Some memories of independence 33

 December 16th Victory Day / First Kiss to Swadhin Bangla

 That very day came and started knocking on our door.  This is a different feeling.  But it took us a while to realize that feeling. 

 

At that time there was no television in anyone's house in Karamadi village.  Not everyone had a radio at home.  The two who had a radio in their house could not play the radio independently.  It was considered an anti-Islamic musical instrument.  Despite many obstacles, the only radio was trust.  Again the radio was powered by batteries, so the owner had to count some cash to make others happy.  And how much news can be served or received on the radio?  When television presents a live program, it feels like I'm one of them, I'm an actor.  But it is not possible to receive that taste on the radio.  However, in the evenings we would sit next to the radio of Abul Kashem in our neighborhood and listen anxiously to listen to the news of Bangladesh Betar or BBC.  In the evenings, news was presented in Bengali for the listeners of Bangladesh.  In particular, we valued the BBC news.  Because Bangladesh Betar then only gave more news about the loss of Pakistan, the success of the freedom fighters, of course that is normal.  Who else is a fool to praise the opposition?

 One day I picked up a news item on the radio.  The news was about the diplomatic mission in Kolkata.  I don't remember the content of the news.  Any news with a quote from the diplomatic mission.  One or two of our villagers did not support the war of independence, nor did they oppose it.  What is in the word Pakistan is an attempt to find spiritual peace.  The word diplomacy is actually referring to one person to another.  Achieve your own interests in the middle.  That is, the word is interpreted in a negative sense.  There were different opinions on the interpretation of this word in front of the audience present, and it was quite difficult to deal with it.

 When the Pak army withdrew from the Bamandi and Bhatpara camps on December 6, I guessed that the retreat day was not far away.  A few days later it really happened.  The BBC broadcast the news of the surrender of the Pak army in a big way.  Of course, Bangladesh Betar too.  Excitement spread all around.  Even then we do not know who surrendered to whom.  I later learned that General Niazi had signed the agreement on behalf of Pakistan and General Aurora on behalf of India.  But General Osmani was not seen there on behalf of Bangladesh.  Why General Osmani did not take part is still a dilemma.  General Osmani may not have been present that day due to physical illness or some other reason, but in his absence someone else could have participated.  Or any senior political leader from the Bangladesh government could also take part.  And that is normal.  Is the war between Pakistan and India or Pakistan with Bangladesh?  90,000 Pakistani soldiers were imprisoned in India after the agreement.  Did the Pakistani general think that they could be tortured if their troops were trapped in Bengal?  Or did they think that proving that the war was fought between India and Pakistan would compensate for the war, or free them from the division of state aid?  If so, then we have lost from a political and diplomatic point of view.  Since India had a war with Pakistan, and Pakistan lost that war, Bangladesh could never claim compensation from the Pak government.  Is this explanation written anywhere in the history of Bangladesh?  Although 50 years have passed since independence, the government of Bangladesh or historians seem to be trying to hide this fact, the accountability of the government to the public remains a secret.  If anyone knows the matter, there must be a request to inform.

 In World War II, many Japanese troops went to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and even Fiji to fight.  They fought in the deep forest without eating or half eating.  Some have died of enemy fire, some have died of starvation, some have died without treatment, and some have been eaten by wild animals like tigers, bears or snakes.  When the war ended, it took years, even ages, for the news to reach them.  When he found out, he no longer felt the need to return to Japan.  Some have left this world like wild animals in the jungle, some have not dared to come out of the jungle and stand in front of the wife or love girl they left behind in Japan, but instead have built a house with a local girl.  Much later, however, the Japanese government tried to find all these people.  It is just an attempt to get rid of the responsibility.

 Come back to Karamadi village.  As far as I remember, the incident of December 16 did not reach us in the same way as it did in other parts of the world, it took a while.  The communication distance from Dhaka city was more than our geographical distance.  Our only news medium was radio or folklore.  Yet what could be happier than to be a citizen of an independent country, to have a close embrace of my lover?  The beginning is the preparation to enjoy this day.  But not on December 16, a few days later.  Can't remember exact date.  I decided that people from different neighborhoods would gather in rows at the Karamadi High School ground.  There will be a flag of Bangladesh.  But where do I get so many flags?  The beginning is the refuge of the village tailors.  Umbrella tailors in our neighborhood and Abdur Rahman tailors in the western part of the night making flags.  We do not know the exact size of the red sun in any part of the flag.  I was able to make a few flags, though not for everyone.  Preparations to gather in front of Karamadi Bahalpara Mosque.

 Suddenly something unexpected happened.  I was about to leave the house when a middle-aged relative from our village came to see my rifle.  I gave him the rifle in a very simple way, but I did not notice the cartridge loaded in the rifle.  The gentleman took the rifle and fired a shot at the head of a large mango tree planted by my grandmother in front of our house.  Bhagya was staring at the sky, otherwise the damage could have been done.

 We villagers gathered at the Karamdi High School ground.  Abal old Banita.  It is like a festival.  Joy Bangla, Joy Mujib's slogan is all around.  Without Mike, I couldn't hear anyone.  He said as much as he could.  He listened to whoever wanted to hear.  Thus the day passed.  We, the freedom fighters, suddenly became a man one degree above the forest.  And this is what caused our subsequent destruction.

 Let's end here today