Mujibnagar Government the government constituted at Mujibnagar to conduct the Bangladesh WAR OF LIBERATION

!ormed on "# A$ril "%&" a!ter the 'E(LARATION OF IN'E)EN'EN(E on *+ March "%&", The Mujibnagar government
headed b- TA./''IN A0MA' too1 oath on "& A$ril "%&" at Mujibnagar, This government had also been 1no2n as
Mujibnagar 3overnment in4e5ile as the activities o! the government had been conducted !rom outside o! the territor- o!
Bangladesh,
Formation o! the government On "# A$ril a government 2as !ormed consisting o! the to$ ran1ing leaders o! a2ami
league, The oath ta1ing ceremon- o! the government too1 $lace on "& A$ril at Baid-anathtala in the district o! Meher$ur,
The oath ta1ing ceremon- 2as conducted b- Abdul Mannan MNA and the )RO(LAMATION OF IN'E)EN'EN(E 2as read
out b- )ro!essor MO0AMMA' 6/7/F AL I, In this $lace a guard o! honour 2as given to 76E' NA8R/L I7LAM the Acting
)resident o! the ne2l- !ormed government,
Assignment of portfolios Although the government 2as !ormed on "# A$ril and its oath 2as ta1en on "& A$ril "%&" the
$ort!olios 2ere assigned among the ministers on "9 A$ril, The incumbents o! the government 2ere:

Bangabandhu 7hei1h Mujibur
Rahman
)resident
7-ed Na;rul Islam <ice )resident
=Entrusted 2ith the $o2ers !unctions and res$onsibilities o! the )resident since the
)resident himsel! 2as then detained in )a1istan>,
Tajuddin Ahmad )rime Minister
In charge o! 'e!ence In!ormation Broadcasting and (ommunications Economic
A!!airs )lanning 'ivision Education Local 3overnment 0ealth Labour 7ocial
Wel!are Establishment as 2ell as other a!!airs the res$onsibilit- o! 2hich 2as not
-et entrusted to an- one,
?honda1ar Mosta@ Ahmad Minister
Ministr- o! Foreign A!!airs La2 and )arliamentar- A!!airs,
M Mansur Ali Minister
Ministr- o! Finance Industr- and (ommerce,
A0M Aamaru;;aman Minister
Ministr- o! 0ome (ivil 7u$$lies Relie! and Rehabilitation Agriculture,

Mujibnagar government 2as divided into !i!teen ministries and divisions, Besides some divisions 2ere $laced under the
(abinet, The !unctions o! the ministries and divisions 2ere:
Ministr- o! 'e!ence 7ta!! MA3 Osman- (ommander4in4(hie!B 7A 7amad 'e!ence 7ecretar-B (olonel Abdur Rab
(hie! o! 7ta!!, The Ministr- o! 'e!ence divided the 2ar ;one into eleven sectors and a$$ointed a sector commander !or
each o! the sectors, But there 2as no sector commander !or sector No "# or naval sector, (ommandos used to !ight under
the command o! the concerned sector commander 2henever and 2herever the- carried out the o$eration in a $articular
sector, Besides there 2ere three brigades called 8 !orce ? !orce and 7 !orce, Major 8iaur Rahman Major ?haled
Mosharra! and Major ?m 7ha!iullah 2ere the commanders o! the brigades res$ectivel-,


Mujibnagar Day today
Syed Badrul Ahsan
The nation today observes the 43rd anniversary of formation of the Mujibnagar government-in-exile in 1971.
It is imortant to re!all that ost-Mar!h "#$ 1971 events moved at di%%ying seed in o!!uied &angladesh.
In the absen!e of &angabandhu 'hei(h Mujibur )ahman$ Tajuddin *hmad too( !harge as &angladesh+s first
rime minister. ,is next tas( -as to re!ord a message on tae and have it broad!ast over '-adhin &angla
&etar. The !ontents of the message -ere atently unmista(able. &angladesh -as engaged in -ar against
/a(istan$ a struggle that -as no- being searheaded by a government set u by its ele!ted reresentatives. The
tae !ontaining Tajuddin+s see!h -as transorted to the !landestine radio station then fitfully broad!asting
from the north-eastern Indian border -ith 0ast /a(istan.
1n the evening of *ril 1"$ Tajuddin+s voi!e -as heard in signifi!ant areas of -hat had by then be!ome a
!ountry under /a(istani o!!uation.
The first fe- days after Tajuddin+s broad!ast roved to be ex!iting$ -ith ne-s of the sightings of other senior
figures of the *-ami 2eague in various arts the !ountry and a!ross the border.
1n!e all the senior !olleagues of &angabandhu had !ome together in 3al!utta$ it -as felt that a formal
inauguration of the &angladesh rovisional government -ould need to be organised on &angladesh territory.
The sot !hosen for the inauguration -as a mangrove forest in Meherur$ a rural ba!(-ater in the larger
3huadanga region in the south-east of &angladesh. Tajuddin and his !olleagues 4ui!(ly renamed the la!e as
Mujibnagar in honour of the jailed leader of the nationalist struggle
The day -as *ril 17$ 1971.
