Bangabandhu's letters testify he was a nationalist
Say researchers
Analysts and researchers yesterday said the letters Bangabandhu wrote to different people from jail reflected that he was a nationalist leader.
Dr Sunil Kanti Dey, one of the researchers of Bangabandhu letters and professor of history, said that during his long political career, Bangabandhu languished years in jail as a political prisoner when he had to communicate with the outside world under the security and intelligence vigilance.
"He kept his letters from jails simple as he knew his letters will be censored or go through security clearance and many of his letters were also confiscated . . . Yet we find the reflection of his mind as a nationalist leader and an affectionate family man," Dey said.
Dey compiled a series of 77 letters Bangabandhu wrote from jail. Most of the letters were in English and those were written to his party leader Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy and other political colleagues like Tafazzal Hossain Manik Mian or the prison and police officials concerned.
"I know those who preferred to die for any cause are seldom defeated. Great things are achieved through great sacrifices," reads one of the letters Bangabandhu wrote to Suhrawardy from Faridpur district jail on December 21, 1950 as a "security prisoner".
He addressed his leader as "Janab Suhrawardy Shaheb" and concluded saying "Yours affectionately, Mujibur" in the letter, which, however, never reached to its recipient as it was confiscated by the jail officials and recovered only after the Independence1971.
The police intelligence had detained another one of his letters, also sent to Suhrawardy, saying, "You certainly realise the attitude of the present regime which is mean. All sorts of oppressions have been let loose. Promulgation of Section 144, arrest, and harassment of our workers have become everyday affairs". The letter was written on August 21, 1949.
Vice-chancellor of Dhaka University and communication expert Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddiue said Bangabandhu wanted to keep connectivity with his political leaders, workers, and general people through letters and to give them directions.
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