Born in 1880 in Dhangara, Bengal (now Bangladesh), Bhashani was the son of Haji Sharafat Ali Khan. He gain enormous reputation amongst peasants. outstanding to his sympathy for the progressive military, deemed secure to socialists/communists, he was nicknamed as "Red Maulana".
He is regarded as the promoter of material and left leaning politics in current days Bangladesh.:[1] He was the founder and President of the Pakistan Awami Muslim League which later became Awami League (AL). Later however, outstanding to differences with the right leaning leaders in the AML, such as Shahid Suhrawardy on the issue of autonomy for East Pakistan, he created a new progressive party called National Awami Party (NAP). He also differ among Suhrawardhy when he as Prime Minister of Pakistan decided to join the US-led defence pact CENTO and SEATO. The split among the progressive camp into pro-Moscow and pro-Peiking factions finally led to the break up of NAP into two divide parties; the pro-Moscow faction being led by Prof. Muzaffar Ahmed. After Pakistan's 1965 war with India, he showed some support for Field Marshall Ayub Khan's regime for its China-leaning foreign policy; but later he gave the leadership to mass uprising beside the regime in 1968-69. He played a very serious role in the 1969 progress which eventually led to the collapse of the Ayub regime and the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other co-accused in the so-called Agartala conspiracy case against Pakistan. His result to boycott the 1970 Pakistan general elections successfully led to the electoral remove by erstwhile adversary Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.Early life
In 1880, Maulana Bhashani was born in Serajganj, presently a district, formerly a section under Pabna. During 1907-09 he established religious education at the Deoband Madrasah. The organization of Mahmudul Hasan (Shaikhul Hind) and other famous progressive Islamic thinkers motivated Bhasani against British imperialism. In 1909 he started teaching in a primary school at Kagmaree, Tangail. During 1909-13 he worked among the political extremists. In 1914 he revolted against the Christian missionaries in the Netrakona and Sherpur areas of the then East Bengal.
In 1917, Bhashani was induct into active politics and joined the Nationalist party led by Desbandhu Chittaranjan Das as an campaigner. stimulated by Maulana Mohammed Ali, he joined the Indian National Congress in 1919. In 1920 he was arrested and locked up. After being released, he participated in Khilafat group. In 1921 he participated in Non-Cooperation movement beside the British imperialism below the leadership of Deshbandhu C R Das. He suffered incarceration for some days at that time. He connected the Muslim League in 1930. He was selected an MLA in Assam Legislative Assembly from Dhubri(South) constituency in 1937 and served till 1946.[2] In April 1944 he was selected the president of Muslim League at its Barpeta session where after he loyal himself to Pakistan movement.After organization of Pakistan in 1947, following the exit of the British, Bhashani establish his anti-establishment course of action. On July 23, 1949, he founded "East Pakistan Awami Muslim League. Bhasani was selected its president with Shamsul Huq as its General Secretary. On July 24, 1949 he prepared the first meeting of Awami League at Armanitola position of Dhaka.
Sheikh Mujib and Maulana Bhashani (4th person from right) in a complaint march in 1953
On 31 January 1952 he created the "All Party Language association Committee" at the Dhaka Bar Library. The National Democratic Front was recognized under his leadership on 4 December 1953. He renamed Awami Muslim League as the Awami League by removing "Muslim" from its official name in the council meeting of Awami League held on 21–23 October 1953. In 1956 Bhashani carried out Hunger strike in insist of food for the famine artificial people from 7 to 23 May.
In path of the famous Kagmaree meeting of Awami League held on 7–8 February 1957, Bhashani said ‘good bye’ (Assalamu Alaikum) to the West Pakistani authority who was scientifically selective against East Pakistan. On 24–25 July 1957 Bhashani convened the meeting of All Pakistan Democratic Activists. On July 25 he formed the East Pakistan National Awami Party (NAP). Bhashani was selected the President with Mahmudul Huq Osmani, the General Secretary. {main|Pakistani presidential voting, 1965}
He played a critical role in the opposition result to nominate Fatima Jinnah, instead of Azam Khan. Fatima Jinnah was originally scornful of an opposition attempt to suggest her, however on Bhashanis personal involvement, she agreed to be their joint applicant.
In spite of this pleged support for Fatima Jinnah, Bhashani is controversially alleged to have gone motionless during the opposition Presidential campaign because of Ayub Khans pro China leanings.[5]
He prepared the Cooperative for the Cultivators of East Pakistan on 2–3 January 1968. He was selected the founder Chairman. On 15 June 1968 Bhashani founded the Cooperative for the regional Fish Tradesmen at Dhaka Bar library. On 12 October of the same year, he was under arrest by President General Ayub Khan's government from the Mirzapur hospital, Tangail.
In 1967 Bhashani protested against the governmental ban against Rabindranath Tagore. In 1969 Bhashani launched movement to remove the Agartala Conspiracy Case and for the release of Sheikh Mujib and other co-accused persons which ultimately accelerated the fall of Ayub Khan.[6] When the war of liberation started on 26 March 1971, Maulana Bhasani went to India. He did not return to Bangladesh until its liberty.
The Muslim League Government together in the centre and the region of East Pakistan lost considerable popularity after the Language Movement of 1952. It was seen as a political party and a government that were not competent or interested in protecting the interest of East Pakistan. In 1954, determination was going to be held in the region and a new political force emerge to challenge the Muslim League. It was called Jukta Front (United Front) and comprised the party of Maulana Bhashani, the firebrand left-oriented leader and Krishak Sramik Party of A. K. Fazlul Huq, former Prime Minister of Bengal. The Awami League, under Shahid Suhrawardy also joined the alliance. Soon there was a foundation swell of a popular association supporting the Jukta Front. Under the umbrella of Jukta Front Maulana Bhashani played a essential role in spearheading opposition to West Pakistan subject politics.
