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Dhaka Day by Day

Ekushey: A pledge to do away with manacles

by Aasha Mehreen Amin
For those of us privileged enough to be born Into a later generation speaking In our mother tongue Bangla. Is a fact we take as much for Suited as being citizens of a free and Indepen-nt country But for those who were actually present during the movement that made this privilege possible 'Ekushe February' has a much deeper and profound meaning.
During that lime there were some political parties such as the AwaTni league and Tamuddln Maj 11s which played active roles In sup porting the movement. Among these parties was also the under ground Com munlst Party which worked through the Jubo (Youth) League tn helping to orga nlse the movement Journalist KG Mustafa was then a member of the cen tral working committee of the Jubo League and an active member of the Communist Party. He recalls the eve nts that lead to the climatic February 21st and the parts played by various sectors including the Communist Par ty and the newspapers.
Party during the movements, K G Muslala describes how party members distributed clandestine leaflets condemning Nazlmuddln s pattern speech and organised the activities connected with observance of the various 'days from February 4 to February 20. 1952.
"On the evening of February 20. continues K G Mustafa when Section 144 was promulgated.
student and youth
leaders of the party addressed meetings at different halls campaigning for the successful observance of February 21st.
"Underground leaders spread out to various places so that they would be able to keep in touch with the leaders of the movement. One such place was my residence In Kamalapur.
"On the night of February 20th. when the Central Committee of Action was to decide whether or not to violate Section 144. the party decided that Its members should support breaking Section 144. but at the same time go along with the majority decision. The majority in the Committee of Action voted against breaking the restrictive order. Oli Ahad one of the CP members on the committee opposed the majority opinion and Muhammad Toha, another CP member kept quiet.
"Party leaders reviewed the situation at a meeting the same night and decided that the students should be advised to break Section 144 in satyagraha' style. They should come out in the streets in groups of ten. This proposal was passed on at the students meeting in the campus on the morning of February 21st 1952. From that day until the movement subsided in the first week of March 1952. all party members were working constantly for the success of the movement."
After tire fateful February 21 st the newspapers were to play a significant role in reflecting the movement. Says K G Mustafa, who was then working for Sangbad. was asked to print the government version of the movement which he refused to do. He promptly resigned.
'The most positive role.” he says, "was played by Azad inspitc of the tact that Its proprietor was the President of the ruling Muslim League -Moulana Akram Khan. After February 21st. he along with the News Editor Mr Abul Kalam Shamsuddin took a firm stand against the killings. The Azad reported the movement both boldly and accurately. This inspired others to Join It."
The events of February 1952 were to have tire deepest impact on the Bengali soul. In 1948 concludes K G Mustafa, the issue was making Bangla a state language. But by February 1952 It was a question of asserting the democratic rights of a majority. The rights pf Bangalees.