*s a!ting resident of &angladesh 5the in!ar!erated &angabandhu having been !hosen resident of the
reubli!6$ 'yed 7a%rul Islam s-ore in Tajuddin as rime minister along -ith 8hondo(ar Moshta4 *hmed$
*,M 9uamru%%aman and M Mansoor *li as ministers in the very first &anglee government in history. 3olonel
M*: 1smany -as given !harge as !ommander-in-!hief of the liberation army$ no- (no-n as the Mu(ti &ahini$
to forge battlefield strategy for the armed struggle. The formal ro!lamation of indeenden!e$ detailing the
ba!(dro to the -ar$ -as read out by /rof ;usuf *li$ an a!ademi!-turned-oliti!ian ele!ted to the national
assembly in the <e!ember 197= ele!tions.
The a!ting resident and the rime minister delivered brief see!hes exlaining the ba!(ground to the
formation of the government. There -as no 4uestion$ they told the assembled &angalee villagers as -ell as
ne-smen from around the -orld$ of &angladesh reverting to the osition -hi!h existed in re-Mar!h ">
/a(istan. 7o oliti!al solution other than the a!!etan!e of an indeendent &angladesh as a histori!al reality
!ould be arrived at. The brief !eremony !ame to an end to shouts of ?oi &angla from the !ro-d gathered there.
The die had been !ast. The sirit of freedom -as in the air.
Mujibnagar and Our Twilight Struggle
SYED BADRUL AHSAN recalls the spirit of the Mujibnagar government.
The emergence of the provisional Bangladesh government in Mujibnagar, 41 years ago on pril
1!, 1"!1, was a defining moment for the Bengali nation# The first Bengali government in history,
administered by Bengalis and for Bengalis, too$ shape in the grey region between the sinister
and the illuminating# The sinister was the programmed genocide launched with unprecedented
viciousness by the %a$istan occupation army& and the illuminating was the truth that such a
brutal assault on human dignity, indeed on the traditions of people, could not go unchallenged
and unbeaten# nd so it was on pril 1!, 1"!1, that in Meherpur of 'huadanga, the senior
leaders of the wami (eague, close associates of Bangabandhu Shei$h Mujibur )ahman, came
together to proclaim before the world that out of the debris of a fast enveloping war had
emerged a government, the overriding purpose behind the deed being the liberation of the land#
nd that said it all# Syed *a+rul ,slam, Tajuddin hmed, M# Mansoor li and #-#M
.uamru++aman informed their fellow Bengalis and then the world that occupied Bangladesh was
ready for a twilight struggle against %a$istan# ,t did not matter that Bangabandhu Shei$h
Mujibur )ahman had been spirited away in prison somewhere in %a$istan# But it did matter that
he was the symbol of the struggle about to be unleashed by a nation brutalised by savagery#
(ong hours had been spent wor$ing out the details of the announcement of the government, its
line/up and its objectives# Men li$e mirul ,slam, the eminent lawyer, had wor$ed on the draft
proclamation that would be read out on the occasion# nd 0usuf li, teacher/turned/politician,
was there to do the job# -e would do it with finesse# 1ournalists from the global media had been
told of the event and on the day would ma$e sure they were there to ta$e in the measure of
Bengali resistance to %a$istan# The moment was a first for Bengalis in their thousand/year
history# Of course, Sirajuddoulah, the last independent nawab of Bengal, had perished in 1!2!,
waging war against the British and their local cohorts in defence of a lost cause# But here was
Bengal, or the eastern part of a whole truncated already through the grim turn of events in
1"4!, ready to rise in defence of its self/esteem# There was a 3ualitative difference between
Sirajuddoulah and the men about to transform themselves into a government in pril 1"!1# ,t
was simple4 the political structure which Tajuddin hmed and his associates hurriedly cobbled
into shape would be the first Bengali government in history# *ever before had Bengalis governed
themselves# *ow, caught between a roc$ and a hard place, the government that would come to
be $nown as Mujibnagar had chosen to stri$e bac$#
Much good and many unprecedented events flowed from pril 1!, 1"!1# The essence of it all
was the creation of a sense of purpose among the Bengali nation# Students, academics, doctors,
lawyers, artistes, politicians, civil servants, journalists, diplomats, soldiers // all rallied to the
cause # # # because the Mujibnagar government was there# Thousands of young men simply
marched from their villages and their towns and then tre$$ed through woodlands and swam
across streams and rivers to lin$ up with Mujibnagar# 5hat had till March 62 been the
improbable turned out to be the eminently possible# Songs of revolution that Bengalis had never
heard before became part of their e7istence through Shwadhin Bangla Betar# Bengali officers of
the %a$istan army, now no more with it and very much a moving force behind the resistance,
forged a guerrilla force named the Mu$ti Bahini and let it loose upon the marauding men from
the mountains of the distant west#
5hat if the Mujibnagar government had not ta$en shape8 5hat if the men who would lead the
armed struggle against %a$istan had chosen to spend the rest of their lives waiting for a
