পাতা:বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (তৃতীয় খণ্ড).pdf/৯৩৬

904 বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্রঃ তৃতীয় পত্র name of religion would readily accept even an irrational proposition. The difficulty that the rulers faced, was the growing consciousness of educated middle class and the student community. As early as 1952, the rulers of West Pakistan struck the first blow on the Bengali language, and systematically attempted to trample underfoot the cultural heritage of the Bengalis. The Martyrs' blood was spilt and then only Bengali was grudgingly accepted as one of the State languages. The Bengalis were shaken into a consciousness that a long struggle is ahead. The election of 1954, routed the rulers of Karachi but soon centre's rule was imposed in Bengal to smother the legitimate demand of the majority people of Pakistan A Constitution Was framed in 1956, but before it could unberthen its contents the hand of a dictator robbed the nation of its democratic institution. It was not merely a coup by Gen. Ayub to snatch power but to perpetuate the colonial supremacy of the west, and to complete the process of subjection of the east. From 1958 to 1969 Ayub, the ring leader of the western ruling coterie, threw to the wind all Semblance of democracy and introduced one of his own, which in shod was a new device to rule through a chosen band of quislings, with a sham pretext of a 'democracy'. The continuation of the system for ten years is due to the efficacy of corruption, bribery, nepotism in human life. The entire nation was smarting and reeling under the feet of a dictator, and it burst into action when their leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was being tried for treason (Sk Mujib's trial in Agartala conspiracy case). The dictator went out of the stage, leaving the state craft in the hand of his able general Yahya Khan. Gen. Yahia Khan, made his entry with a promise to usher in democracy through an election. His intentions were no better than that of his predecessors, but he adopted a new modus operandi, to establish colonialism through the expected dissensions of political parties. But the people of Bengal being conscious of the sinister motive proved greater than the schemers of Pindi. They stood solidly behind their leader the Shaik with an indisputable majority and claimed transfer of power to them. The cat could no longer be concealed. Thus the long looked after event of March came to pass. The hounds of Yahia were let loose to hunt out the Bengalis—and annihilate the entire race. The death-knell of Pakistan was rung. Students were killed, women were raped, children were mutilated.-with the fond hope to kill the spirit of an awakened people. The Bengalis, stunned as they were, in the beginning-emerged almost immediately as an inspired people, with one mind, one soul and one purpose to break with the past, crush the aggressors and there was a birth of a nation-"The independent Republic of Bangladesh". A liberation force sprung up from the soil with spontaneity of a plant that sprouts.-and it is growing from strength to strength. The rulers of the West, pampered by the American rulers, and assured by their Chinese allies, arc now making frantic attempts to save their soul, but their doom is near-nearer than their shadows. The Bengalis as a nation is posing a question now to the conscience of the world. Do we deserve recognition from you as an independent nation? The question of recognition is not a pure question of law-the concept is more political and moral than legal. True there are certain established and accepted criteria, in determining the question, but all such considerations are subject to the enlightened