13 historic hours in air

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is with the then Indian diplomat, Shashank Banerjee, (R) while returning home on 10 January 1972, after being released from internment in Pakistan.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is with the then Indian diplomat, Shashank Banerjee, (R) while returning home on 10 January 1972, after being released from internment in Pakistan.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned to his homeland on 10 January 1972, after being released from internment in Pakistan. Today is the anniversary of that historic homecoming.

Bangabandhu returned to Dhaka via Delhi on a special flight of the British Royal Air Force. The flight from London to Delhi was 13 hours. Two Indian diplomats were among those who travelled with him - Ved Marwah and Shashank Banerjee. They spoke to Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman in separate interviews, reliving memories of that flight. Ved Marwah’s interview was taken in 2008 in Delhi and Shashank Banerjee’s in 2013 in Dhaka. Shashank Banerjee termed this trip as the most important political mission in his life.

Recalling the journey, he said Bangabandhu was eager to return to independent Bangladesh. During the trip, at times Bangabandhu would be overcome with emotion. But like a true state leader, before reaching the country he began pondering on practical matters. In fact, it was on the flight he began thinking about the quick return of Indian soldiers from Dhaka back to India.

Ved Marwah had been the first secretary at the Indian High Commission in London back in 1972. Speaking about his journey with Bangabandhu, he said, “We took a special aircraft from London’s Heathrow Airport. Our route was from Heathrow first to Nicosia (Cyprus), from there to Bahrain, and then on to Dhaka via Delhi. There were four or five of us on the flight - Sheikh Mujib, foreign minister Dr Kamal Hossain, his wife Hamida Hossain, myself and Shashank Banerjee.”

He said, “Despite the long imprisonment, Sheikh Mujib seemed quite lively. He was enthusiastic about everything. He called me to sit next to him. There was a quick understanding between once he came to know that I understood and could speak Bangla. It was very significant for a young man like myself to have the experience of sitting next to a personality like Sheikh Mujib. He spoke to me very sincerely, as if he had known me for long.”

Ved Marwah said, “Bangabandhu wasn’t concerned about himself. His concern was for the people of Bangladesh. He had no idea of his fate after being released from prison in Pakistan. He wasn’t worried about what lay ahead. He said nothing about his internment in Pakistan. He time and again mulled over the various problems of the newly independent Bangladesh.”

Marwah went on to say, “He repeated the things that he spoke to me on the flight, when he delivered that famous speech at the Ramna maidan [now Suhrawardy Uddyan] upon landing in Dhaka. I think he had prepared the speech in his mind while on the flight. If you listen to that speech, you will know what we had discussed.”

Second secretary at the Indian High Commission in London at the time Shashank Banerjee recalled that day, saying, “Bangabandhu was received at the airport by the British Foreign and Commonwealth department official Ian Sutherland and the Indian High Commission in London Apa B Panth.” Upon seeing him, Bangabandhu exclaimed, “Banerjee, you are here too!”

Ian arranged a meeting for Bangabandhu with Edward Heath. And Apa B Panth set up communication with Indira Gandhi. Mujib spoke to Indira for half an hour over the phone.

Shashank said, “I sat next to him in the aircraft. On the table in front of him were his favourite Erinmore tobacco and that famous pipe. He could hardly wait to return home.

“In an emotion-laden voice Sheikh Mujib said, ‘Independent Bangladesh, my Bangladesh. Banerjee, I now want a special favour.’

“I replied that I would do whatever was in my capacity.

“Mujib said, ‘Before I meet Indira in Delhi, a message needs to be sent to her. The matter of withdrawing the Indian allied force troops from Bangladesh within 31 March 1972 has to be finalised. I have spoken to the British prime minister about this. Once the Indian allied forces leave, the British government will have no problem in extending their recognition.’

“After refueling in the Middle East, the aircraft resumed flight. Bangabandhu gazed out of the window at the clouds. After a while, he stood up and began to sing, “Amar Sonar Bangla, ami tomai bhalobashi.” Eyes brimming with tears, he said, ‘Banerjee, join in. Let’s rehearse.’

“We sang the song together. Trying to hide his tears, Bangabandhu said, ‘An ever harder struggle is ahead, to take the war-torn country forward. The only strength within me is the people of my country.’

“Bangabandhu surprised me by suddenly saying, ‘This song will be Bangladesh’s national anthem. How about that?’

“I said, ‘Then for the first time in history, the national anthems of two countries will have the same writer - Rabindranath Tagore.’

“A message came from the West Bengal chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Roy while we were on the flight, requesting Bangabandhu to stop over at Kolkata on the way back to his country. The people of Kolkata were eager to meet Bangabandhu. Expressing his gratitude to the people of Kolkata for their help in the independence struggle, Bangabandhu replied that he would return to Dhaka via Delhi as he could wait no longer. But he would visit Kolkata soon.

“Bangabandhu said, ‘The journey seems endless. The free skies, people and nature of Bangladesh summon me. I cannot explain the feeling.’

“I said, ‘It is not long before we land in Delhi.’ The pilot took two photographs of us. I have very carefully preserved those historic pictures with Sheikh Mujib.”