The Liberation War and Zia: Some Falsehoods and the Pursuit of Truth

The Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971 was a genuine people’s war involving all segments of the society. However, during the past fifteen years of fascist rule, from school and college textbooks to radio, television, plays, and films, all the credit for this bloody war was given to an individual who was not even present during the Liberation War and, in fact, surrendered to the Pakistanis ensuring the safety of his family before the war began. The effort in practice turned the war into a ‘one-man show’, which it most definitely was not! On the other hand, purely out of political vengeance, every effort was made to erase the name and legacy of a man who not only fought for nine months but also proclaimed independence on radio in his own name, effectively signing his own death warrant.

Ziaur Rahman can be introduced in Bangladesh with many identities – a freedom fighter, army chief, president, and the founder of the BNP. In each of these roles, he was vibrant and illustrious. However, sadly, even though his party has been in power multiple times, objective research on him is conspicuously absent. Even the BNP, his own party, has not been able to fully break away from Bangladesh’s political culture, and, perhaps for this reason, during BNP’s rule, discussions about Zia’s history were often marked by sycophancy rather than objectivity. And as expected; when the party was out of power, Zia was immediately labelled a ‘disguised Razakar’ (collaborator). Alongside efforts to erase Zia from the history of the Liberation War, his role and contributions were either downplayed or subjected to baseless controversies.

Detailed research on Zia’s wartime role in 1971 is a time-consuming endeavour. However, on the occasion of Zia’s death anniversary, I am making a modest attempt to debunk some of the falsehoods propagated about him in the context of the Liberation War and to uncover the truth. I hope that in the coming days, objective discussions and research will continue to foster an authentic historical narrative.

During the fascist regime, the falsehoods about Zia’s role in the Liberation War began from the very first day of the war. According to some so-called historians, Zia was supposedly an ‘accidental freedom fighter’. According to their claims, he regularly visited the Chittagong port to unload weapons for the Pakistanis from the cargo ship MV Swat, he never intended to rebel, and that he was forced into rebellion and so on. One of the earliest resistances of our Liberation War took place in Chittagong. Many renowned freedom fighters have written in detail about this resistance and its preparations. The planning and preparation for the resistance in Chittagong began in the first week of March 1971. The senior most Bengali military officer in Chittagong, and indeed in the then East Pakistan, Brigadier M.R. Majumdar, was the Commandant of the East Bengal Regimental Centre at Chittagong Cantonment at the time. All the planning and preparations progressed under his leadership. In the chain of command, the third person in this planning was then Major Ziaur Rahman, who was the Second in Command (2IC) of the 8 East Bengal Regiment. The 8 East Bengal was the only Bengali army unit in Chittagong. This unit had been ordered to be transferred to West Pakistan and was therefore severely depleted in terms of both arms and manpower. Nonetheless, secret meetings were held at places like the Circuit House and Niaz Stadium (now the District Stadium, Chittagong), in which Zia regularly participated. Even though the Pakistani arms-carrying cargo ship MV Swat docked at Chittagong port on March 2, no weapons were unloaded until March 24 due to Brigadier Majumdar’s design and Steadfastness. After Brigadier Majumdar was relieved of his duties and taken to Dhaka on March 24, Zia was ordered to go to the port on the night of March 25 to oversee the unloading of weapons from the Swat. A company of soldiers from his unit was already stationed at the port for security. However, upon receiving news of the Pakistani crackdown that night while on his way to the port, Zia immediately returned and led his unit in rebellion. With the two senior most officers absent (the second being Lieutenant Colonel M.R. Chowdhury, who was killed on the night of March 25), Zia naturally assumed leadership of the resistance struggle in Chittagong.

The most significant falsehood propagated about Zia by the Awami League concerns his declaration of independence. When it became impossible to dismiss his radio announcement, they tried to establish that Zia was merely a reader of a declaration issued by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They even fabricated various versions of Sheikh Mujib’s so-called declaration of independence. On the night of March 25, Tajuddin Ahmad approached Sheikh Mujib with a recorder and a similar declaration, but Mujib refused to read it or even sign it, fearing it would be considered a seditious document against him. Yet, despite knowing that mutiny under military law carried the certain penalty of death, Zia not only rebelled but also publicly declared independence on the radio in his own name, effectively putting on himself a death penalty. Efforts to discredit Zia’s declaration of independence included claims that the transmitter at the Kalurghat Radio Station was very weak, and thus, only a few people in and around Chittagong could hear it. In reality, a vast number of people in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Barisal and various parts of the country clearly heard Zia’s declaration. For example, Colonel Kazi Nuruzzaman, Bir Uttam (then living a civilian life in Narayanganj); one of the sector commanders of the Liberation War, unequivocally wrote that he joined the Liberation War after hearing Zia’s declaration.

