China visit of Gen. Ershad, the Army Chief appointed by Zia
During the visit for some reason not known to me one day he took me in confidence and had said
Gen. Zia’s wrong politics and many unaccepted decisions within the armed forces has created a volcanic situation in the country. Any moment there might occure an anti Zia armed uprising within the armed forces. He was very concered about any such eruption. He had been trying his best but failing to make him understand the gravity of the situation. Quite unexpectedly, he wanted to know my openion what should be his role as the Arny Chief if that kind of explosion occurs!
In reply I told Gen. Ershad
In any 3ed world country like Bangladesh any soldier has a scope to be the head of state in this context holding the post of Army Chief it would be very easy for you to occupy the vacancy. You also understand this reality too well so, there is every reason to think that you are getting prepared for that isn’t Sir?
After listning to my reply he straight way came up with a request and said
Yes, you are right. At any national crisis as the Army Chief even unwillingly I have to bear the responsibility that would fall on my shoulder for the greater interest of the country. For that reason I want to make a personal request to you. I would like to apprise the important Chinese leaders about the actual prevelling situation in the country. So that if that kind of crisis develops then to carry forward the on going friendy relation between China and Bangladesh they support me as their friend. I am sure you would think alike that such sensitive matter can’t be discussed in the formal meetings that are held with the deligation. Therefore, you have to arrange a secrate meeting with important leaders in the corridor of power. I know you have that ability.
Shameless Ershad cunningly was trying to earn acceptance from the Chinese leadership! From his talks it was evidently clear that the time to fall the drop scene is close by. At the crutial juncture of changing guards I thought, it would not be prudent to outrightly refuse the request of the most likely emerging future strongman. So, I said
Okay Sir, I shall try my best.
Not trying your best but you have to arrange. Gen. Ershad frantically requested again.
Considering Cino-Bangladesh relation’s future I considered that it was reasonable to take the initiative to arrange the meeting. The meeting was arranged. Gen. Ershad tried his best requesting me to be present. But I refused. I knew it for sure that after the meeting the Chibese side would want to know my openion about him and what all he had said. It happened so. The Chinese leaders particularly wanted to know about chareter and about reliabity.
Gen. Ershad told the Chinese leaders in the meeting that he sincerely wants to further streanthen the existing multi dimentuional friendly relation between Bangladesh and People’s Republic if China. But when they wanted his views about India, Gen. Ershad had said that the people of Bangladesh remains greatful to India for its support and assistance during the liberation war. He further opined that Bangladesh being encircled by India Bangladesh must befriend India and maintain closer relation with India to ensure the greater interset of durable stability in this region. When the Chinese friends wanted my views on his such submission.
I told them
To remain greatful and mortgaging the cointry as a client state negating our self identy by a puppet according to a far fetched blue print there is gulf of diference. Only after siging of the one sided 7 point agreement India allowed to form the providional government in exile. Later, this was further extended by India and a 25 years treaty was signed between Mujibur Rahman and Indira Gandhi soon after he saddled himself at the helms of affairs on his return to Bangladesh. Except AWAMI-BAKSALITES the majority of the people takes that uneven treaty as a bondage of slavery. India had looted away far more than their imnvestmen with interest for whatever help and assistance they had provided during the liberation war particularly, to the displaced refugees fled from the then East Pakistan. Not only that, they had swallowed the lion share of the enormous forein aids that had been coming on humanitary ground in connivance with the corrupt provisional government.
But their farfetched main aim was two
- To dismember Pakistan to weaking it.
- Creating a client state called Bangladesh to give a clear message to the on going libaration movements of the diatinctly different ethnic nations within the so called Indian Union that no smaller nation in the region can maintan its separate self identity staying out of the Indian Union or not being dependent on India. Therefore, for their own interest they should refrain from armed independence movements and maintain their self identities like the satus of other states within the vast Indian Union. For this Indian Chanakyas has formulated a far reaching blue print. Pther tan us most of the nationalist and patriotic freedom fighters who were politically conscious came to know about this and took the initiative to get organized to counter the Indian nefarious design for the sake of materializing the spirit and the dream of liberation war into a reality in independent Bangladesh.
Gen. Zia made the declaration of independence from the Kalur Ghat booster station but not at his own rather under severe pressure from his subordinate colleagues in a deparate situation to save their lives. Even then he became an eye sore for the provisional and Indian government. As a result he was removed from his sector commandership at the very beginning and dumped at the headquarters. Gen. Zia never had been politically very conscious like Gen. Ershad. Whatever knowledge they acquired was limited up to the politics of Field Marshal. Ayub Khan and Gen. Yahiya Khan. Basically, both were more of a careerist officer. Whatever, we needed a well known honest senior freedom fighter officer as a ralling point to carry forward our organization work.
We took the war of ’71 as a national independence war to achieve independence from the occupied forces so that after independence we could carry forward liberation struggle along with Gen. Zia. Just like you who fought against the Anglo-Sexan imperialist occupation to achieve independence under the leadership of Sun Yet Sen. Only after independence your liberation struggle acieved victory.