negotiated settlement to the crisis8 5hat if, in the absence of resistance, %a$istan had
perpetuated its presence in Bangladesh and cast its ever/dar$ening shadow on Bengali heritage8
These are 3uestions that need not be answered, seeing that history was to ta$e an unambiguous
course and was to lead the Bengali nation to its supreme triumph# 0et, prior to pril 1!, 1"!1,
these fears were all too real for the nation to dismiss out of hand# Bangabandhu had been
commandeered by the %a$istan army& and not one of us $new where the rest of the wami
(eague leadership echelon was at that point# 5e would, of course, $now subse3uently that even
as we worried about the future, Tajuddin hmed and mirul ,slam were ma$ing frantic efforts to
locate the other men who would form the core of the Mujibnagar government# Over a period of
nearly a month, Syed *a+rul ,slam, Mansoor li, .uamru++aman, M##9# Osmany and a host of
others would lin$ up with Tajuddin hmed# The moment that would ma$e history would be at
hand#
,t is that lighting of the candle in the dar$ we celebrate this morning# The men who built the
edifice of Bengali resistance little $new before March 62, 1"!1, of the huge ordeal that lay ahead
of them# They were men whose belief in constitutional politics had been total and une3uivocal#
nd yet these were the men on whose shoulders devolved the responsibility of guiding a
bewildered, frightened nation to freedom# They did the job marvellously well# They shaped a
revolution that would put in global political orbit the first sovereign Bengali republic in history#
nd we are better off today because of the great cause that the Mujibnagar men upheld, with
fortitude and foresight, in our year of unmitigated tragedy and untrammelled triumph#
The Mujibnagar ethos
7-ed Badrul Ahsan
They -ere young men$ dedi!ated to the !ause of freedom$ intensely. @hen you thin( ba!( on 'yed 7a%rul
Islam$ Tajuddin *hmed and *.,.M. 9uamru%%aman$ you !annot but be stru!( by the youth in them. M.Mansur
*li -as slightly older. /rofessor ;usuf *li -as young. &arrister *mirul Islam -as younger. M.*.:. 1smany -as
of !ourse a veteran in terms of age and servi!e in the army$ but all those se!tor !ommanders -ere young
eole$ in their thirties. *nd all these eole$ fired by atrioti! %eal$ -ere there to -age -ar against the military
might of an organised state. They -ere all atrioti! &engalis resonding to the !all of &angabandhu 'hei(h
Mujibur )ahman. *nd &angabandhu$ if you remember$ -as a mere fifty one years old. That -as youth.
In *ril 1971$ then$ the revolution that -ould !ome to be (no-n as &angladesh -as lanned$ organised and led
to a natural !ulmination by young men and -omen a-a(ened to the need to reassert heritage. There -ere the
government offi!ers in the oli!e and in the administration$ all young &engalis !onvin!ed that the land had to
be urged of the enemy and his !loying !ollaborators. They made their -ay to Mujibnagar$ to identify -ith the
national !ause. In their -a(e$ thousands of even younger &engalis turned their ba!(s on home$ on family$ in
the to-ns and in the villages$ and mar!hed into battle. Many of them -ould not return home$ -ould mingle
-ith the dust and mud of the land. Many others -ould.
*nd then$ in light of history haening on *ril 17$ 1971$ -ould !ome droves of artistes$ journalists$ do!tors and
a!ademi!s to enlist their names to the !ause. Mujibnagar -ould be a symbol$ of everything ennobling$
everything insiring$ about oliti!s. Aor the first time in history$ a reubli! formed by &engalis and a
government !onstituted of &engalis -ere -hat haened in Mujibnagar.
If *ril 17 -as the beginning of a sustained$ dis!ilined mar!h to liberty$ the rearation for it had been made
on *ril 1= and then on *ril 1". 1r even earlier. Tajuddin *hmed$ having informed the -orld that &angladesh
-as on its -ay$ needed$ in asso!iation -ith his eers in the arty$ to have that message of freedom go out to the
-orld louder and !learer and -ithout ambiguity. The -orld -as there on *ril 17$ at &aidyanathtola$ an
isolated sot of earth destined to be (no-n as Mujibnagar. It heard the message. It felt the rumblings of a ne-
order easing from the !ore of &engalBs earth.
/atriotism in its fullness defined this nation in *ril 1971$ days before the rovisional government gave shae
to itself. <riven by !ons!ien!e and love of !ountry$ t-o young &engali dilomats in the servi!e of /a(istan$ laid
themselves oen and vulnerable to un!ertainty on *ril # at /a(istanBs dilomati! mission in India. 8.M.
'hehabuddin and *mjadul ,a4 -al(ed a-ay from their jobs$ informed the media of the ain of seeing their
land going u in smo(e at the hands of the state they had served all these years$ of their moral re4uirement to
sever all lin(s -ith the aggressor state.
'hehabuddin and ,a4$ li(e everyone else dra-n to the battle for &angladesh$ -ere heroi! men in that year of
endless misery and$ in the end$ infinite glory. There -ere others$ ,ossain *li for instan!e. * day after the rise of
Mujibnagar$ he ulled do-n the /a(istan flag from IslamabadBs deuty high !ommission in 3al!utta$ rela!ed
it -ith the &angladesh green-and-!rimson and gave the @ar of 2iberation yet another shot in the arm.
