Dhaka, Jan 29 (V7N) —Interim Government Adviser Mahfuj Alam has said that acknowledging the bloodshed of this nation’s struggle and the birth of Bangladesh is essential for engaging in politics here.
He mentioned that those who oppose the Liberation War have been defeated in the past and will inevitably face defeat in the future.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mahfuj said: “Criticize what happened after the Liberation War or review history—there’s no issue with that. Even debates on what transpired during the war can arise, but all discussions must start with the acknowledgement of the Liberation War.”
Giving an example, he wrote: “For instance, we will discuss Sheikh Mujib’s alleged rise to fascism. Yes, he exhibited fascist tendencies. However, his contribution to the birth of Bangladesh, like many other national leaders, remains undeniable. Thus, we must give the pre-1972 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman his due recognition.”
He continued: “Some freedom fighters may have adopted fascist, Islamophobic, or violent tendencies, but the Liberation War itself was a battle of the masses.”
He said: “The actions of a faction of freedom fighters cannot invalidate or undermine the war itself or question the sacrifices of all freedom fighters. Such denial amounts to treason against the foundation of the state.”
Mahfuj also mentioned that the first ten years after independence were marked by a struggle between fascist Mujibist freedom fighters and patriotic, anti-imperialist ones.
However, he said: “Even during that time, no anti-imperialist freedom fighter dared to reject the Liberation War itself. This is where the Peking-oriented (Beijing was previously romanized as Peking) groups differed from others.”
He said that politics in Bangladesh must be based on recognizing the bloodshed and struggle that led to the nation’s independence.
“Deviation from this will prevent us from accepting you as a force aligned with Bangladesh or with mass uprising,” he wrote.
Mahfuj Alam described the 2024 mass uprising as a rebellion against the "fascist Mujibist project" and Baksal 2.0, saying: "However, it remains a historical continuation of the Liberation War. Through this uprising, the Liberation War was reclaimed from the Sheikh family and the Mujibist project."
Mentioning that Bangladeshis must be supporters of the Liberation War, Mahfuj Alam wrote: "However, it is also true that many who fought in the Liberation War turned fascist and subservient. Today, they have been defeated by the students and the people.”
He said: “Those who oppose the Liberation War have also been defeated in the past due to their opposition to the oppressed Bangladeshis, and they are bound to be defeated again."
Commenting that July has brought an opportunity to unite the nation, Adviser Mahfuj Alam wrote: "We were eager to reconcile by completing the legal proceedings with the League. However, they chose to conspire against the country while sheltering in Delhi.”
He further said: “Do not take a stand against history. To protect the nation from division, we must move forward by unconditionally and unequivocally accepting '71 and '24."
END/MSS/AJ
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