Serajul Alam Khan, one of Bangladesh's Liberation War organizers, died in a hospital in Dhaka on Friday. A circle or cell was formed with him along with three people at the height of the freedom struggle movement. He was its main initiator. Public leaders late Abdur Razzak and Kazi Aref Ahmad were also in this circle. It is popularly known as the “Nucleus.” An article titled “Serajul Alam Khan and the Nucleus of Independence” by author and researcher Mohiuddin Ahmad (Eid issue of Prothom Alo 2019) quoted public leader Abdur Razzak's interview about Nucleus. There, Abdur Razzak said, "The thought was initiated in 1962. In 1964, a structure was set up. Siraj Bhai was the architect, but that was not the case. The tasks were divided among us. Siraj Bhai was our theoretician. I used to look after the work of recruiting. Aref expanded the thought within the Chattra League”.
Bangabandhu, the undisputed leader of the independence of Bangladesh, had the proper information on the activities of this cell. Abdur Razzak also said in this context, "We started keeping Mujib bhai informed. He was our leader. We advised him briefly about this in 1966 and in detail in 1969." Serajul Alam Khan was an introverted leader. He usually did not write anything. He used to see someone's write-up for him or sometimes gave dictation. Therefore, in his own words or writings, no details are known about the structure or activities of the 'Nucleus'.
Serajul Alam Khan was close to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. Bangabandhu practised systematic politics, which is why many times, Serajul Alam Khan or other youth or student leaders' ultra-revolutionary movement/campaign was not directly accepted by Bangabandhu or revealed to the public as his political strategy.
Serajul Alam Khan played a unique role in forming public opinion in support of the six points and involving the students and workers in the movement of the 1970s in demanding the cancellation of the Agartala conspiracy case and the release of Bangabandhu. At one stage of the movement, the Bangladesh Liberation Force (BLF) and the armed wing “Joy Bangla Bahini” were formed in 1969-70. Later on, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reconstituted BLF High Command with Serajul Alam Khan, Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni, Abdur Razzaq and Tofail Ahmed, which came to be known as 'Mujib Bahini' during the armed struggle against the invading forces of Pakistan.
After the victory in the liberation struggle of Bangladesh, Serajul Alam Khan became widely known as 'Dada'. Although two streams within the Bangladesh Chattra League (Chattra League) emerged long before the liberation struggle, one centred on Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani and the other on Serajul Alam Khan, immediately after the liberation, the Chattra League split into two on July 21, 1972 at the three-day conference of the Chattra League. On one side, in the conference, Chattra League President Nur Alam Siddiqui called for a transition to socialism through parliamentary democracy.
Bangabandhu attended this conference of the Chattra League led by Nur-e-Alam Siddique at Suhrawardy Udyan. Conversely, Serajul Alam Khan's follower Chattra League leader ASM Rab in Paltan Maidan made an unequivocal declaration of establishing scientific socialism and armed struggle. From an article by Barrister Amirul Islam, it is known that differences between Awami League and young leaders, including Serajul Alam Khan, on forming a “revolutionary national government” have arisen since the provisional government. This is also considered by many to be a reason for Serajul Alam Khan's distance from Bangabandhu and Awami League.
Due to ideological and personal distance, according to many, Serajul Alam Khan created a new strategy in the politics of the Chhatra League. In the war-torn, newly independent country, this split within the Chattra League caused widespread reactions among all. Later, from this pro-Siraj group of Chhatra League, on October 31, 1972, the convening committee of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad) was formed with the slogan of “providing perfection in revolution and establishing scientific socialism.” Veteran journalist Abed Khan wrote in an article titled “Jasder Janmorahsya (secrets of the birth of Jashad)” (Jagoran, September 11, 2019), "This breakup of the Chattra League soon caused adverse reactions in the Awami League's workers, farmers and freedom fighter fronts. As a result, a large section of Mujib's army, freedom fighters and young society assembled in the parade of Jasad." Many political analysts still think that the defeated enemies of freedom used Jasad against the Bangabandhu government and gave Jasad various help and support to achieve their interests.
In July 1974, Jasad formed the Revolutionary People's Army under the leadership of Colonel Abu Taher in the face of the impending food shortage in the country and the context of the existing socio-economic conditions. Serajul Alam Khan's name is implicated as the mastermind behind it. According to Abed Khan's article, since its inception, Jasad had openly started an irregular movement, and many lives had been lost, including murders and disappearances. An incredibly anarchic situation was created across the country. After the formation of Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (Bakshal), Jasad distributed pamphlets to the people calling for preparation of armed struggle and seizure of power through armed revolution. All the activities of Jasad before and after the tragic incident of 15th August are analysed by many as the intention of creating the context to overthrow Bangabandhu by killing under the slogan of scientific socialism and later to share the power.
However, Serajul Alam Khan was arrested on November 26, 1975, during the reign of army dictator Ziaur Rahman and after five years in prison, he left for London in May 1981 and lived in exile for a long time.
Serajul Alam Khan was not an organisational leader of any political party after his ending from student politics. But he played a vital role as a policymaker and planner of Jasad and later as a theoretical guru of multi-divided parties (from Jasad) aiming to establish scientific socialism.
Serajul Alam Khan was a role model and exemplary man to many liberating people during the preparation of the people's liberation struggle and the liberation war. But suddenly, at the beginning of the journey of independent Bangladesh, according to many, he played the role of a villain. An analysis of history may, at some point, reveal the reasons behind it. He will be truly valued as he was in Bangladesh's freedom struggle and political history.
Dr Ezaz Mamun is a columnist and scientist.