&eauty and reality flo-ed from Mujibnagar. It -as a !ru!ial test$ the very first$ for men of oetry determined to
transform themselves into soldiers for freedom. /oetry and oliti!s thus -ere ent-ined in beauteous mannerC
and seventy five million eole !ame together in a histori! demonstration of defian!e of the arrogan!e of
hollo- men and their va!uous state.
1ther eole in other !ountries so(e u for &angladesh. :eorge ,arrison and )avi 'han(ar and ?oan &ae%
rent the s(ies of 7e- ;or( -ith songs of assion$ lyri!s that brought &angladesh to every home in the !ivilised
art of the globe. 'ongs -ere -hat the artistes of 'h-adhin &angla &etar srin(led on the battlefields of
&angladesh$ on the rain-dren!hed !ams of the ten million refugees a!ross the border -ith India.
The -ar !laimed lives in surefire fashion. *s the /a(istan army -ent after unarmed$ inno!ent !ivilians in the
villages and to-ns$ the guerrillas of the Mu(ti &ahini drove in!reasing fear into the heart of the enemy. The
enemy feared the Mu(tisC /a(istanBs marauding soldiers ani!(ed as their territory shran( in slo-$ steady
degrees.
Mujibnagar brought all &engalis together. 1utside the o!!uied land of &angladesh$ &engalis a!ross the
diasora banded together to aid the !ause ba!( home. These &engalis$ -ith roots in &angladesh or @est
&engal$ lin(ed hands and hearts and souls in a for!eful demonstration of !ommon ethni!ity. There -ere
/a(istanis$ Mali( :hulam ?ilani and *hmed 'alim for instan!e$ -ho identified -ith the &engali !ause. *nother
/a(istani$ in the dilomati! servi!e of his !ountry and shamed by the murder and mayhem !aused by his
nationBs army$ la!ed his servi!es before the Mujibnagar government. I4bal *thar -ould in time gain
&angladesh !iti%enshi and serve his ne- !ountry abroad -ith distin!tion.
1n *ril 17$ 1971$ hoe srouted from a huge ile of desair$ ?oi &angla dis!overed a ne- sense of urose. In
the name of an in!ar!erated 'hei(h Mujibur )ahman D &angabandhu$ Aather of the 7ation$ 2iberator$
universally a!(no-ledged leader of seventy five million &engalis D the -ar -as ta(en to the fortress of the
enemy. The !itadels of the oressors -ould !rumble eight months later$ on a -inter afternoon.
It -as sring ba!( then. It is sring today.
Recreate 1971 Mujibnagar
The Bangladesh Liberation War was not just a soldier's war but a people's war. Except a few collaborators, all
the Bengalis under the leadership of the exiled Bangladesh government !ujibnagar government" fought their
own wa# against the occupation arm#.
$n the absence of Bangabandhu, formation of a Bangladesh government within onl# two wee%s of &'th !arch
b# Tajuddin (hmed and his trusted companions is historicall# the most important event in )*+).
$n spite of limited resources, facilities and bargaining power the !ujibnagar government consisting of the
elected parliament members of the )*+, election - under .rime !inister Tajuddin (hmed and acting president
/a0rul $slam, ministers (1! 2amru0aman and !ansur (li, and 3-in-3 4eneral !(4 5smani" prudentl#
managed the nine months of wartime.
The head6uarters of the !ujibnagar 4overnment also Bangladesh war head6uarters" was situated at 7,
Theatre 8oad, 3alcutta later renamed 9ha%espeare 9arani, 2ol%ata". (nd the centrepiece was the prime
minister's humble living and office rooms. !omentous conferences and decisions were ta%en here despite
continuous fear of .a%istani commando and air attac%s. /ow ver# few people %now an#thing about !ujibnagar
head6uarters. $n m# long search $ saw onl# &-: bad 6ualit# photographs of it.
9o, $ would re6uest the Liberation War !useum, Bangabandhu !useum, /ational !useum and other
museums to precisel# recreate the core )*+) 3abinet War 8ooms and miniature replication of the !ujibnagar
4overnment 1ead6uarters people who wor%ed there are still alive".
(t least, the museums can displa# artefacts, photographs, documents and films related to !ujibnagar
4overnment 1ead6uarters in a separate galler#. The Bangladesh government ma# re6uest the $ndian
government to hand over possession of that historic house to us.
The #oung Bangladeshis should %now what happened in )*+).
9ignificance of !ujibnagar ;a#
<ahid 1ossain
(s we loo% bac% to the eventful and memorable !ujibnagar da#s and the role pla#ed b# the !ujibnagar
government during the nine-month long War of $ndependence of Bangladesh in )*+), our hearts glow with
warm feelings of pride and glor#. The countr# and the people will alwa#s gratefull# cherish the memories of the
freedom fighters and those political leaders who led them with deep affection and profound regard.
