A day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina raised question about the role of “Rakkhi Bahini” on the fateful night of August 15, 1975, a senior Jubo League leader on Tuesday urged the government to form a commission to investigate whether the paramilitary force had conspired with General Ziaur Rahman and Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad.
"Why did Rakkhi Bahini fail to respond to Bangabandhu's call on the 15th of August is still not known. It is also surprising that Rakkhi Bahini never tried to mobilize a counter offensive to protect the four national leaders. In other words, did Rakkhi Bahini conspire with Zia and Mushtaq?"
Dr Ashikur Rahman Shanto, an executive member of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League and senior economist at the Policy Research Institute (PRI), made the comment at a doa mahfil in Bhola on Tuesday, marking the National Mourning Day.
He added: "There is now an urgency with which we must form a commission to investigate and pinpoint when did the conspiracy start, who did Mushtaq and Zia depend on to organize the coup, who acted as supportive bodies and why did Rakkhi Bahini failed to neutralize this grievous act. Without a comprehensive investigation, we can never present the real history to the future generation."
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an article “The mournful day” wrote that when their house at Dhanmondi 32 was attacked on that night Bangabandhu called two prominent Awami League leaders – Abdur Razzak and Tofael Ahmed, after calling the military chief.
According to that article, Razzak, who was in charge of a volunteer-based force namely “Shwessashebok Bahini (Volunteer Forces)” told him: “Leader, let me see what can be done.” Tofael Ahmed, who was the head of the Rakkhi Bahini also repeated similar words. “Interestingly, while putting down the receiver he said what could he do?” the prime minister wrote.
Dr Ashikur Rahman said “all nation-states born through a revolutionary movement face the risk of counter-revolution or conspiracy. In the Soviet Union, the red army was created to neutralize such counter revolutions. Bangabandhu, anticipating counter revolution or conspiracy, created the Rakkhi Bahini to protect the pro-liberation forces and safeguard Bangladesh's independence.”
“Unfortunately, Rakkhi Bahini failed in its historic responsibility to protect Bangabandhu Mujib and the pro-liberation forces on the 15th of August 1975. This failure not only dislodged Bangladesh from its liberal secular ideological footing for the next 21 years, it also established Jamaat-e-Islam and war-criminals in Bangladesh politics,” he said.
The meeting was presided over by Mostaq Ahmed Shahin, a local Jubo League leader and former President of Bhola District Chhatra League.
The meeting was attended by Swechasebak League leader Shakawat Hossain, Kochi Islam, and Ismail Hossain Noyon, Sramik League leader Sirajul Islam and Chhatra League leader Zahid Hasan.
Bangabandhu was killed along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975. His two daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived as they were abroad during that time.
August 15 is being observed as the National Mourning Day.
