Promise of a Pakistani
I have gone through the article under the caption ‘Promise of a Pakistani’ with rapt attention by Hamid Mir a Pakistani culumisnt which appeared in the Daily Star on April 09, 2010. While reading the article was taken over with mental agonies because some past pathetic events which I experienced during the freedom fighting flashed before my mind’s eye. Hamid Mir says in the article, ‘This is my promise to the people of Bangladesh. This is a promise of a Pakistani who, like Bangladeshis, always hated military dictators. This Pakistani will always be thankful to Bangladeshis because their founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman not only created Bangladesh but also part of the movement which created Pakistan in 1947. Bengalis actually created two countries. First Pakistan and then Bangladesh. You are really great people. ‘ When a Pakistani people admits the blunder of the Pakistan armies atrocities upon the Bengalees we really become proud of our freedom. A Pakistani agrees that Bangabanthu is the father of Bengali nation whereas still we continue debate over the issue.
In our National Assembly, one of our young lawmakers of the opposition did not show honour to Bangabanthu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In his speech many a time he uttered ‘Sheikh Mujubur Rahman Shahed.’ We should know how to show honour to our national leaders. May be Bangabandhu committed some mistakes in ruling the country during the turbulent period of Bangladesh, but that does not necessity mean that his great contribution and unparalleled leadership snatched our freedom from the Pakistani regime. What would happen to us had we not achieved freedom in nine moths. When the ‘freedom fighting’ was going on, the then East Pakistan was under water. The Pak army could not make much headway or they did not feel comfortable in the water covered country. As a result many people could save their lives. We were attacked several times and we could save our lives hiding under water or in bushes. After December country sees dry weather. The Pak army would kill several times more people and the houses were but several times. That means more devastation would take place in the country. Thanks god. We got freedom in nine months. I castigate AL and the lawmakers and even the government whenever I find any discrepancies. But we cannot deny our national debt to Bangabandhu. He should be kept above many petty issues. President Ziaru Rahman also contributed but people will decide from their own point of view how much contribution they did individually. No party should try to place them above each other. Nation will decide.
March 26, 2010 was an important day for the writer. He received a flood of emails from the readers for an article in which he said sorry for the genocide of 1971 by the Pakistani army and demanded that Pakistan government apologize to Bangladesh. Yes, we all offer thanks from the core of our heart . the writer says that many Pakistanis are ready to apologize. Due to military rule press was not free to let people know what actually happened in East Pakistan. He is moved by countless emails which convinced him that he will no more write only articles but also write letters to President and prime minister of Pakistan to apologize to Bangladesh. If this does not work he will write a book on the issue. He will make a documentary so that the new generation of Pakistanis comes to know about the blunders committed by their elders in 1971. We do hope the writer will become successful in his honest mission and Pakistan government today or tomorrow must apologize to us.
I still remember the pathetic scene. The Pak army burnt down our hoses to ashes. I was then a primary school going boy. We had to flee from our house. After several days we came to know that our house was burnt by the Pak army. We don’t know what our fault was. Tears rolled down automatically from my eyes when I saw the ashes of our house after the country had achieved freedom. This single example represents hundreds and thousands of families. Pakistan committed a serious blunder for not handing power over to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The military and political leaders of Pakistan should have understood a legal thing could not have been suppressed by military or any kind of force or coercion. Number two, India is her bigger and more powerful neighbor. She must take the side of Bangladesh for several purposes. Pakistan’s stance in no way was wise, rather suicidal. They are to pay its price still and more many years they will have to pay for it. For God’s sake now we are free. The current turmoil prevailing in Pakistan would have to be shared by us had we been with them till today.
Pakistan is now dominated by military, militancy and American encroachment. But we are free. They must understand how serious blunder they committed.

Md. Masum Billah
Senior Manager: Brac Education Program, PACE
10th floor, 75, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212.
Phone: 9355253(res), 01714-091431(cell)
Email: mmbillah2000@yahoo.com