বাংলাদেশের স্বাধীনতা যুদ্ধ দলিলপত্র (দ্বিতীয় খণ্ড)/২২
| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| কেন্দ্রীয় সরকারের বিরুদ্ধে জনমত সৃষ্টির অভিযোগ জানিয়ে লিখিত চিঠির মাধ্যমে আইউব কর্তৃক গর্ভনর আজম খানের পদত্যাগ পত্র গ্রহণ |
আজম খানের কাগজপত্র |
৭ জুন, ১৯৬২ |
CONFIDENTIAL PERSONAL
FROM: FIELD MARSHAL MOHAMMAD AYUB KHAN, N. Pk., H. J.
MY DEAR AZAM,
Your letter of the 11th of March needed a detailed reply in order to keep the record straight. But an attempt to put the record right at that stage might possibly have created a situation in which a smooth transition from Martial Law to a constitutional form of government could become more difficult. Since I was determined that individual rule should be replaced by government through institutions as early as possible, I could not take the risk of doing anything which might interfere with or delay that process. Now that by the grace of God, the Constitutional institutions have come into being, I feel free to do what in the national interest, I had to omit doing for nearly three months.
You have great energy, zeal and enthusiasm. You also have initiative and drive. But you have no idea of financial discipline or distribution of resources. When you take a project in hand you desire that the resources of the whole country should be diverted to your project even at the cost of all other activities if need be. I have always appreciated your energy and drive, and have tried to use them in the best interest of the country.
Attaching the great importance I do to the developmental effort in East Pakistan, when the question of appointing someone to succeed Mr. Zakir Husain arose-as you know, he was going away for a prolonged treatment-I picked you as the Governor of East Pakistan. You declined to go because you did not wish to leave the Cabinet. I explained to you the enormous need for a real effort to improve the absorption capacity of East Pakistan. You said that you would prefer to resign rather than go to another post outside the Cabinet. This coming from a soldier and life-long comrade in the time of national emergency was a shock. Had it not been for fact that the country was being run without a Constitution and the necessity for avoiding an impression of disunity among those associated with the task of Government at the top, was consequently much greater and for personal regard for yourself. I would have accepted your offer of resignation. As it was, 1 had almost to force you leave for East Pakistan on a special plane.
I gave you detailed instructions emphasizing that I was most anxious that everything possible within our means should be done to place East Pakistan on a sound economic
footing and to prepare it to shoulder its own responsibility. You did put in your full energy with your usual zcal and made a tremendous effort in economic development. You helped the people in their calamities and earned their gratitude. For this you deserve great credit. But you did something else as well. Wittingly or unwittingly you made it a point never to say “no” to (any demand, however, impossible or manifestly unreasonable that demand might be, thus taking credit for whatever was accomplished and passing on the blame to the Centre for whatever had to be denied. You took the least line of resistance.
You were the agent of the Centre. The popularity of the agent should have meant the popularity of the principal. Your conduct, however, brought about the opposite result. It created the impression among the population of East Pakistan that to get anything for them, a continual battle had to be waged against an unwilling and an unsympathetic Centre. Not once did you mention to them my real feelings in regard to the development of East Pakistan, and the urgency and importance I give it. Not once did you try convincingly to explain to them the limitations of our resources, the struggle we have to put up to get resources from abroad, the restrictions that other countries placed on trying up their grants and loans, to particular projects, or the implications of an integrated economy planned on a national basis. You say that you worked with “utmost loyalty and devotion”. May I modify it by saying that you worked with utmost energy and zcal. I am afraid, loyalty and devotion to the higher cause got sacrificed at the altar of personal property. The results were inevitable. I warned you repeatedly of the dangers inherent in your approach. The anti-Pakistan elements were quick to exploit this situation, and by their activities were making a bid to loosen discipline in East Pakistan to jeopardize the national interest. When this happened you started evading controversial issues connected with law and order.
You have said that “your sincerest advice was ignored in several matters including the Constitution.” The only advice you gave with reference to the constitution was that Martial law was the right answer for the country at present and that the question of making a change to a constitutional form of government should remain in abeyance. My own belief being that institutions and not individuals are the proper instruments of governments, I felt that the sooner we make a start in establishing institutions that will work in our conditions, the better. I did not ignore your advice. I carefully considered it but did not accept it.
In the course of the discussion on the recommendations of the Constitution Commission and the Cabinet Committee, in the Governor's Conference when detailed discussions were taken, you expressed certain views as being in accordance with the opinion in certain sections of the intelligentsia in East Pakistan. Those views were already known and were duly considered. You did not attempt to advance any reasons in support of them.
You next say that I took a decision on a most important matter without consulting you as a Governor. I believe you are referring to the arrest of Mr. 'Suhrawardy.
Mr. Suhrawardy was in West Pakistan at the time. His arrest was based on information given through the Central Intelligence agencies. IIc was actively engaged in preparing anti-Pakistan elements in East Pakistan to resist the constitution whatever its form. It was your duty to take steps against it, but you did not, as you were more concerned with your personal popularity and were not concerned with carrying out my policy which was your duty. I however could not evade my responsibility to the country. He was therefore taken into custody in Karachi and you were informed of the situation by a Minister who was sent to Dacca by the first available plane. I don't know what more could I do.
The impression I got during this period was that you found it distasteful to deal with an awkward situation demanding firmness. I found it my duty to express my dissatisfaction on it. So when you resigned and you seemed to be in a hurry to leave, I had no option but to accept it.
I regret having to recount all this, but your letter of resignation containing spurious arguments demanded that a full reply be given.
With best wishes.
Lt-Gen. Mohammad Azam Khan.