‘Let the Weapon of ’75 Roar Once More’

Mohammad Zainal Abedin:  The above caption is a popular slogan of the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party). This slogan takes our memory back to the events, which occurred in Dhaka on November 7, 1975, which many of us saw in person.

The above sentence reminds us of such a legacy of the spontaneous resistance of the common people of Bangladesh to protect its sovereignty and independence that occurred on November 7, 1975. It was an unusual unpredicted, unannounced day of abrupt resistance when none called to anyone to come to the street, none knew who from where. There was no preparation, there was no leader, there was none to command, there was no meeting, yet it was a resistance. A silent revolution occurred that protected Bangladesh.  Such an incident never happened anywhere in human history. It was unprecedented, absolutely unique from all counts.

It was an unprecedented spontaneous mass uprising that occurred on that day through an unthinkable unity of the sepoy and the people. This unity frustrated the conspiracy of an anti-Bangladesh alien clique and its local agents, whose objective was to sell out the country in exchange of getting support to capture state power. But people’s resistance saved the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh on that day.

This  unified resistance became a sources of patriotism, inspiration and encouragement which combiandly proved mightier than weapon., The patriotic forces, in course time  transformed the outcome of the resistance November 7, 1975 into a slogan, “Pochatarer hatiar gorjay uthuk arekbar”, which achieved huge popularity and acceptability among the nationalist forces.

Here the weapon of ’75 refers to unarmed non-violent peaceful resistance of the people along with the common sepoys of the then Bangladesh Army. They released Gen. Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of Independence in 1971, from house-arrest. The anti-Bangladesh traitors and their alien mentor were defeated facing  resistance, which proved that people are the ultimate sources of power and their unity are mightier than machine guns and tanks, or arms of any type.

The patriotic and nationalist forces of Bangladesh whenever will feel that their homeland is under crisis or faces threat from any external bully, they will repeatedly chante this resistive slogan.

So, BNP and its front organizations to refer to the ‘weapon of ’75’ point to the unified unarmed spontaneous uprising and resistance to deter conspiracy of killing Zia and frustrate the intrigue of turning Bangladesh to a satellite state of a fake friend. It was orchestrated by the intelligence agency of that country hinted above with active collaboration of gang of Bangladeshi mercenaries, whose identity and even names are known to many people of home and abroad. But its assignment was foiled due to people’s resistance.

The defeated evil forces of November 7, 1975, flocked together under the cover of grand alliance, which is a combination of several groups and factions.  AL suffers from groupings and intraparty rivalry even today. Some of these fractions were involved in killing Mujib on August 15, 1975. The same groups also tried to kill Gen. Ziaur Rahman on November 7, 1975 but were defeated due to the resistance of the common sepoys and the people.

These defeated groups for this reason cannot tolerate the slogan, “Let the Weapons of ’75 be Roared Once More.” It is easily understandable that in this slogan the term ‘Weapon’ refers to the united unarmed resistance of the Sepoy and the people.

November 7 of 1975, is the source of ideological consciousness and the tool of political activities of the BNP.

The new generation of AL does not know, while its old generation knowingly tries to distort the background and outcome of November 7, of 1975, as it is a day of bravery and resurrection. AL activists deliberately misinterprate it cliaming that it (slogan) refers to August 15 of 1975 when Sheikh Mujib was killed. They falsely allege that by raising the slogan of “Pochatarer hatiar gorjay uthuk arekbar”, BNP now threatens to use weapons against them.

AL Chief, to save her illegal power, even life, does not name the exact mentor that killed her father from behind the  screen.  Moreover, at least 19 ministers of the Mujib cabinet retained their position in the new cabinet formed by AL leader Khondakar Mustaque Ahmad. He himself was a minister in Mujib cabinet. So, a genuine question arises who killed Mujib?

It is essential to note, the tragic murder of Mujib on the dawn of August 15, 1975, occurred due to the conflict of sharing of power among the internal fractions of AL and the silent support of opposition party of that time India-sponsored  JSD (Jatiya Samajtrantic Dal), popularly as Jasad, and its armed wing, ‘Gano Bahini’. AL’s trusted ally India’s intelligence agency ‘RAW’ from behind screen staged this tragic drama of killing Mujib.