The formation of the !ujibnagar government and its pronouncement to the world at large on (pril )+, )*+) is
reall# a red-letter da# in our national histor# speciall# after a thumping victor# of the (wami League in the
elections of )*+, under the leadership of Bangabandhu 9hei%h !ujibur 8ahman. The )=+ !/(s and &*: !.s
who composed the 3onstituent (ssembl# in their boundless dut#, right and constitutional obligation to the
electors, gave it a true shape and constitutional perspective on this da# ma%ing the dream of an independent
Bangladesh a realit#. >rom this point of view !ujibnagar da# )+th (pril" is a landmar% in our struggle for
independence as well as in our national histor#.
The !ujibnagar government was formed on (pril )+, )*+) at the Baid#anathtala mango grove of !eherpur, a
former subdivision of 2ushtia district following the ),th (pril proclamation of $ndependence 5rder of
Bangladesh. The oath ta%ing was witnessed b# hundreds of foreign journalists who had assembled there to
hail the birth of a new nation. The .resident of the new nation was Bangabandhu 9hei%h !ujibur 8ahman?
9#ed /a0rul $slam became the acting president? Tajuddin (hmed, the .rime !inister? !. !ansur (li, the
>inance !inister? !. @uamru0 <aman, the 1ome, 8elief and 8ehabilitation !inister and 2handa%ar !usta6ue
(hmed, >oreign (ffairs and Law !inister. 4eneral !. (. 4. 5smani who was then a retd 3olonel and !/(
elected from (wami League was made the 3-in-3 of the Bangladesh armed forces.
Herculean task
$t was a herculean tas%. 5rgani0ing civil administration and the freedom fighters, securing arms for the latter
and training them, mobili0ing international support for the liberation war through intense diplomatic action,
ensuring speed# communication and effective coordination of various activities at hundred different levels,
above all, %eeping the morale of the freedom fighters high throughout the dar%, difficult and strenuous da#s of
the war. The# called for extraordinar# wisdom, dedication, patience, foresight, courage and tenacit# on the part
of the !ujibnagar government and all those connected with it.
The formation of the !ujibnagar 4overnment had great significance for the fact that the great men who gave
leadership to this great event in the absence of the supreme leader and continued the armed struggle for the
following eight months, having allowed no breach in the unit# of their people, which was one of the
cornerstones of our total liberation war, fought valiantl# involving ever#one and above all %ept the supreme
leader alive in the minds of ever# freedom fighter as if he was fighting side b# side with them.
)+th (pril in fact, gave the total war effort a fuller meaning, it cemented the unit# of the people, brought the
world closer to the existence of freedom fighters and made the war efforts bloom in its full focus and realised
the presence of Bangladesh in the comit# of nations. $t was in effect a formal introduction to the rest of the
world of the nature of the political leadership that was set to guide the nation into a concerted and organised
war of national liberation.
That Bangabandhu 9hei%h !ujibur 8ahman was the .aramount leader of the countr#, both in its struggle for
constitutional legitimac# and militar# triumph was given political and moral sanction b# ever#thing that
happened on (pril )+, )*+) in a spot of territor# that was to be forever transformed in the annals of politics.
An absolute necessity
Bangabandhu had never preached revolution and political terrorism had never been part of his platform.
Therefore, when the assault of the .a%istani militar# machine came, it remained for him to inform his
associates that a long and hard struggle on the battlefield had become necessar#. The declaration of
independence he made moments before his arrest b# the .a%istani militar# forced upon his associates the
need for armed struggle. (nd that was proof that while he awaited uncertain and terrible incarceration, he had
briefed his associates on what needed to be done. The dispersal of the leadership out of ;ha%a as the arm#
went into action was a sign that there was to be no turning bac% from the course Bengalis had set for
themselves. (nd thus the formation of !ujibnagar government was undoubtedl# a rightful constitutional as well
as logical and realistic step b# the trusted and capable associates of the great leader.
The establishment of the !ujibnagar government was an absolute necessit# for another reason. 1ad it not
been put in place, it is reasonabl# certain that diffuse guerilla movements would have spawned all over the
countr# without an# form of central control. The danger inherent in such politics lies in an absence of
legitimac#. (nd in Bangladesh's politics at that point in time, the absence of the !ujibnagar government would
onl# have given the freedom struggle a clearl# secessionist hue, to the immense delight of the .a%istanis and
to the consternation of a Bengali population directl# in the militar#'s line of fire. 9een in such light, the presence
of (cting .resident 9#ed /a0rul $slam and .rime !inister Tajuddin (hmed with their colleagues deep in
!eherpur in (pril )*+) was a clear, une6uivocal statement of intentA that the elected representatives of the
people of Bangladesh had ta%en it upon themselves to give shape and substances to an independent
statehood for them.
$t was thus the global communit# that was left with hardl# a choice. The initiation of the war of national
liberation, given the fact that it was being waged b# a leadership priv# to the electorall# ac%nowledged support
of the nation, could not be dismissed as an insurrection or a secessionist enterprise. !oreover, the militar#'s
misadventure swooping upon Bengali political aspirations through an exercise of bra0enness" assisted the
cause not a little.