In every consideration there had been none better than Gen. Zia. Therefore, after an unanimous decision I had contacted Gen. Zia secretely and aprized him about the Indian blue print and our initiative for the future in detail. After due deliberation Gen. Zia agreed to work alongwith us on one condition that till he was installed at the centre of power his affiliation with us should be kept secrate. We had accepted his condition. But unexpectedly when he was brought to the centre of power after two successful revolutionary armed uprising he did not keep his promise and after compromising with India decided to persue power politics. After his betrayal we decided not to get into an armed conflict with him though we had enough strength. Because, with any such move we could easily remove him from power but could not have fought back any direct Indian intervension with a devided nation.
There after, he decided not to take us back in the army and keep us on forced exile to diminish our strength and cold bloodedly killed more than three thousand tested nationalist patriots of our secrate organization within the armed forces Sena Parisad just to consolidate his power following the philosophy of ‘Machiavelli’s Prince’!But the fact remains, due to his erroneous decisions to day Gen. Zia has turned himself as the most ruthless and hated person within the armed forces. The soil benith his feet is eroding fast. You night have noticed, this time he brought my father as Deputy Head of his deligation and a few members of my immediate family. Through their mediation in two nights he managed to hold exclusive meetings with me for over 8 hours. My father was present in the meeting first night. During the meeting he said that he had commited many mistakes. At the same time he sought our help to salvage him. But the kind of grave situation he himself has created from that it is impossible even for us to salvage him now. He has to pay for his mistakes.
The friends also wanted to about Gem. Ershad so I said
As a person Gen. Ershad is known as a characterless, corrupt and weak person. He is a lier and his trustworthyness is questionable. He had sold himself to India while he was doing his NDC Course there. Now in the game plan of India in Bangladesh the utility of Gen. Zia has finished. At present Gen. Ershad as the Army Chief is their most important player. Gen. Ershad is moving as dictated by RAW. Being a close confidant at one end he is fanning Gen. Zia to be more atrocious against Gen. Manjur and other living freedom fighter officers on the other being an old coulleague he is providing false assurance to Gen. Manjur that should he takes any initiative against Gen. Zia then he would be supporting him all the way. This is how being advised by RAW he is conspiring to kill two birds with one stone. Simultaneously, Ershad is trying to weed out all the patriotic officers and soldiers imbued with the spirit of nationalism and Islamic values thrusting them into the same net. With out doing so it wouldn’t be possible for him to remain in power as a repatriate officer. Future will testify the truth of what I had said.
The Chinese friends wanted to know the reason why I had been away from China for some time soon after Gen. Zia’s visit and there after I had also traveled to Dhaka? In reply I told
I had to take those trips under compulsion as Gen. Zia insisted. Even after holding long meetings when I told him it wouldn’t be possible to do politics with him forgetting all that happened in the past then Gen. Zia requested me to meet my other comrades who were also assigned as diplomats to different Missions abroad like me to discuss about his proposal and then visit Bangladesh to asses over all situation on ground before conveying our final decision to him. I was virtually coarsened by my father to accede to his request unwillingly. Gen. Zia would surely find our final decision outrageous. Consequently, whatever action President Zia might contemplate to take we all are prepared for that.
In that meeting after hearing my views the elderly experienced Chinese leaders sincerely said
If we thank you for your frank openion as a friend that would be belittling you. You are not only a national hero a closed friend as well. We expect that this friendship would be passed on from generation to generation. Bangladesh should be the place for you and all other heroic comreds of yours. But we are aware of the facts that at present there are many hurdles on your way to go back to Bangladesh. But time ghanges and along with that new oppurtunities emerges. Wait patiently for that opportunity, surely we would get the opportunity go back again to your country to fullfil your cherished dreams. The road of revolution is arduous and on going thorny process. The victory comes after overcoming many ups and downs, failures and successes. At this fag end of life those words still rings in the ears!
To accomplish such herculine task what is needed brave hearts with spotless charecter, knowledge, vision, acumen and dedicated for the cause of the country and the nation, who would be able to shun the attraction of all self greed and lust and shall become one of the oppressed and exployted vast majority of the people. Being imbued with their personal example the millions of deprived ones under their leadership would get united as an invincible force to bring revolutionary changes to bring fundamental changes in the satate and socio-economic structure, This is revolution. Such an united nation can only turn the country into an invincible fortress ignoring any threatning red eyes. No outside evil power can defeat such a nation with steel like umity under a selflessly commited leadership. This is a historical fact.
In the different countries around the Globe shuch a revolution has been accomplished by a handful of dedicated and brave leaders. Bagladesh had got an opportunity during the great liberstion war in 1971. Again the golden gate was flunged open with the successful revolutionary uprising of the soldiers and the people. But those oppurtunities were lost like mirage in the blind ally of the political process pursued by the treacherous, visionless power monger politicians in the interest of the vested interested quarters.