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Syed Nazrul Islam: A tribute

Neloo Sharifa
SYED Nazrul Islam was one of the closest and most faithful aides of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Loyalty to the leader and dedication to his country and people were his supreme ideals. He gave proof of this at different critical stages of the country's political history, especially as acting president of the nine-month-long government-in-exile at Mujibnagar. He was one of the moving spirits of the struggle for freedom, which culminated in the liberation war.
His firmness of purpose, foresight and political sagacity were demonstrated when the country's political future was at stake and pro-people politics was confronted with a mortal challenge. The time has come to
revaluate the different aspects of his political career objectively and in the historical perspective. He was born on February 18, 1926, in the village
Beerdampara in Kishorganj.
After he completed his MA in history from Dhaka University, his father wanted him to take part in the highly competitive examination for the centred superior service of Pakistan and begin his career as an officer. In deference to parental wishes he sat for the CSS exam and did a brief stint in government service.
But he soon freed himself from the lure of high office and joined Anandamohan College of Mymensingh as lecturer of history and also Mymensingh bar as a lawyer. He had taken an active part in student politics, and felt impelled to involve himself in different political programs.
He joined the Awami League and, in the course of time, became one of the party's senior leaders. During the libera-tion war, in the absence of
Bangabandhu, he assumed the office of acting president. That was a time of glorious sacrifices and triumph, but sinister conspiracies were also at work to undermine the historical struggle of the Bengalees and shackle them again.
Syed Nazrul Islam was noted for his poise and level-headedness — qualities which helped him to steer clear of storms and whirlwinds and remain steadfast in pursuit of his goal. He charted out the right course in the light of his own wisdom and in consultation with his distinguished colleagues.
After the barbarous killing in the Dhaka Central Jail of the four great leaders of the liberation war, Begum Syed Nazrul Islam revealed some facts to me. Shesaid: "After the killing of Bangbandhu he was restlessly pacing up and down the room and burning cigarettes one after another.
He was by nature somewhat taciturn, and after the great tragedy he was talking still less. But one afternoon he told me: "Now it is my turn. If they kill any other man, that will be I. Despite ushering in freedom we have fallen under domination, the whole nation has come under domination."
One evening he received a telephone call, after which he became very excited and sprang to his feet He was hurling abuses in English in a loud voice. I heard words like killer Moshta. Finally he said: "I am Syed Nazrul Islam. I cannot take oath of office over the blood of Bangabandhu. Don'ttemptme."
He hung up the phone with a bang. The phone rang again but he didn't receive it. I went and lifted the receiver. It was Khandakar Moshtaq at the other end. I said why are you bothering him this way. You ought to know my husband better. I
hung up. Two days later he was arrested.
"When in the jail he asked for paper for writing, which I duly kept supplying. At one stage he said: 'I have almost finished the writing. Keep it carefully in your custody.' Now I feel he had a prescience that he would not come out from jail alive, and wanted to leave a testament for the country. But he could not, unfortunately. After the assassination I ran from pillar to post to recover the papers but failed."
The killers did not stop at killing the leaders but also destroyed the facts and documents. Possibly the papers contained something that would help unmask them.
Written on the occasion of the 83rd birth anniversary of Syed Nazrul Islam, which falls on February 18. Niloo Sharifa is a short story writer and principal of a nursery school in Mymensingh.