Answers to Tarique Rahman\\\'s claim

Since a week or so this scribe has been observing that the country's potential future leader (as claimed by BNP) Tarique Rahman has made some remarks that sparked arguments, disputes, even fury from many quarters. Most of the time, I have read those reflections in the papers to educate myself because by reading anything one can learn what is true and what is not. In most cases, I have found those writings or comments to be lopsided and made from weak political perspectives. Unfortunately, instead of decent logical responses those have been very poorly founded.
Although on my part I do not consider myself a party to this political mud-slinging. However, as a logical person I have very simple answers to the claims raised by Tarique Rahman recently.
Tarique has claimed that his father was the first president of Bangladesh! How come, a mid-ranking unknown military officer Major Zia, who did not have any political background or connection whatsoever, became president just by shouting 'I am the president'?
What happened on the March 27, 1971 at 7.30 pm at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra at Kalurghat was nothing but a caprice of Zia's mind in a tumultuous situation all around. To cut the long story short, what discretely happened in Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra since noon from March 26 to the next couple of days were in most cases unplanned. On the morning of March 26, many people in Chittagong received cyclostyled messages, arguably from Bangabandhu. Taking that message Abul Kashem Swandip of Chhatra Union (Motia group) rushed to the Kalurghat transmission centre, and without discussing anyone of Awami League, announced that Bangabandhu had declared independence. Subsequently, Awami League leader MA Hannan went to the transmission centre and announced Bangabandhu's declaration taking full authority. At the same time some motivational songs were also being continuously broadcasted from the transmission centre.
On the evening of March 27, i.e., the next day, Major Zia casually went to Kalurghat to observe the security arrangements there. At one point, Belal Mohammad, a well known radio personality at the Chittagong radio station, asked Zia to announce something to boost the morale of the armed personnel resisting the Pakistan army sporadically in different parts of the country. He then announced around 7.30pm, "I, Major Ziaur Rahman, do hereby declare the independence of Bangladesh on behalf of our great national leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman". However, later without consulting anybody Zia made another announcement claiming himself the president of the 'provisional government', although there was nothing like such a government at that time. However, when Zia was reminded by Awami League leaders that his declaration sounded frivolous and wanted him to correct his announcement, Zia corrected  himself and announced that a provisional government under the leadership of the great leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had already been formed and was functioning. He also announced that Sheikh Mujib was with them. So, how can Tarique Rahman defend his position?
Now the second answer. Tarique Rahman claimed that Bangabandhu came to Bangladesh with Pakistani passport. Here again, it can be refuted by a simple logic. For argument's sake, if after December 16, 1971 Bangladesh printed some new passports for Bangladeshi citizens - which in reality was impossible to do absurd at that time - who was there to reach a 'new passport' to Bangabandhu detained in Pakistani jail since March 26, 1971? In fact, when a country is liberated, it inherits all its previous rules, regulations and practices at least for a certain period of time. Whatever were there in East Pakistan then, became the assets, liabilities, responsibilities of Bangladesh after independence through naturalisation. For example, for quite a long time we used Pakistani rupees in Bangladesh, as printing of new currency needed some time. Similarly, in schools we read books printed in erstwhile East Pakistan for quite a few months. So, how did it make a difference if Bangabandhu travelled at that time with his old passport? It was a mere formality. During the liberation war, did we have new passports printed? Could we expect that? In fact, passport was not a point at all for Bangabandhu. He was flown in by a special plane of British Airways from Pakistan to Bangladesh via London and Delhi. So where is the point of dispute? Doesn't it sound ridiculous to say that Bangabandhu came to independent Bangladesh with Pakistani passport?
Let logic and reason guide our thoughts and actions.
The writer is a development worker.
shazzadk@yahoo.co.uk