In the elections of 1956, Jukta Front successfully defeated Muslim League and formed the regional government of East Pakistan. However, the government was randomly dismissed and all leaders excluding Maulana Bhashani eventually submitted to the West Pakistani decision-makers, as well as A. K. Fazlul Huq and Shahid Suhrawardy.
Independent East Pakistan
Maulana Bhashani was the first in the middle of the politicians to conceive of an independent East Pakistan. In early 1950s he felt that an incorporated Pakistan was no longer maintainable with domination of West Pakistan. In Kagmari Sommelan, he bid farewell to West Pakistan by saying Assalam alaikum which soon became a reference. He declined to give in the national election of 1970 saying that it will only help complete regulation by West Pakistan. Since 1969 his favoirite slogans were Swadhin Bangla Zindabad and Azad Bangla Zindabad. His dream of an independent Purba Bangla (East Bengal) came true when Bangladesh was recognized as an independent nation-state in 1971.
Maulana was known to have a Chinese connection and was the leader of pro-Chinese politicians of East Pakistan. During the 1965 war between Pakistan and India, Maulana was traceless for some days. It is said that he was fly from Panchbibi, Bogra to China, at the behest of president Field Marshall Ayub Khan, to safe support of China for Pakistan.
Anti-Indian stance
It is said that Maulana Bhasani measured India a 'difficult' neigherbour and infrequently took anti-Indian stance. When after the start of the war of liberation in 1971 Bhasani took protection in India like all opposition political leaders, he was not allowed to join in any activity. In fact he had to use up the entire period of the liberation war in confinement in Delhi. After habitual to Dhaka (on 22 January 1972) his first demand was immediate removal Indian troops from the land of Bangladesh.
Politics in self-sufficient Bangladesh
Moulana Bhashani required to play the role of a responsible resistance. The progressive forces quickly gathered around him and strengthened his NAP with Kazi Zafar Ahmed as its General Secretary. But soon factional differences in the middle of the progressive forces emerged and weakened Moulana Bhashani.
Unhappily, the new government of Bangladesh failed to exploit the organizational and public estimation making ability of Moulana Bhashani. Instead he was always under doubt, although he provided productive advices to the government. He was highly significant of the oppressive style of the government and its extrajudicial killings of the left-leaning activists. He was visionary enough to see the seed of the cancer of corruption in society and offered his help to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to build up an anti-corruption movement. Unhappily that was not heeded. He also warned Sheikh Mujibur Rahman beside his move towards a one party state and declaring himself as life-long president. He could not believe that a person like Sheikh Mujib who fought all his life for a multi-party democracy could do that. He saw the destruction of Mujib in this action. Bhashani was deeply shocked at the killing of Mujib, for whom he had a lot of fatherly liking, and his family members. The person who conveyed the news of Mujib's demise described how the Moulana cried and after that go to his prayer room to offer prayer.
Support for post-Mujib era
permanent president of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed in a military coup d'état on 15 August 1975. A confused political scenario followed as coup and counter-coup took place. In 1976, Maulana Bhashani explicitly supported the change of regime when General Ziaur Rahman was given the helmsmanship of the nation. He made it clear that his maintain was for the restoration of a multi-party democracy and should not be construed as a maintain for the inhuman killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members and the barbaric act of the conspirators. His support was to bring constancy to the country's politics and to combine democracy. It was an act of requirement.Journalisom
Weekly Ittefaq
Daily Ittefaq has been the most popular Bengali newspaper of Bangladesh since early 1970s. However its antecedent is Weekly Ittefaq. After partition of India in 1947, Muslim League emerged as the government political party. Soon opposition association started and a political social gathering named Awami Muslim League was founded with Bhashani as one of the central figures. In this backdrop Maulana Bhashani started publishing the Weekly Ittefaq in 1949. It was an ardent critique of the Muslim League government. The weekly soon became popular.[7] The journalist Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mian worked as its editor. It remains ambiguous under what circumstances Manik Mian started to use his own name as the proprietor of the weekly turned a daily.
Weekly Haq Katha
On February 25, 1972, Bhashani started publishing a weekly Haq Katha and it soon gained wide movement. It was outspoken about the irregularity and mis-rule of Awami League government recognized after independence of Bangladesh. Rampant version by Awami League politicians were boldy reported. In significance the weekly was soon banned by Sheikh Mujib. It was edited by Irfanul Bari, Bhashani's assistant.
Farakka Long March, 1976
In May 1976 the charismatic leader at his 90's led a considerable Long–March demanding destruction of the Farakka Barrage constructed by India to divert flow of Ganges waters inside its territory, triggering the drying up of river Padma and desertification of Bangladesh.[8] It was the first popular association against India demanding a rightful allocation of the Ganges's water.[9] Since then Historic Farakka Long March Day is practical on 16 March every year in Bangladesh.[10] The-then government of Bangladesh illegally supported Bhashani's Farakka Long March. Navy-chief Rear Admiral M. H. Khan in charge of as long as logistics. Hundreds of thousands of nation from all walks of life from all over the country gathered in Rajshahi town to participate in the Long March.
On the morning of 16 March 1976, he addressed a massive gathering of people at the Madrash Miadan, Rajshahi, from where the Long March commenced. Hundreds of thousands of people walked more than 100 kilometers on foot for days. The March sustained up to Kansat, a place near the India-Bangladesh border, close to the Farakka barrage.Once again, Moulana Bhashani played a most important role at a critical occasion of the nation's history by raising the consciousness about India's hegemonic attitude. His legacy continues with the national resistance against India's other dam projects in the upstrem of common rivers.
Death
He died on 17 November 1976 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, aged 96, and was masked at Santosh, Tangail.
