“But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.”
______“Mother to Son”; Langston Hughes
No,
neither Malcolm X, nor Martin Luther King, had given up their dreams.
They had encountered numerous obstacles, yet they held their aspirations
alive for the freedom and equal rights of the Black people in America.
Obviously, there are many differences between them about how they wanted
to pursue their goals that mainly enable one to see their
distinguished, unique personalities. Despite their polarized points of
view, it is important to reconsider and credit the above two icons based
on their ethical beliefs that is to attain the absolute right for the
African Americans to lead life as human beings rather animals with sense
of freedom, dignity and pride.
Many great souls have
had sacrificed their lives to save their nations being oppressed by
others. However, few had guided their nations towrads freedom by
inflaming the underlying current of anger that had concentrated deep
down for a long time, but fear, lack of united effort, and most of all,
need of a pioneer who can initiate the backfire, nail the coffin once
and forever had held them back. One such leader is Bangabondhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman who in his own strange way of absolute humanity,
humbleness, consideration and undoubted boldness had leaded his nation
to respond back to its’ oppressors not with violence, rather by
reciprocating attitude. His maneuver touched the entire nation offering sparks in their thoughts that guided them to impel independence.
Though it is a known fact that people with power have exploited other
groups of human beings throughout the world, the inhumane brutality
against the African Americans is one of the prime examples that points
to one’s consciousness about how the white power had abused, tortured
Black people not only physically, but mentally, economically and
socially for centuries. It also had taken countless black souls to rise
against this white aggression, to protest and demand their rights. Among
them, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. are two pivotal roles who
had contributed to shake white people’s kingdom in the Civil Rights
era.
Exactly the same way Pakistan had exploited the
Bengali nation; in cases even more drastically. They exhibited their
aggression on the nations’ language, religion, unique characteristics,
economy, social norms and values. Their goal was to paralyze the
population by fearful, violent behavior and deprivation of rights. Many
great leaders had protested this type of subjection of the nation and
encountered tremendous brutality and tormentation of the Pakistani Govt.
However, among those leaders Bangobondhu had stood up with his unique
quality of love and devotion, fearless resistance power, instant
decision making ability. Thus, aided by the support and co-operation of
other leaders and the nation in general, he was able to crack the rigid
wall of Pakistani ruling system.
Despite their
contributions, unfortunately, one of them is well regarded, and most
importantly, well known throughout the world, while the other is not
been credited as his work demands. Because of the fact that Malcolm X
had exhibited aggressive mood and tone against the injustice done to the
African Americans, many had portrayed him as an anti force than a key
figure of the Civil Rights Movement. At the same time, some had
justified his advocacy for violence pointing out to his childhood.
Bangobondhu used a firm tone throughout his political carrier though he
did not want to choose turbulence. Therefore, he waited to the last
minute to announce war against Pakistan until the rights of Bengali
nation was pushed to the corner without any home remaining. Despite of
winning the majority in the Parliament, raising various vile causes they
exhibited reluctance to let him be the Prime Minister of the then East
Pakistan, thus the rise of a deprived nation. British had exploited
Bengal, India in a great sense for 200 years, but in only 25 years of
oppression, Pakistan had employed even the last bit of brutality,
barbarism against Bengali people.
Both Malcolm X and
Dr. King criticized the white dominated government for their careless
effort to minimize or resolve the issues that had generated the Civil
Rights Movements. They blamed the government for not keeping promise
given to the African Americans. Malcolm X criticized African Americans
for sending the white Presidents saying: “It was the black man’s vote
that put the present administration in Washington, D.C. Your vote, your
dumb vote, your ignorant vote, your wasted vote put in an administration
in Washington, D.C., that has seen fit to pass every kind of
legislation imaginable, saving you until last, then filibustering on top
of that” (27). On the contrary, in an effort to prove the contradictory
images provided by the Constitution as well as so called Liberal
Presidents, Dr King asked: “So the question is not whether we will be
extremists, but what kind of extremist we will be. … … Will we be
extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of
justice?” (77).