AL for years tried to interlink the name of Shahid Zia in killing Mujib, but failed to produce any document to prove the allegation.  The most surprising story is that after the killing of Mujib JASAD was liquidated as a single party. It is widely said, India floated it to undermine Mujib and when he was killed, its assignment was finished and JASAD was not required to survive anymore. It was subdivided and fragmented in several  groups.It is also strange to note, leaders of all these groups, who once harshly condemned Mujib on his face are now the partners of Sheikh Hasina. What a strange country it is!

Zia’s contribution: Survival of Zia from November 3 to 7 of 1975, was an extension his life. The unified upraising, which is regarded as revolution, protected Bangladesh from the paw of a hegemonic bully and Gen. Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of the independence of Bangladesh.

He got a chance to directly serve the country as the Head of the State when President Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem resigned. It paved the way for Gen. Zia to serve the country who brought about revolutionary changes in every sector of Bangladesh.

He ended the curse of one-party dictatorial one-man rule and restored multi-party democracy. He explored our national identity known as Bangladeshi nationalism; germinated the spirit of self-respect attaining autarky in all fields. He took massive program of canal digging to store water during the rainy season to irrigate the agricultural land during the dry season. The project also eased waterways, increased fish production and deterred deforestation due to Farakka Barrage.  He ran from one village to another and went to the doorstep of the villagers to inspire them to grow more food, removing hunger, starvation, and poverty. During his rule crimes like robbery, extortion, hijacking were tremendously reduced and restored peace and harmony in the society.

Zia followed a well-thought balanced independent foreign policy for Bangladesh suiting its geo-strategic interest and within a short time and attained a prestigious position in the international arena. Zia emerged as a leading stateman in the Muslim world and negotiated many crucial issues among the OIC countries.

Some of his glorious achievements, among others, are completion of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, National Assembly Building, Zia (Shahjalal) International Airport, Zia Fertilizer Factory, Islamic University, Bangladesh, Shishu Park, Shishu Academy, etc.

It would take volume to document Zia’s contribution in developing Bangladesh during his about three-year rule.  What would have happened to Bangladesh if Zia would have been killed on November 7, 1975.

What would have happened to Bangladesh if Zia was killed between November 3 to November 7 of 1975?

William B. Milam, former US Ambassador to Bangladesh, rightly answered this question: “It’s hard to imagine what would have happened to Bangladesh had Ziaur Rahman been assassinated in 1975 instead of 1981. A failed state on the model of Afghanistan or Liberia might well have resulted. Zia saved Bangladesh from that fate.”

(‘Bangladesh And Pakistan: Flirting With Failure In South Asia’, by William B Milam, page 69, 2009.)

Duty of Zia followers:  It is the sacred duty of the Zia followers to uphold his ideology and moto, above to protect the country, its sovereignty and independence for which taking the risk of life declared its independence when all the political party leaders ran for their lives. He risked his life for the second time on November 7, 1975, and established Bangladesh on strong footings. All these positive changes that occurred in Bangladesh till date, are the outcomes of 7th November, the day of a successful bloodless revolution of the unarmed people and their sons — common sepoys.

Now the nation faces a more dangerous crisis. Earlier it faced external threats, but now we are facing more difficult unthinkable dangers. The same evil power and their agents endangered our existence. We should obviously go back to 7th November of 1975 and organize the same type of people’s resistance to salvage the country, its people, its socio-religious cultural heritage and secure its hard-earned independence and sovereignty. No group has any room to be scared or feel intimidated.

But the traitors or the foreign stooges and looters who committed so many crimes are really really terrified, apprehending the consequences, which they deserve for their crimes against the country and humanity.  They are being suffered from their heart for their sky-high crimes of murder, theft, bribery, extortion, misappropriation, rape, falsity, misuse of power, and other crimes. So, this slogan “Pochatarer hatiar gorjay uthuk arekbar” obviously creates panic in their psyche and their heart tumbles and trembles them out of fear and they feel that the phantom of 7th November chases them round the clock. So, they are to oppose this slogan till their death.  *

Mohammad Zainal Abedin: A Bangladesh-origin American journalist & researcher.

June 11, 2022