Flight to India
The %illing of unarmed civilians, the ra0ing of villages and townships and the atrocities against women onl#
strengthened the cause of the provisional government. $n the months between !arch and ;ecember )*+), the
flight of ten million people to $ndia convinced the global communit# of the necessit# and the righteousness of
the Bengali cause, and helped the !ujibnagar government to inform the world that there was no alternative to
an independent Bangladesh.
The provisional government undertoo% the onerous responsibilit# of moulding international opinion in
Bangladesh's favourA the effort was assisted a great deal b# the momentum of declaration of allegiance to the
national struggle b# Bengali diplomats stationed in .a%istani missions abroad. .lacing the entire diplomatic
efforts in the hands of a well-respected personalit# li%e Bustice (bu 9a#eed 3howdhur# was #et another factor
for the success of the efforts of !ujibnagar government in mobilising world opinion in our favour.
The speeches and statements made b# the (cting .resident, late 9#ed /a0rul $slam, .rime !inister late
Tajuddin (hmed and other leaders of the exiled !ujibnagar government at the formal oath ta%ing ceremon#
and other subse6uent occasions were widel# appreciated world over as those reflected reall# democratic and
progressive principles of the new government. The guiding principles and the state policies announced time to
time b# the government in exile were all full# democratic based on universal human rights principles and other
widel# accepted international norms and protocols.
>inall# the formation of !ujibnagar government was the real birth of a new nation -- a nation imbued with the
spirit of democratic value, nationalism, secularism and socialism obtained from the call of a man whose stature
as a statesman had surpassed that of an# of his time and most of his predecessors, who united the Bengali
spea%ing people on a piece of land as one man and raised a nation of indomitable courage, powerful and
splendid in its commitment that went head on to face a fiercel# e6uipped arm# of .a%istan, bare-handed bred
with conviction and valour and strength of insurmountable will and unit# to be independent and read# to shed
the last drop of blood of ever# individual born on this soil then called East .a%istan.
ME?I&7*:*) :1F0)7M07TD* 2*7<M*)8 I7 1E) 2I&0)*TI17 @*)
Dr Md Shairul Mashreque and Dr M. Abul Kashem Moumder
The emergen!e of Mujibnagar :overnment 41 years ago on 17 *ril 1971 is really a milestone in our national
history. The 1#7 M7*s and "93 M/s -ho !omosed the 3onstituent *ssembly fulfilling their !onstitutional
obligation to the ele!tors$ gave a true shae and !onstitutional erse!tive ma(ing the dream of an
indeendent &angladesh a reality. Arom this oint of vie-$ Mujibnagar day 5*ril 176 is a landmar( in our
struggle for indeenden!e as -ell as in our national history. The veteran leaders of *-ami 2eague gathered at
Meherur to ro!laim that Gout of the debris of a fast enveloing -ar had emerged a government$ the
overriding urose behind the deed being the liberation of the land.H
The resident of the -ar !abinet at Mujibnagar -as &angabandhu 'hei(h Mujibur )ahmanC 'yed 7a%rul Islam
be!ame the *!ting /resident in the absen!e of &angabandhuC Tajuddin *hmed$ the /rime MinisterC M. Mansur
*li$ the Ainan!e MinisterC M. 9uamru% Iaman$ the ,ome$ )elief and )ehabilitation MinisterC and 8handa(ar
Musta4ue *hmed$ Aoreign *ffairs and 2a- Minister. :eneral M. *. :. 1smani -ho -as then a retired !olonel
and M7* ele!ted from *-ami 2eague -ere made the 3-in-3 of the &angladesh armed for!es. To 4uote a
!olumnist.
JThe formation of the Mujibnagar government had great signifi!an!e for the fa!t that the great men -ho gave
leadershi to this great event in the absen!e of our sureme leader and !ontinued the armed struggle for the
follo-ing eight months$ having allo-ed no brea!h in the unity of their eole$ -as one of the !ornerstones of
our total 2iberation @ar$ fought valiantly involving everyone$ and above all (et our leader alive in the minds
of every freedom fighter as if he -as fighting side by side -ith them.H
The !reation of *ril 17 in fa!t gave the -ar effort a fuller meaning. It !emented the unity of the eole$
brought the -orld !loser to the existen!e of freedom fighters$ made the -ar efforts bloom in its full fo!us$ and
realised the resen!e of &angladesh in the !omity of nations. It -as in effe!t a formal introdu!tion to the rest of
the -orld of the nature of the oliti!al leadershi that -as set to guide the nation into a !on!erted and
organised -ar of national indeenden!e.
The Mujibnagar :overnment -as -ell organised as -ar !abinet. It !ontained Jan elaborate stru!ture of
administrative deartments$ agen!ies and a!tivitiesH. The ,er!ulean tas( before the government -as
J!oordinating the guerrilla insurgen!yH and bolstering oular suort by its oliti!al organisational net-or(.
To !ite @i(iedia.
