বর্তমান সময়ে ভাষা আন্দোলন বলতে শুধুমাত্র ২১ শে ফেব্রুয়ারির ঘটনাকেই মনে করেন অনেকেই। যদিও ভাষা আন্দোলন এক দিনে গড়ে উঠেনি। ১৯৪৭ থেকেই আমাদের মাতৃভাষার জন্য লড়াই করতে হয়েছে। মাতৃভাষার অধিকার আদায়ের জন্য রাজপথের প্রম লড়াই এবং সর্বাগ্রে উল্লেখযোগ্য আন্দোলন ছিল পলাশী ব্যারাক ও সচিবালয়ের ঘটনা। এই ঘটনার উৎস ছিল উর্দু ভাষার পক্ষে প্রচার এবং জনসভার আহবান। ১৯৪৭ সালের ১৩ ই ডিসেম্বর ঢাকার চকবাজার মসজিদের সামনে এক জনসভার আয়োজন করে চকবাজারের উর্দুভাষীগণ। এই জনসভার উদ্দেশ্য ছিল উর্দুকে পূর্ববাংলার রাষ্ট্রভাষা হিসাবে গ্রহন করা। এই জনসভার প্রচারনার জন্য ১২ ডিসেম্বর কতিপয় উর্দুভাষী ' মুকুল' নামের একটি বাসে করে ঢাকা শহরের কিছু জায়গা ঘুরে বেড়ায়। মাইকযোগে তারা জনসভার ঘোষণা তথা উর্দুকে রাষ্ট্রভাষা করার দাবি জানায়। একই সাথে তারা জনসাধারণের মধ্যে প্রচার পত্র বিলি করে। চকবাজার থেকে শুরু করা এই প্রচার কাজ পলাশী ব্যারাক এর সামনে আসলে বাঙালিদের দ্বারা বাঁধার সম্মুখীন হয়। পলাশী ব্যারাক তখন বাঙালি সরকারি কর্মচারী এবং ছাত্রদের আবাসস্থল হিসাবে ব্যবহৃত হতো। পলাশী ব্যারাকের পাশেই ছিল সলিমুল্লাহ মুসলিম হল। পলাশী ব্যরাকের জনগন প্রচারনাকারিদের উর্দুর পক্ষে প্রচারণা এবং আপত্তিকর বক্তব্য প্রদান করা থেকে বিরত থাকতে বলেন। উল্লেখ্য প্রচারপত্রের সারমর্ম ছিল ' উর্দু মুসলমানদের ধর্মীয় ভাষা। এই ভাষার বিরুদ্ধে যে কথা বলিবে সে কাফের। এই ধরনের কাফের বা বিধর্মীদের শায়েস্তা করিতে হইবে এবং উর্দুকে রাষ্ট্রভাষা করিতে হইবে।' ক্রমেই এই উর্দুভাষীদের সাথে ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ছাত্রদের সাথে বাক- বিতণ্ডা শুরু হয়। যা পরে সংঘর্ষের রুপ নেয়। এই সংঘর্ষে পলাশী ব্যারাকে বসবাসরত সরকারি করমচারি ও সাধারণ জনগন, ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং এবং মেডিক্যাল কলেজের ছাত্ররা জড়িয়ে পরে। এক পর্যায়ে উর্দুভাষী প্রচারনাকারিরা পরাস্ত হয়ে সে স্থান ত্যাগ করে। এই ঘটনার প্রায় আধ ঘণ্টা পরে বহু সংখ্যক উর্দুভাষী কয়েকটি বাসে করে লাঠি- সোটা নিয়ে পুনরায় পলাশী ব্যারাকে ফিরে আসে। তারা পলাশী ব্যারাক এবং ইঞ্জিনিয়ারিং কলেজ এর ছাত্রাবাসে আক্রমণ চালিয়ে ব্যপক ক্ষতি সাধন করে। তাদের আক্রমনে বেশ কিছু সংখ্যক ছাত্র এবং জনতা আহত হন।

এই ঘটনার পর ছাত্র এবং সরকারি কর্মচারীরা পলাশী ব্যারাক এর অভ্যন্তরে একটি প্রতিবাদ সমাবেশ করেন। সভা শেষে তারা মিছিল নিয়ে সচিবালয়ের অভিমুখে অগ্রসর হন। পুলিশ রিপোর্ট অনুযায়ী মিছিলকারীরা তