East West University

GEN 226 / Lecture 22

Peace Committee
Peace Committee [was] formed by the Pakistan government on 10 April 1971 with an object of helping
the administration in containing the War of Liberation efforts.

Earlier, on 4 April a delegation of 12 political leaders led by Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) chief Nurul
Amin met Lieutenant General Tikka Khan, the Martial Law Administrator of 'B' zone, and placed a
proposal to form a committee of the citizens in Dhaka. The members of the delegation included among
others Gholam Azam, Farid Ahmad, Khwaja Khairuddin, and Nuruzzaman. Dhaka Nagarik Committee
(Citizen Committee) was constituted on 10 April with Khwaja Khairuddin as its chief. On the issue of
leadership wrangle a section of the members of the committee seceded under Farid Ahmad to form a
Steering Committee which, however, was transformed into a full-fledged committee with the
appellation East Pakistan Peace and Welfare Council. The chairman and general secretary of the council
were Farid Ahmad and PDP leader Nuruzzaman respectively, and the members were Maulana Abdul
Mannan, Julmat Ali Khan, Gholam Azam, Mahmud Ali, Yusuf Ali Chowdhury (Mohan Mian), Syed Azizul
Haq (Nanna Mian), Pir Mohsen Uddin (Dudu Mian), Raja Tridiv Roy, and ASM Solaiman.

The main objectives of the Peace Committee were to help and cooperate with the Pakistan armed
forces, and thereby to help maintaining integrity of Pakistan. Gradually, peace committees were
constituted throughout the country. The political leaders and activists opposing the War of Liberation
formed these peace committees, and extended cooperation to the occupation army in various ways.
The peace committees were dissolved with the surrender of the Pakistan army on 16 December 1971.
[Muntassir Mamoon]

[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Peace_Committee]

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Al-Badr
Al-Badr [was] a paramilitary force formed during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971 under the
patronage of the then Pakistan government. Its objective was to create public opinion in favour of the
integrity of Pakistan and to provide active assistance to the occupation army in East Pakistan.

Al-Badr was constituted in September 1971 with the spirit and zeal of the mujahids of the historic battle
of Badr under the auspices of General Niazi, chief of the eastern command of the Pakistan occupation
army. The Al-Badr was created soon after the formation of the razakar force. The Pakistan army was
responsible for providing security to Al-Badr at the field level. The Al-Badr had some difference from the
Razakars. The Razakars opposed the freedom fighters in general, while Al-Badr’s objective was to create
panic among the common people by terror and political killings. The members of Al-Badr were involved
in the murder of distinguished intellectuals at Rayerbazar badhya-bhumi (place of execution) in Dhaka.
Al-Badr as a force disintegrated with the surrender of the Pakistan army on 16 December 1971.
[Muntassir Mamoon]

[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Al-Badr]

Al-Shams
Al-Shams [was] a paramilitary force formed under the patronage of the Pakistan government to assist
the occupation army in East Pakistan during the liberation war of 1971. The name 'Al-Shams' is derived
from an Arabic term which literally means 'the sun'. Al-Shams was constituted from among the followers
of extreme rightist political parties. The force disintegrated with the surrender of the Pak-army on 16
December 1971. [Muntassir Mamoon]

[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Al-Shams]

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Razakar
Razakar a paramilitary force formed at Pakistan government initiative to assist it and to resist the
freedom fighters during the War of Liberation in 1971. Razakar is a Persian term meaning 'volunteers'.
At the time of partition of India in 1947, Nizam of Hyderabad, having been unwilling to the annexation
of his kingdom to India, formed a volunteer corps named 'Razakar' for resisting the entry of the Indian
army into his kingdom.

During the liberation war in 1971 Razakar force was formed by Pakistan government in the model of the
Razakar of Hyderabad. It was constituted in the month of May with an enrolment of 96 loyalist activists
in the Ansar camp at Khan Jahan Ali Road in Khulna. This force was subsequently formed in different
parts of East Pakistan.

At the initial stage, the razakars were subordinate to the local peace committees. By the promulgation
of East Pakistan Razakar Ordinance on 1 June 1971, General Tikka Khan converted the Ansars into
Razakars who were recognised as the members of the Pakistan army through an ordinance of the
Ministry of Defence promulgated on 7 September.

The tenure of the primary training of the Razakars was 15 days. The training of the first batch of Razakar
force was completed on 14 July 1971 at Kushtia. General Ameer Abdullah Khan Niazi, chief of the
eastern command of the Pakistan army, took salute at the closing parade at Savar on 27 November 1971
on completion of the training of the first batch of the company commanders of Razakar force.
Subsequently, the Razakar force was elevated to the status of a separate directorate. The Razakar force
disintegrated with the surrender of the Pakistan army on 16 December 1971. [Muntassir Mamoon]

[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Razakar]

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Killing of Intellectuals
Killing of Intellectuals [was] a planned killing of the Bangali intellectuals representing one of the most
brutal and savage carnages in history. The killing of the intellectuals, educationists, journalists,
litterateurs, physicians, scientists, lawyers, artists, philosophers and political thinkers was executed by a
group of collaborators under the directive and guidance of the Pakistani military rulers in occupied
Bangladesh during the War of Liberation in 1971.

The intellectuals were the philosophers and guide in infusing in the people of East Bengal the spirit of
Bangali nationalism, and they inspired the people in all the mass movements against disparity and
repressive measure of the Pakistani rulers. Hence the intellectuals have all through been the targets of
the rulers of Pakistan. The killing of the intellectuals was obviously the execution of a blue print of the
military junta chalked out with an avowed object of eliminating the intellectuals, thereby reducing the
Bangali nation into intellectual bankruptcy and depriving them of leadership.

The blue print of crippling the intelligentsia is known to have been chalked out by a body of at least ten
persons headed by Major General Rao Farman Ali, the military adviser to the Governor of East Pakistan.
It is widely believed that the killings of 14 December was orchestrated by Rao Farman Ali. After the
liberation of Bangladesh, a list of Bangali intellectuals (most of whom were executed on 14 December)
was discovered in a page of his diary left behind at the Governor House.

Table Number of Martyrs (district wise):

District Educationist Journalist Lawyer Physician Literature and artist Engineer Others Total

Dhaka 73 11 6 46 9 3 1 149
Faridpur 43 2 45
Tangail 29 1 30
Mymensingh 75 2 77
Chittagong 62 1 1 64
Chittagong Hill Tracts 14 1 15
Sylhet 26 2 28
Comilla 80 5 1 86
Noakhali 43 2 45
Khulna 65 1 2 68
Jessore 91 4 2 97
Barisal 75 75
Patuakhali 4 4
Kustia 45 45

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Rajshahi 54 1 5 1 61
Rangpur 72 4 76
Dianajpur 61 2 63
Bogra 26 2 28
Pabna 53 2 55
Total 991 13 42 49 9 5 2 1111

The existence of such a list was confirmed by Farman Ali himself, although he denied the intention of
genocide. The execution of the blue print was led by Brigadiar Bashir, Lt Colonel Hejazi, Major Zahur,
Major Aslam, Captain Nasir and Captain Qayyum under the overall guidance of Lt. General Ameer
Abdullah Khan Niazi, commander of the Eastern Command of Pakistan army. The extreme right wing
Islamist militia groups Al-Badr and Al-Shams executed the brutal killings, having been provided with
arms and support by the Pakistan army.

The killing of the intellectuals virtually began following the army crackdown in Dhaka on the night of 25
March. The Pakistan army during their Operation Searchlight chalked out the targeted victims and killed
them. Some of the teachers of Dhaka University were killed on the night of 25 March. But the planned
killing of the intellectuals took a serious turn especially in Dhaka during three or four days preceding the
surrender of the Pakistan army on 16 December. On the night of 14 December, over 200 of intellectuals
were abducted from their homes in Dhaka. The act of killing was initiated in Dhaka and gradually spread
over the whole of East Pakistan especially in the district and sub divisional towns.