Being aware of Pakistan’s
wretchedness, Bangobondhu, on March 7th had decided to address the
nation where he stood before anxious eyes and uttered the most
significant words of behind the birth of a nation. According to Faruque
Chowdhury, former High Commissioner of Bangladesh, if Bangobondhu had
directly declared the Independence in Racecourse, it might have
considered as a segregated effort like Biafra of Nigeria which might
offer hindrance getting international support. However, it was a pretty
straight forward declaration of Independence maintaining diplomacy not
to be too direct, yet not indirect either. Freedom loving Bengali
people knew the meaning of his address where he strongly announced the
Independence of Bangladesh. He also had told the nation to get ready
with whatever they had to start the fight. In his 18 minutes long
speech, he mapped out the nation’s future act to earn its’ freedom. He
also suggested carrying on the fight until they are free if he was
unable to direct them further due to Pakistani conspiracy though on
March 23rd, from his residence where people from all over the country
gathered, he once again affirmed the nation that there was no walking
back until or unless freedom has been earned. Before getting arrested
two nights later, he finally spoke to the nation mentioning his message
be possibly the last contact with the nation and there again, he ordered
the nation to do everything to become independent.
Malcolm X suggested an active, expeditious action to his audience. In
contrast, Martin Luther King slowly infused his thoughts to the people
so they would have a better grasp to think, rethink and justify. Both of
them, however, agreed that there is no time to waste any more. They
both demonstrated flashback to the slavery pointing out how their
previous generations had toiled themselves. Malcolm X presented a
transparent and vivid picture addressing his audience. He stated: “Three
hundred and ten years we worked in this country without a dime in
return – I mean without a dime in return. … It got rich because
you made it rich” (“The Ballot or the Bullet”, 32); while King says:
“Three hundred years of humiliation, abuse and deprivation cannot be
expected to find in a whisper” (2). They both had portrayed the same
picture of exploitation of the blacks by the whites, just in slightly
different tones.
Bangobondhu, in his political carrier had pointed out the inequalities offered by the Pakistani Government which made them unsettled and uneasy. Therefore, Pakistani Government’s eyes were always on him. He was arrested over and over and spent quite a significant amount of time in jail but without fear, or compromise. There was no concession in his world when it came to Bangladesh and its’ people. The greed of power, threat of life, in fact, nothing impacted his saying ‘Joy Bangla’. Bangobondhu had sacrificed his entire life fighting for the freedom of Bangladesh and its’ people. Though he remained imprisoned the entire period Bangali people have fought and faced tremendous obstacles and unexplainable brutality of Pakistani soldiers and their Bangladeshi collaborators, they kept moving holding the spirit of ‘Joy Bangla’ and the dream of a free land sketched by Bangobondhu. In fact, ‘Joy Bangla’ became the motivating slogan of the freedom fighters.
After being the President of an independent country he on one hand, reached every corner of the world to attain acceptance as a newborn nation from different countries, while on the other hand, closely focused to develop the war-broken country. Unfortunately, he had to start from the scratch. On December 16th, knowing that they had lost the war, Pakistani army even destroyed all the money in the bank. Yet, aided by great devoted leaders and dedicated people he managed to walk towards the progression on the
country. In 1845, Lucius C. Matlock in a review of Frederick Douglass’s Narrative of the Life had asserted that “From the soil of slavery itself have sprung forth some of the most brilliant productions, whose logical levers will ultimately upheave and overthrow the system” (African American Literature, preface, 27). Long after slavery had been abolished, such brutality and dehumanization of human beings continued. Fortunately, from the germ of slavery emerged many talents and leaders to overcome these obstacles. Slavery, though abolished, continued to begat more and more brilliant and devoted souls to bring social, political, economical justice to the black people. As a whole, these people sacrificed their time and lives to bring back humanity to the people who were deprived of many human rights. Without any hesitation, it can be asserted that, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. are two of those great souls in history who suffered from many hindrances to prove the first Amendment to be true: “All men are created equal”. Regardless of their different strategies, they are the two true icons of humanity as well as the catalysts of the Civil Rights Movement.
The same way, there were many leaders who contributed to the Freedom Fight of Bangladesh. 30 million had sacrificed their lives; more than 2 million women were physically abused. People from top to bottom except for the collaborators had contributed to earn the Independence. Bangobondhu was the driver behind the wheel of this journey. He was the force, the motivation, energy, dream maker of the nation. He is not only the catalyst of ’71, he is the father of the nation because of his contribution to the country. He never surrendered to the Pakistani even when they dug his grave next to his cell. He never gave up his dream of free Bengali nation. He never compromised with the hope Bengali people had seen in him. He was the savior whose only dream was to build a independent, proud, educated nation. His goal was to give the nation the rights they had been deprived of since the separation. Thus, Bangladesh and Bangobondhu are equivalent.
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