Another prevalent falsehood, propagated by Sheikh Hasina and many of her unelected cabinet ministers, was that Zia never went to the battlefield and never held a weapon himself. These so-called military experts, who could never even distinguish between a mortar and a motor or between a sector commander and a section commander, were issuing certificates about one of the most active sector and brigade commanders of the Liberation War! Contrary to their claims, firsthand accounts from freedom fighters confirm Zia’s presence and active participation at various times during the nine-month war. The first conventional attack of our Liberation War took place in the famous Battle of Kamalpur, the first battalion attack conducted by the 1 East Bengal Regiment. A brigade commander typically has no role in a battalion attack. Nevertheless, to boost the morale of the troops, Zia was present up to the forming-up place (FUP) of the attack. This battle is still studied with great importance in our army today. Zia was also physically present during the famous Battle of Nakshi Border Out post (BOP), the first attack by the 8 East Bengal. During the Liberation War, the first administration in a liberated zone was established in Roumari, where a customs office, police station, post office, and other government offices were set up. Zia himself inaugurated this entire endeavour on August 28. The only Long March in the history of our Liberation War was led by Zia, despite being a brigade commander. He directly led this massive Long March of eleven hundred freedom fighters belonging to the 1 East Bengal. This long march ultimately led to a tooth and nail battle with the Pakistani forces at Tilagorh and MC College in Sylhet which Zia personally oversaw. This very battle saw the final capitulation of the Pakistanis in the area leading to the liberation of Sylhet.

Zia was certainly no superhero. Alongside his remarkable contributions and successes in the Liberation War, there were also instances of failure. During the autocratic regime, some hired writers or so-called historians attempted to portray Zia as a failed and incompetent commander by blaming him entirely for the unsuccessful operations of the Z Force under his command. Stories were fabricated that Zia was removed from his command and sidelined without significant responsibilities. Success and failure are inseparable parts of any war. In military history, not everyone is an invincible commander like Khalid Ibn Walid (RA). Even great conquerors like Napoleon or Alexander tasted defeat. Zia was no exception. The Z Force under his command also had unsuccessful operations. Attacks on places like Kamalpur, Nakshi BOP, Chhatak – these were all unsuccessful operations, resulting in significant losses and casualties among the freedom fighters. These events also caused tensions between Zia and the Commander-in-Chief, General MAG Osmany, though such tensions are not uncommon in any wartime military. Although the attack on Kamalpur BOP ultimately failed, that battle remains a shining example of the indomitable courage and bravery of the freedom fighters. The same can be said for the Battle of Chhatak. In various books written by Pakistani military officers after the war, there is a common tendency to avoid mentioning the operations or bravery of the freedom fighters. In the book Witness to Surrender by Brigadier Siddiq Salik, the ISPR officer of the Pakistan Army stationed in Dhaka during the war, only two operations of the Mukti Bahini are mentioned. Coincidentally, both were seemingly unsuccessful attacks by the Z Force -Kamalpur and Chhatak. Salik’s descriptions reveal the immense losses and severe blows to the morale of the Pakistani army caused by these apparent unsuccessful operations.

The struggle for our independence in 1971 was not the achievement of any single individual. It was the ultimate result of the sacrifices and courage of millions of people, giving us an independent land and the red-green flag. Among these millions, Ziaur Rahman was an extraordinary one. After the brutality of March 25, his calm and bold voice on the radio provided unprecedented courage and morale to a despairing and disoriented nation. Like a spark of electricity, that courage spread across villages, towns, and neighbourhoods throughout the country.

For nine months of the war, Zia led through various challenges and setbacks, first as the commander of the Sector 1, later the Z Force, and also briefly the Sector 11. Among the military commanders leading the Liberation War, he was always at the forefront. From the plains of North Bengal to the hills and tea gardens of Sylhet, Zia traversed vast territories, leading his forces. Unfortunately, there is a notable lack of objective academic research on his contributions to the Liberation War. For this reason, driven by political vengeance, his contributions and impact have repeatedly been subjected to controversy, and attempts have been made to erase him from the pages of history.

In both his military and political careers, Zia achieved enviable success, but there were also failures in specific areas. Honest and dispassionate research on both his successes and failures should have been conducted long ago. Sadly, even though the party he founded was ruling the country on multiple occasions, their effort towards this matter has not been evident. After removing the oppressive burden of the past fifteen years, I firmly believe that the doors to freedom of thought and speech have been once again opened in Bangladesh. On the occasion of Zia’s 44th martyrdom anniversary, I express my hope that the concerned individuals will engage in long, dispassionate, and objective research on Zia’s role during the Liberation War.

Author: Former army officer, writer and activist

References:

1. Witness to Surrender - Siddiq Salik

2. TORMENTING SEVENTY ONE, An Account of Pakistan Army’s Atrocities

During Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 (Edited by: Shahriar Kabir)- “I was put in a gunny bag and kept in the scorching sun” - Brigadier (Retd.) M. R. Majumdar

3. মুক্তির জন্য যুদ্ধ - কর্ণেল শাফায়াত জামিল, বীর বিক্রম (অবঃ) 

4. একজন সেক্টর কমান্ডারের স্মৃতিকথা – কর্নেল কাজী নূর-উজ্জামান, বীর উত্তম (অবঃ)

5. মুক্তিযুদ্ধের ইতিহাস - সেক্টর কমান্ডার এম হামিদুল্লাহ খান, বীর প্রতীক

6. O General My General - Dewan Mohammad Tasawwar Raja

7. ১৯৭১ ও আমার সৈনিক জীবন – মেজর জেনারেল আমীন আহম্মেদ চৌধুরী, বীর বিক্রম (অবঃ) 

8. সৈনিক জীবন  গৌরবের একাত্তর রক্তাক্ত পচাত্তর - হাফিজ উদ্দিন আহমদ, বীর বিক্রম