The killers used to abduct the targeted victims from their respective houses in gestapo style, and carry
them blind folded to particular torture cells at Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Nakhalpara, Rajarbagh, Physical
Training Centre (Mohammadpur) and other locations in different sections of the city. They mostly took
advantage of curfew in the city and kidnapped the victims. The victims were physically tortured, brutally
killed mostly by indiscriminate bayonet charges. The main spots of execution in Dhaka city were Alokdi,
Kalapani, Rainkhola, back yard of Bangla College, Harirampur graveyard, Shialbari in Mirpur, eastern end
of Mohammadpur thana, and Rayerbazar. In the marshy land at Rayerbazar and at Mirpur, a huge
number of dead bodies were found scattered in the ditches, plains and inside the heaps of bricks. The
dead bodies, eyes covered and hands tied on the back, were found bruised all over, bullet shots on the
chest, head or back and bayonet injury all over the body.

In memory of the martyred intellectuals, 14 December is mourned in Bangladesh as Shaheed Buddhijibi

Dibash (Martyred Intellectual Day).

The number of intellectuals killed in the country could not be estimated exactly, not to speak of the
identity of the persons killed. From the available sources the number hitherto traced may roughly run as
follows: educationist 991, journalist 13, physician 49, lawyer 42, litterateur and artist 9, engineer 5,
others 2. [Muazzam Hussain Khan]

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[http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Killing_of_Intellectuals[

Bangabandhu’s Trial in Pakistan’s Jail and International Response

A.K.M. Atiqur Rahman

The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested at around 1:30 am on 26
March 1971 (Friday) from his Dhanmondi residence by the Pakistan Army. Later he was taken to West
Pakistan and detained.

At the beginning, no one knew where he was kept and how he was. Even no one could say whether he
was alive or not, although it was said from Swadhin Bangla Radio that he was good and was with the
people. This announcement was done repeatedly so that the Bengalis engaged in the war of
independence did not lose their courage. However, it was confirmed that Bangabandhu was alive when
Pakistan’s President General Yahya Khan announced the trial of Bangabandhu in a secret military court
in Pakistan.

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Bangabandhu knew very well that the Pakistani military would arrest him. Some of his colleagues and
friends asked him to leave the house while informing him the situation over telephone. He could escape,
but he did not. He said if he did that, then the Pakistani military will destroy the entire Dhaka city to find
him. This was published in the Washington Post on 30 March1971 in a report by Simon Dring of the Daily
Telegraph, London. That report also described the killing and atrocities of Pakistani army on the night of
25th March.

In his report published on the New York Times on 20 May 1971, Homer A Jack said that martial law had
been proclaimed on 25 March, Awami League was banned, Sheikh Mujib was arrested and Pakistani
military started destructive activities. On 27 May, a proposal was accepted unanimously by expressing
concern over the arrest of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the meeting of the Socialist International Council
held in Helsinki.

On 17 June 1971, the Indian Foreign Minister said at a press conference in Washington that everyone
was concerned about the safety and wellbeing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He expressed his hope that
the world leaders would try hard to convince the Pakistani rulers to release Sheikh Mujib.

The news item, published in the Guardian on 5 July 1971 following the visit of a 4-member British
Commons mission to East Pakistan and India, referred Labour Party MP Mr Reginald Prentice who said
that Pakistan’s President should release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with other Awami League
leaders.

In his statement at the Indian Parliament on 20 July, the Indian Foreign Minister Sardar Sharan Singh
said that according to President Yahya Khan’s statement of 28th June, any steps taken by Pakistan
against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would be to make the way of the creation of Bangladesh.

In an interview with Pakistan television on 3 August 1971, Pakistan President General Yahya Khan said
that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested for political betrayal and would be brought for trial according
to the laws of the country. President Yahya also said that Sheikh Mujib did not revolt against the
country, he inspired the armed struggle.

In the first week of August, US Congressman Cornelius Gallagher said in the House of Representatives
that the military government of Pakistan should be pressurised to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
to continue talks with him to solve the problem.

In August, 130 members of the British Parliament raised a resolution for the release of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman. While raising the resolution, Labour Party MP John Stonehouse said that there was no way but
to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to stop the devastating humanitarian disaster in East Bengal. In
addition, Labour Party MP Reginald Prentice urged to investigate the safety issue of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman.

