The Research and Publication Centre (RPC) hosted a public talk titled “Mujib’s Lonely Room: His Memory and Legacy in Post-Naya Pakistan” to mark the 50th anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s assassination.
The talk, delivered by researcher Raza Naeem, reflected on the disputed legacy and memory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in pre-1971 Pakistan and examined how his memory continues to resonate in present-day Pakistan. He said only five Bengalis were mentioned in Pakistan’s textbooks. He stressed that the time has come to open hearts and embrace historical wrongdoings to build better people-to-people contacts.
Raza noted that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, once a hero in Bangladesh, later became one of the most hated figures as his statues were demolished during the July 2024 revolution, when Sheikh Hasina Wazed fled from Dhaka to India.
He highlighted Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his contemporaries, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indira Gandhi, noting that all three rose to power on slogans against injustice and the unequal distribution of wealth and resources. He pointed out that each of them later became intolerant of criticism, and, ironically, all three met tragic deaths.
Mujibur Rahman was assassinated on August 15, 1975.
Former Daily Times editor Rashid Rehman, in his address, highlighted the historical events and individual struggle of the former Bangladeshi prime minister. He said growing relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh present an opportunity to reflect on history.
Rashid Rehman also pointed out the irony of the intelligentsia, including left-wing and right-wing intellectuals and critics, as hope is on the decline in society. He said Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in a military coup in Bangladesh. “The whole episode of 1971 has been washed out from our conscious history,” Rashid claimed.
July Revolution in Bangladesh
The July Revolution, also referred to as the July Mass Uprising or the Student-People’s Uprising, was a pro-democracy movement in Bangladesh in 2024. It emerged in early June as a quota reform movement initiated by the group Students Against Discrimination, after the Bangladesh Supreme Court struck down the government’s 2018 circular on public sector job quotas. The movement quickly gained momentum, drawing widespread support from students and the general public.
The uprising marked a turning point in Bangladesh’s political landscape, symbolizing resistance against authoritarian rule and demands for inclusive governance. On August 5, 2025, coinciding with the first anniversary of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, the revolution was formally recognized through the announcement of the July Declaration, granting it constitutional acknowledgment and cementing its place in the country’s democratic history.