The Mujibnagar :overnment organised a net-or( of agen!ies in an attemt to establish a stru!ture of
government and leadershi$ as a !redible alternative to the government of /a(istan. The Mujibnagar
:overnmentBs efforts rimarily fo!used on organising relief for !ivilian refugees fleeing from the /a(istani
army$ re!ruiting and training volunteers for the guerrilla for!es and using a -ide variety of !ommuni!ations
and media to roje!t the nationalist message to the eole in 0ast /a(istan and a!ross the -orld. The
Mujibnagar :overnment also aointed envoys to India and other !ountries in the hoe of obtaining foreign
oliti!al suort for the goal of an indeendent &angladesh.
The '-adhin &angla &etar 8endra 5Aree &angladesh )adio 3entre6 -as the rimary broad!asting servi!e used
by the nationalists to roje!t their messages to the oulation of &angladesh$ after the !onventional media -as
suressed and !ontrolled by /a(istani state for!es. The radio servi!e -as a major oeration of the
government-in-exile$ as it -as its rimary means to en!ourage nationalists$ garner oular suort and
reserve a sense of dire!tion and information amongst the oulation. The radio servi!e broad!ast oliti!al
ne-s and musi! rogramme in &engali$ 0nglish and Erdu.
The ersonnel involved in radio servi!e in!luded among others. *shfa4ur )ahman 8han$ 'hahidul Islam$ T ,
'hi(dar$ &alal Mohammad$ Taher 'ultan$ 8amal 2ohani$ 7asimul 9uader 3ho-dhury 5&angla ne-s6$ *ly
Ia(er 50nglish ne-s6$ *lamgir 8abir 50nglish ne-s !ommentary6$ Iahid 'iddi4ui 5In-!harge of Erdu
rogramme6$ 'amar <as and *jit )ay 5Musi!6$ ,asan Imam$ 5In-!harge of <rama6$ *shraful *lam 51utdoor
broad!asting and intervie-s6$ 'yed *bdus 'ha(oor and )e%aul 8arim 3ho-dhury 50ngineering6.
The government in exile organised -ar against /a(istani o!!uation army and their &engali 4uislings. It
rovided leadershi$ unity and dire!tion to the guerrilla -ar for liberating o!!uied areas flushing out the
/a(istan state for!es and their allies. Many historians believe that J-ithout the exli!it and organised
government-in-exile$ the guerrilla resistan!e to /a(istani for!es -ould have been fragmented$ disorganised and
ineffe!tual.H Many s!holars and oliti!al observers believe that Jthe Mujibnagar :overnment -as a symboli!
!entre of the nationalist struggle$ and served the essential urose of lifting the morale of revolutionaries and
those -ho suorted the *-ami 2eagueBs !amaign for &angladesh. The Mujibnagar :overnment sought to
serve as a !redible alternative and !ounterart to the /a(istani government$ a system of oliti!al leadershi
distin!t from the Indian government and a major !ontender for territorial !ontrol.H
0very year Mujibnagar day is observed in a meaningful -ay be!ause of the great !ause that it uheld -ith firm
determination and une4uivo!al !ommitment.
Mujibnagar: Where the nations destiny was reshaped
(pril )+, the !ujibnagar ;a#, is one of the most important da#s in the histor# of our freedom struggle and War
of Liberation. 5n this da# in )*+) the representatives of the people of Bangladesh, elected through the )*+,
general elections, at a milestone gathering at Baid#anathtala in !eherpur renamed as !ujibnagar" formall#
endorsed the declaration of independence made b# Bangabandhu 9hei%h !ujibur 8ahman on &= !arch )*+)
and the provisional government formed on ), (pril )*+) to lead the liberation war. The provisional
government, better %nown as !ujibnagar government, too% oath of office on this da#.
$t was through this ceremon# that the nationCs formal journe# on the road to liberation had begun and the
struggle for independence attained legitimac# and acceptabilit# from the people across the world. !oreover, it
was this formal proclamation of independence b# the peopleCs elected representatives that ultimatel# formed
the basis of all laws including the constitution of the countr#.
The formation of the !ujibnagar government and its oath-ta%ing too% place after several da#s of hectic
activities b# the peopleCs representatives amid conflicting stands and intense power struggle. (wami League
general secretar# Tajuddin (hmed met $ndian .rime !inister $ndira 4andhi on D (pril )*+). This was a crucial
meeting. 3onve#ing to her BangabandhuCs last message Tajuddin said, EBangabandhu has sent us to #ou to
see% all out support to our struggle against the .a%istanis. We want to liberate our countr# through armed
struggle with $ndian help.C
The tal%s between Tajuddin and $ndira 4andhi continued for two da#s on D - ' (pril. (fter detailed discussions
the $ndian .rime !inister agreed to provide total support for the War of Liberation of Bangladesh. $t was
decided that a provisional government of Bangladesh would be allowed to lead the war sta#ing in $ndia,
>reedom fighters of Bangladesh would be provided with training and arms and $ndia will give all assistance
needed to continue the war. Besides, arrangements will be made for shelter and food for the Bangladeshi
refugees.