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Indian Foreign Minister in his statement at the Parliament on 9 August 1971 described the overall
situation of Bangladesh including the trial of Bangabandhu in a military court in Pakistan. All 500
members of the Lok Sobha urged the humanity conscious people of the world to protest against the
proposal of the Pakistani President. In addition to condemning the Pakistani proposal, the Foreign
Minister also warned the Pakistani government about its dire consequences.

On 10 August 1971, Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi sent messages to all heads of state of the
world about the release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In that message, she expressed fear that Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman could be hanged in the wake of the secret trial. So she urged everyone to put pressure
on President Yahya in taking practical steps for the peace and stability of the region. Indian Foreign
Minister Sardar Sharan Singh sent a message to UN Secretary General U Thant on 10 August. In that
message, he said that the announcement of the Pakistani government about the trial of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman had shocked everyone. The people of India, the media, the parliament and the government, all
believed that the activities of Pakistan in East Bengal had created problems for everyone. It would
increase ten times more if the Pakistani government did anything with the life of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman. The Foreign Minister appealed to the Secretary General to take urgent steps in requesting the
Pakistani government to abstain from such activities. On the same day, the UN Secretary General gave a
statement expressing concern about Sheikh Mujib’s trial.

On 14 August 1971, expressing his country’s concern about the trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the
military court of West Pakistan, the spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of the German Democratic
Republic said that the people of the GDR requested the government of Pakistan to do justice to Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman. The people of GDR requested Pakistan’s military authorities to find a peaceful political
solution to the existing conflict in Pakistan by stopping the trial of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the
influential figures of Pakistan.

A news item published in La Nacion (Buenos Aires) on 15 August 1971 said that UN Secretary General U
Thant had warned that the secret trial in the name of betrayal against Mujibur Rahman of East Pakistan
would be more terrific than the effect of hurricane in November and later cholera in East Bengal. Two
days later (17 August), the International Jurists Commission in Geneva sent a telegram to President
Yahya Khan to release Bangabandhu.

On 20 August, the Secretariat of the World Peace Council in Helsinki, urged the Pakistani government to
release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The World Peace Council requested Yahya Khan to respect the wishes
of the people of the world and immediately release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stopping his trial. The East
Bengal Refugees Assistance Committee of Nepal at its meeting in Kathmandu on 7 September adopted a
resolution urging Pakistan for immediate release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Former British Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs Arthur Bottomley, at the conference of the
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association held on 13 September 1971 in Malaysia, urged all
governments to put pressure on Pakistan to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The 13th September issue
of the African Tribune published from Kinshasa said that if Sheikh Mujib was released only then

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necessary steps could be taken for a peaceful solution of the problem. On 15 September, a statement by
US Senator Charles H Parcey was published on the Christian Science Monitor, which said that Pakistan
would be condemned by the world if Sheikh Mujib was sentenced to death or life imprisonment.

The Canberra Times on its 17th September editorial said that President Yahya Khan of Pakistan was
completely blind about the dire consequences of his activities. If Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was punished,
the chance of peaceful resolution would be lost forever. An International Conference on Bangladesh
held in New Delhi on 18 September 1971 condemned Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s secret trial in the
military tribunal of Pakistan and urged for quick and unconditional release of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
and other elected representatives of Bangladesh.

In his letter to President Yahya Khan, the Soviet President Nikolai Podgorney expressed his concern for
the arrest and trial of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On 27 October, the Austrian Chancellor
Bruno Kreisky condemned the detention of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by the military junta of West
Pakistan and said that no democratic party in Europe would tolerate such activities.

On 18 November, the editorial of L’Unita, published from Rome, urged the peace loving people and
countries of the world to come forward to release Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In a letter to US President Richard Nixon on 15 December, the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
emphasised the urgency of the release of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and asked for his
intervention. However, President Nixon replied to that letter after two days of our independence, ie on
18 December.

Finally, the Pakistani government had to release our beloved leader, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from jail. On 8 January 1972, Bangabandhu was released and went to London.
From there he reached Dhaka on 10 January via New Delhi.

daily sun, 11th January, 2018

[http://www.daily-sun.com/post/281280/Bangabandhu%E2%80%99s-Trial-in-Pakistan%E2%80%99s-
Jail-and-International-Response]

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