***We salute Bangabandhu for leading us to freedom and spearheading the movement that brought us independence and the sovereign, state of Bangladesh. Looking at the past we judge Bangabandhu's contribution to be the most significant in terms of giving us the greatest source of pride and self-confidence that comes to a nation when it earns its freedom through an armed struggle. It is our judgement that without his leadership role both our freedom and independence would not have come at the time that they did. We judge him to have had the greatest impact in shaping our immediate past. If freedom gives a nation the best chance to nurture and develop its creativity, and if an independent state is the best guarantor of that freedom, then Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's contribution is by far the greatest in giving us a chance to live and grow in creativity and dignity. —Editor****

SHEIKH Mujib was two months short of his 51st birthday when a delirious nation welcomed him on the 10th January of 1971 on the Independent soil of Bangladesh. How could one so young have earned so much trust, respect and. most importantly. love from such a large number of ordinary people? well. It was a tribute that Bangabandhu was ’ receiving for a lifetime of service to his people.

If one looks at Muilb's life it becomes very clear that there was no thought in his mind, no action in his daily life, no dream in him except to struggle for the rights of the people of what later became Bangladesh. Starting from the early days of our Language Movement in 1948 up Io our Liberation War. there is not a single instance of mass movement or democratic

struggle of our people in which Bangabandhu was not present either as an active organiser or as Rs leader.

What marked his emergence in our politics was his bold articulation of the political and economic demands of our people against the designs of our Pakistani rulers. From the very early days Bangabandhu distinguished himself for his courage. He would say things, do things and lead the people into situation where others would dare not enter.

Bangabandhu helped us overcome our sense of helplessness and gave us that critical strength to stand up against the Pakistani oppressors, especially its formidable army. Thvre was an electrifying presence about his personality that had the capacity to infect ev-

eryone and enthuse the masses to follow him. What made the people trust him so much was the singularity of his vision and the sincerity of his purpose. He had an unmatched ability to sense what the people wanted and amazing capacity to articulate those in a manner that would have the greatest mass appeal. His most famous six-point programme was as simple as it was powerful, at once uniting the people behfhd a vision that was to lead us to the independence struggle.

Proclamation of his six-point programme and the mass movement that followed, becoming falsely accused In the Agartala Conspiracy case, and the 11-point movement of the students and workers made Sheikh Mujib the unquestioned leader of our masses and helped to unite the people behind a

single leadership. The 1970 elections. In which he got more than 95 per cent votes from the eastern wing of Pakistan, gave the final seal to Mujib becoming the sole representative our people, and its most authentic voice.

In our view Bangabandhu's speech on the 7th of March 1971 can be rated among the greatest in terms of political oratory. It contained a clear articulation of the aspirations of our people, a direction of steps needed to be taken in the immediate and remote future and had a magically enthusing affect on the people in general. From that day onwards. Pakistan lay virtually dead. It was only a matter of time for us to physically assert our independence. Morally and psychologically our battle

was won.

Bangabandhu's greatest strength in time became his greatest weakness - his tremendous mass popularity. What was an asset as a leader of the masses was not necessarily so as an administrator. And he took too long to understand it. Here lay his fatal flaw. He did not fully understand that the magic he showed and had got used to throughout his extremely successful political life was not to produce the same results in running the country.

However we salute him not for how he ran the country but that he led us In getting one. Bangabandhu's contribution had the greatest impact on our lives in terms of getting us where we are today - prouacit;-zens of a free and independent country.