‘Bangabandhu-Tajuddin rift was a big tragedy’

Gano Forum chief Dr Kamal Hossain has called those who created rift between Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed ‘enemy of the country’ and said it was the ‘most unfortunate incident’ in Bangladesh’s history.

The member of Bangabandhu’s cabinet made the remarks on Friday at the launch of the book titled ‘Tajuddin Ahmed: Leader and Father’ that details events before and after independence.

The book, written by Bangladesh’s first prime minister’s daughter Sharmin Ahmed, was released at a ceremony at the Asiatic Society auditorium.

“Bangladesh’s struggles and Liberation War cannot be summed up mathematically. It’s hundred percent correct that the rift between Bangabandhu and Tajuddin is the greatest tragedy in independent Bangladesh’s history.

“I want to declare it in an affidavit,” added the senior politician who was a close aide of Bangladesh’s founding father.

“Those who broke the unity between Bangabandhu and Tajuddin are cursed and the enemies of the country.”

Dr Hossain said: “I learned the importance of morality in politics from these two. We saw the politics of morality among them. They would first consider their pledge to the people before making any decision.”

He observed there was a growing aversion to politics not only in Bangladesh but also in other parts of the world.

The idea that politics was pursued to get to power was ‘a big mistake’ and was an affront to Bangabandhu and Tajuddin, he further said.