all oppression and social injustice, freedom fighters standing shoulders to shoulders with mainstream population of the country felt proud but never felt fully relieved as the main architect and prime mover of Independence the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was still in incarceration in Pakistani prison. With 93 thousand surrendered army in the hands of allied forces, the then Pakistani rulers did not feel safe to take Bangabandhu to gallows hurriedly prepared by Yahya Khan regime. Julfikar Ali Bhutto, one of the leading perpetrators alongside with Pakistani Military Junta tried last minute to convince Banghabandhu for even a loose federation with Pakistan. Banghabandhu remained resolute and stood like solid rocks in his decision and vehemently turned down Bhutto's proposal when he was still in Pakistani prison. At last Bhutto regime released Bangabandhu on 8th January 1972 and Bangabandhu on his way back home as a freeman, first landed in London with a rousing receptions by the British Prime Minister, leader of the Opposition Party and host of other ranks and files of the British govt, journalists of the International press and statements. Before setting his foot on the land of his newly born Bangladesh, Bangabandhu landed briefly in Delhi and had meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Gandhi and the President of India amid rousing welcome. After a brief stay in Delhi, Bangabandhu at last landed in the soil of Bangladesh amid exhilerating welcome of his millions countrymen in waiting in the Airport and both sides of roads stretching to Shuhrawardy Uddan to listen to him in free Bangladesh. Emotionally much choked, Bangabandhu could not make a lengthy deliberation and said it was time to remake war torn ravaged country into a real Sonar Bangla. With unfettered love and adulation for Bangabandhu, people declared in thunderous voice that the country was united to go with Bangabandhu with hard work to make a real Sonar Bangla. Bangabandhu along with his ardent followers got engaged in making the country anew with inherited shattered infrastructure and economy as a whole. With his hard work in day and night, Bangabandhu was taking the country slowly to road to progress forgetting about an ominous shadow lurking over his head with intrigues and conspiracies hatched by the defeated forces of Liberation War. The conspirators both home and abroad gained momentum by creating artificial crisis in the newly born country of which Bangabandhu was duly warned by his well wishers in the international arena including Fidel Castro of Cuba. A lion hearted Bangabandhu did not pay heed to alarm and warning with his premeditated belief that no Bengali could ever harm him…… Alas! His ardent belief did not come true apparently as a gang of political perpetrations and uniformed bandits with arms looking for an opportune moment to strike him with deadly venom to take his life. With their machination, the perpetrators and the killing squad succeeded in assassinating Bangabandhu and his entire members of the family in the wee hour of 15th August 1975 except two daughters who were then abroad. After killing Bangabandhu, killers succeeded in taking Bangladesh to the blind alleys of regression with taking the spirit of Independence Day, Victory Day and Joy Bangla slogan in unbreakable chains and shackles for long 21 years beginning from the day of 15th Dec, 1971 until 1996 when Bangabandhu Kainna Sheikh Hasina rose to the occasion with ballot revolution to unchain the spirit of Independence Day and Victory Day in the manner the legendary hereo Hercules unchained Prometheus who stole fire from the vault of heaven and gifted it to the human race.

The spirit of Independence Day, Victory Day and Joy Bangla Slogan has been restored and put in its right place in the psyche of all Bengalis believing in the spirit of Bangladesh as secular and modern state in the face of the modern world. But Alas! A segment of young people who have inherited the blood line of defeated force belonging to Razakar, Al-Badar and active Collaborators still bear in their psyche ghost of Pakistan; actively dreaming of Pakistanisation in Bangladesh in recent years, under the patronization of political parties who do not uphold the spirit of Liberation War; dare to display a poster pasted in their chest reading 'I am Razakar' in the Dhaka University area in the recent past. It is much disturbing to note, of late, that a group of spoiled Bengali (in name sake only) spinsters paint miniature Pakistani flag on their cheeks with shameless inscription of 'Marry me Afridi'. It is equally disturbing to notice that one week or so before the beginning of December - the month of Victory Day, a Cricket Team from Pakistan was invited mysteriously by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to play a friendly match. The Pakistani players had the audacity of stamping numbers of Pakistani flag in the soil of Bangladesh in practice session with their Bangladeshi supporters audaciously wearing akistani cricket team jersy and  fluttering Pakistani flags in order to add salt to the wounds which refuse to heal since Liberation War in 1971. It is strange, all is happening purportedly in December, the month of Victory Day upon which all Bengalis emotionally fall back with the reminiscence of Liberation War of 1971 fifty years ago, and in the happy mood of celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence with great festivity.

Victory Day of 16 December returns in Bengalis life with new vigor and spirit round and round. Somehow, this year, before Victory Day a pall of gloom loomed notoriously displaying love more for Pakistan than for Cricket by a segment of posterity of anti-Bangladesh elements in the soil of independent Bangladesh. These progeny of anti Bangladesh elements in the soil of independent Bangladesh, must be punished heavily for their audacity and expressed love for Pakistan in the soil of sovereign Bangladesh. These anti Bangladesh elements should be bundle-off to their sweet home Pakistan to show their allegiance there.

O Victory Day, My Victory Day, we vow to uphold your spirit and protect your sanctity at any cost in the manner we vowed to lay down our lives for you in 1971, no matter how dastardly the conspirators stand on their vile toes to trample and malign your sanctity. Joy Victory Day, Joy Bangabandhu, Joy Bangla.


Mahbubar Rahman is a Bir Muktijoddha and former
Civil Servant