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Dhaka Day by Day

Davs of Hopes, Days of Fear

by Fayza Haq
"1 was a part time student at the Michigan State University at East Lancing, doing my mas ters in Education, when 26th March '71 came by. We were only seven students from the then East Pakistan and we openly cut off our relation ship with Pakistan. My husband was a Ford Foundation scholar in Agriculture Economics and his job in East Pakistan was in jeopardy. We declared an association of Bangladeshi students and comprised four or five families, " said Shamlma Islam who worked her heart out for the cause of Bengalis at home. while in the United States during the Liberation War.
The work was divided into many phases and forms . The collection of money for refugees was
just a part.The campaign of Stop Genocide' and motivating the American people were different.' she added.
The Emergency Relief Fund was mostly connected with collecting money and the Americans were involved in this. My house was the secretariat for-the Bangladesh association. For days and months 1 spoke at churches, faculty clubs and community leaders' clubs. Michigan had the largest foreign students' association. The BARD at Comilla was built with the help of the Michigan University and there was a ven-well motivated gro -up who sympathised
with Bangladesh," Shamima continued.
The responsibility for organising the movement fell on us. We were more fortunate compared to many others in having a chance to help the cause. We supplied thousands of slickers and buttons for the 'Stop Genocide' campaign. The first base was our campus and wc were supplying the entire USA and coordinating with the rest of the campuses in USA." Shamlma explained her role in raising funds and making the American people aware of the situation of the Bengalis in the then East Pakistan.
The mass media gave a lot of help . This was organised with the help of the teachers. They gave support throughout the year. The Michigan campus paper, the state newspaper,, television and radio carried the message through the help of the teachers and students. Dr William Ross, the Director of Aslan Studies . Ralph Smueklcr. the Dean of the International Programme, 'Dr. Ralph Nicholas, the Professor of Anthropology Department and Assistant Director of Asian Studies. Dr Rober Stevens, the Professor in Agriculture Economics Department, and Dr Cole Brembeck the Director of International Education had all helped. They had once been to Comilla and sympathised with the people there. Two other people who aided and encouraged was were Reverand Warren Day on behalf of the churches of Blast Lansing and Carol Thompson. These two, in particular . helped me organise the speech in hundreds of dorms." Shamima narrated her experience.
"Seventy Americans who came in January '72 lo Dhaka included Linda Worthington and Len ^tuttman. They dealt with the collection of
money and the later handed over US $ 16.00 to Sheikh Mujlbur Rehman." Shamima informed.
What was the reaction of the Average Americans in Michigan? The Americans are basically simple people . The story of torture and exploitation, and my message that money was literally killing us hit them. When we were organising the funds, wc said, skip a meal and contribute 33 cents lo save a child.' This was the fasting programme. A big amount of money was not asked, but it came to quite a bit when put together. Hundreds of faculty members, students and community members volunteered for the fast and the signature programme." Shamima added.
Benefit dinners I and lunches were arranged and for this the mass media helped They carried features, news, and programmes on TV. The University had Its own channel pro-grammb. We had five male students.
; Anwar, Faisal. Bah
I uddin Saman and my husband RabiuL Among the women were Nasim and 1. There was a teacher too. Dr. Khan, and two other housewives had also pitched tn," Shamima said.
. "When we asked. Dr. Robert Stevens and Dr. Ber-tocci organised a summer course in East lancing to get a few more Bang-
ladeshi families on the campus, so the move -ment could get stronger," she continued about the efforts of the Bangladeshis to help their brethren back home.
"For months after months we heard little of our families. The Red Cross helped to get news. We listened to VOA and BBC. Within USA pri vately funded groups telephoned each other and vlsllcd campus like Chicago and Detroit, so that all the campus were Involved," she informed.
" Wc were small in number and had great work load. There was fear of scholarships being cancelled. I personaly lost 18 months of work. When we got the news that five of my husband’s family members had been killed in '71 it was very had to take. Each one outside the country lived in risk and tension as we were personally involved," Shamima informed.
Docs: she feel that the values for which the Liberation War was fought was being violated al present with the sporadic anti-social activities?^ is my honest feeling that it takes time to organise . Wc started from scratch . The initial years will be spent for building the nation. We must not be over ambitious. If we . as the educated and aware Individuals all contribute we can overcome problems. My attitude Is a positive one," Shamima replied.
Shamima has written six books so far, including "Indigenous Abortion Practioners in Rural Bangladesh" in ’81, "Women’s Education in Bangladesh— Needs and Issues" in '77. "Invisible Labour Force"in 1985, "Women, Victims of Violence"' in 85, 'Annona (Pioneering Women In Bangladesh)" '88 and " Begum Rokeya : Aijaner Itihash" in '91. She also has an experimental literacy model, an innovative weekly education programme, called "Kolorab".