Gonobahini

Gonobahini (Bengali: গণবাহিনী "People's Army") was the armed wing of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal.[1] The group was mainly composed of former Mukti Bahini members from the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.[2]

Not to be confused with Gonobahini (Mukti Bahini).

Gonobahini
গণবাহিনী
Active1972-1975
Disbanded1976
CountryBangladesh
AllegianceJatiya Samajtantrik Dal
Colors 
Engagements1972-1975 Bangladesh insurgency
Commanders
CommanderLt. Col. Abu Taher
Political LeaderSerajul Alam Khan
2nd CommanderHasanul Haq Inu

History

In 1972, a section of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League split to form the Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, led by Serajul Alam Khan.[3]

The party called for establishing socialism through an armed revolution. As a result, the Gonobahini was formed and led a violent insurgency against the government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[3] In 1974, Hasanul Haq Inu led a group of armed men to attack the residence of then home minister Mansur Ali, which resulted in a massacre.[4] The Gonobahini is also accused of killing numerous Bangladesh Chhatra League and Awami League members.[1]

Disbandment

When Ziaur Rahman was freed by members of the Gonobahini, Ziaur Rahman realized that the disorder set off by them in the mutiny had to be suppressed firmly if discipline was to be restored in the Bangladesh Army. Ziaur Rahman declared martial law, cracked down on the Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal and Gonobahini, Abu Taher was sentenced to death and other party figures had various terms of imprisonment slapped on them.[5]

Criticism

In 2016, Bangladesh Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam remarked that Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Gonobahini had created the political atmosphere that led to the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.[6] Opposition party leaders also hold its activities responsible for Sheikh Mujib's killing.[7] Other opposition figures have called it "the Al Qaeda of its day."[8]

See also

References
  1. "JS sees debate over role of Gono Bahini". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  2. Lifschultz, Lawrence (1979). Bangladesh : the unfinished revolution. Zed Press. ISBN 0-905762-07-X. OCLC 883842630.
  3. Hossain, Kazi Mobarak (13 March 2016). "Hasanul Haq Inu's JaSoD splits as he names Shirin general secretary". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  4. "Rizvi now blasts Inu at press briefing". The Daily Star. UNB. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  5. Ahsan, Syed Badrul (7 July 2015). "Bourgeois dreams of socialist revolution". The Daily Observer. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  6. "Awami League will have to atone for making a JaSoD leader minister, says Syed Ashraf". bdnews24.com. 13 June 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  7. "Clarify your role in Bangabandhu killing, BNP to Inu". Prothom Alo. 24 August 2015. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  8. "Inu, Khairul to be tried in people's court: BNP". The News Today. UNB. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.


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