The liberator’s epic return
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had been put in solitary confinement in Pakistan since the Liberation War began on March 26.
After dilly-dallying by Pakistani rulers over his release, Bangabandhu finally appeared at London’s Heathrow airport on the morning of January 8, 1972.
As he walked out into the airport, a tearful on-duty police official said, “Sir, we had been praying for you” – a testimony to how the world had been supporting Bangabandhu and Bangladesh in the fight for liberation.
Mujib returned to his beloved country on January 10, after his “Sonar Bangla” was finally liberated.
BHUTTO MEETS MUJIB
On December 26, Bangabandhu was brought to a police academy in Shihala, not far from Pakistan’s Rawalpindi.
When Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the then president of Pakistan, visited him, Bangabandhu asked him if he was also detained.
Bhutto said he came as the president of Pakistan, to which Mujib laughingly asked, “How did you become the president after I secured twice as many seats as you in the National Assembly?”
He also said he had no desire to become Pakistan’s president. “I long to go to Bangladesh as soon as possible”.
Bhutto said he would make the necessary arrangements but needed a few days. Bangabandhu was then finally able to fly away on January 8.
STOP AT LONDON
After arriving in London, Bangabandhu called for other states to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country.
British Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath welcomed Sheikh Mujib in the evening and said that, in principle, they had decided to recognise an independent Bangladesh.
Heath also arranged his own plane for Bangabandhu to fly to Delhi.
THE DIPLOMACY
On board, Sheikh Mujib did not sit idle.
He took Indian diplomat Sashanka S Banerjee, who was accompanying him, into confidence and asked him to convey a message to Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi regarding the early withdrawal of Indian troops from Bangladesh.
The Indian PM had earlier announced that the troops would leave by June 30, 1972.
The British PM, during his talks with Mujib in London, expressed his wish to see the Indian troops pull out by March 31, three months before Gandhi’s scheduled deadline, as this would then pave the way for Britain to extend diplomatic recognition.
Mujib wanted Sashanka to personally pass on this request to Gandhi as soon as they arrived in Delhi.
Indira Gandhi gracefully complied and announced withdrawal at the end of Mujib’s Delhi visit.
Bangabandhu delivered a short speech to an enormous crowd in Delhi, where he expressed sorrow for not being able to stop by at Kolkata and promised to visit it soon.
‘AMAR SONAR BANGLA’
During his flight to Delhi, Bangabandhu sang Rabindranath’s “Amar Sonar Bangla” with the joy of victory, of liberation, evident in his voice.
He discussed with Sashanka whether this song could perhaps be adopted as his new born nation’s anthem.
THE LEADER’S RETURN
The Father of the Nation arrived in Dhaka at 1:40pm to a rapturous welcome from his people on January 10.
In the company of Bangladesh government leaders, his truck ride to the Race Course Maidan was almost three-hour long.
Once there, he could not hold his tears while paying tribute to the millions who sacrificed their lives for freedom.
The people of Bangladesh felt the real impact of victory upon Bangabandhu’s homecoming.
The country today celebrates the 50th anniversary of its leader’s return.
Bangabandhu took his oath as the country’s prime minister on January 12, 1972, and immediately started working to rebuild his war-ravaged country into a prosperous, democratic nation with secular freedom.
[The story is based on Sashanka S Banerjee’s, book titled “A Long Journey Together - India, Pakistan and Bangladesh” and Dr Kamal Hossain’s book titled “Bangladesh: Quest for Freedom and Justice”.]