9oon after his return from ;elhi to 3alcutta Tajuddin (hmed started the wor%s for forming the provisional
government. There were bris% activities in this regard spar%ing intense discord and power struggle. 9enior
(wami League leaders agreed on the need for the formation of a provisional government. The# were also
unanimous that Bangabandhu would be the head of the government. But bitter discord surfaced on who would
be the .rime !inister.
!eanwhile, influential #outh leader 9hei%h >a0lul 1u6 !oni was deadl# against the formation of an#
provisional government. 1e was pleading for constituting a 8evolutionar# 3ouncil headed b# Bangabandhu
instead of forming a provisional government to lead the liberation war. 1e was supported b# #outh leaders
9irajul (lam 2han, (bdur 8a00a6ue, Tofael (hmed and student leaders (9! (bdur 8ab, 9hajahan 9iraj, /ure
(lam 9iddi%i and (bdul 2uddus !a%han.
The proposal of 9hei%h !oni was not acceptable to the (wami League leaders. The# were in favour of forming
a provisional government. But the# were sharpl# divided on the framewor% of such government. 9peciall#, the
long-standing leadership-conflict between Tajuddin (hmed and 2handa%er !usta6ue surfaced na%edl# over
the selection of the .rime !inister. !usta6ue himself became a serious candidate for the post of .rime
!inister and lobbied widel# for it. But the response he received was ver# poor.
$n the long run, a framewor% of provisional government was wor%ed out after a series of meetings and parle#s
of (wami League leaders and lawma%ers. $t was decided that the provisional government would comprise the
members of the (wami League 1igh 3ommand which was headed b# Bangabandhu.
(ccordingl# the provisional government of Bangladesh was formed on ), (pril with Bangabandhu 9hei%h
!ujibur 8ahman as the .resident, 9#ed /a0rul $slam as Fice .resident, Tajuddin (hmed as .rime !inister,
%handa%ar !usta6ue(hmed as >oreign !inister, ! !ansur (li as >inaance !inister and (1! 2amaru00aman
as 1ome !inister. $t was decided that 9#ed /a0rul $slam would perform the responsibilit# of (cting .resident
in the absence of Bangabandhu.
The oath-ta%ing of the first government of Bangladesh on )+ (pril was a historic event that shaped the destin#
of Bengali nation. Baid#anathtala, a village of then !eherpur 9ub-division of 2ushtia district along Bangladesh-
$ndia border was renamed as !ujibnagar. (t a large mango orchard there the swearing-in ceremon# too%
place in presence of a large number of foreign journalists besides the local people.
Before the oath-ta%ing of the government, the representatives of the people formall# pronounced the
proclamation of independence. The proclamation of independence was read out b# .rof. Gousuf (li, (wami
League 3hief Whip-elect for the /ational (ssembl# elected in )*+,.
$n his address at the ceremon# (cting .resident 9#ed /a0rul $slam said, HBangladesh had lost her
independence in the war at the mango orchard of .alass# in )*'+. Toda#, on )+ (pril )*+) that lost
independence has returned here at another mango orchard of Bangladesh. >ree Bangladesh is born.I .rime
!inister Tajuddin (hmed said, H.a%istan is dead. The dead bod# of .a%istan has been buried under the
mountain of human corpses. 5ur struggle would not stop until the occupation forces are driven out of the
countr#.I
The most important aspect of the swearing-in of !ujibnagar 4overnment on )+ (pril, )*+) was that through it
the War of Liberation got a legitimate, formal and organised shape paving the wa# for hectic activities in
training up freedom fighters and launching assaults on the invaders at home and carr#ing on diplomatic
campaign abroad.
$t goes without sa#ing that although the provisional government at !ujibnagar comprised all five members of
the (wami Legue 1igh 3ommand, Tajuddin (hmed emerged as the central figure b# dint of his prudence,
leadership 6ualit# and devotion as well as b# his success in accomplishing the pivotal tas% reposed b#
Bangabandhu in his close associate in leading the nation to libert# in absence of him.
Both Tajuddin and 9hei%h !oni had deep distrust for !usta6ue who was considered even b# man# part# men
as a EconspiratorC. (t one stage, it was revealed that !usta6ue was maintaining secret lin%s with the Jnited
9tates in an effort to end the war on the basis of a Econfederation formulaC with .a%istan instead of total
independence of Bangladesh. This infuriated Tajuddin (hmed extremel# and he excluded the name of >oreign
!inister !usta6ue from the team selected to be sent to the J/5 for lobb#ing in favour of independence. $n the
changed decision, Bustice (bu 9a#eed 3houdhr# was made the leader of the team in place of !usta6ue.
/o doubt, this deteriorated further the relations between Tajuddin and !usta6ue. Their bitter rivalr# continued
even after independence. 9ome of the anal#sts allege that !usta6ueCs polic# of vengeance culminated in the
grisl# jail %illing in /ovember )*+'.
/ational leaders -9#ed /a0rul $slam, Tajuddin (hmed, ! !ansur (li and 2amaru00aman have been removed
from the world while in detention, but their glorious role as leaders of !ujibnagar 4overnment in leading
successfull# the countr#Cs War of Liberation will be remembered b# the nation for all time to come.

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