Rahman, Mujibur

Rahman, Mujibur, popularly known as Sheikh Mujib (1920-1975), founding father of Bangladesh and its first prime minister (1972-1975) and president (1975). He was born in Tungipara, East Bengal (then in India), and was educated at Islamia College, Calcutta, and at the University of Dhaka, where he became involved in politics. Along with many other Bengali activists, he became disillusioned after the creation of Pakistan, when Bengali interests were marginalized. In 1949 he helped found the Awami League to fight for the autonomy of East Bengal within Pakistan. He was frequently arrested for his activities following the imposition of martial law throughout Pakistan in 1958, became immensely popular, and eventually emerged as the undisputed Bengali leader. In 1966 he announced his Six Points calling for regional autonomy.

In 1969 Mujib was released from prison, and led the Awami League to an outstanding victory in East Pakistan in the elections of 1970. Immediately afterwards, he demanded that the new Pakistani constitution be based on his Six Points. When President Yahya Khan postponed the scheduled session of Pakistan’s National Assembly in March 1970, Mujib began a non-violent non-cooperation campaign. Civil war was precipitated by massacres and repression, which accompanied the army crackdown in East Pakistan beginning on March 25, 1970.

Throughout the ensuing struggle, Mujib remained a prisoner in West Pakistan. Bangladesh was created after Indian intervention in favour of East Bengal in the Third Indo-Pakistan War. Mujib was released and returned to become the prime minister of the new state. In 1975 he had the Bangladeshi constitution changed and assumed the presidency with nearly absolute powers, but he was overthrown and assassinated in a military coup on August 15, 1975.