Source: The Daily Star
Monday, March 26, 2012
My heart bleeds when I vividly remember the tragic scenario of the fatal night of March 25, 1971. Destiny goaded me into a stormy orbit of the country’s journalism. After Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was released from jail interned on the charge of the Agartala Conspiracy Case, One day he suddenly stated, “I need an English Language newspaper.” Looking at me he said, “Abidur Rahman, you were a journalist in early life, now God has given you enough recourses. You have to start an English Language newspaper for me.”
The name of the paper was selected as The People. As per Bangabandhu’s desire, his nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni joined the paper as Assistant Editor. The People appeared as a weekly on August 19, 1969, and as a daily on August 15, 1970. This paper played its fearless role by breaking all traditional norms of journalism. In fact The People made sure to print bombshells for the Martial Law Government of the country every day.
I derived my courage from my early life conviction and commitment regarding the cause of Bengali Nationalism. When a student of Dhaka College in 1954, I was introduced to Bangabandhu by two young leaders, Mr. Abdul Wadud and Mr. Abdul Awal, in connection with the nomination of a candidate from Kasba of Brahmanbaria during the 1954 United Front Election. Since then Bangabandhu’s charismatic personality always attracted me and The People practically became the English Language spokes-organ of Bangladesh’s liberation struggle.
If we really followed the example of Holy Prophet (sm), there should not have been such atrocities committed by any “Muslim” nation against their brothers. I guess Islam is the most misunderstood religion among Muslims today that is why Allah has sent the Promised Messiah and Mahdi (as) to reform the Muslim Ummah.
Categories: Bangladesh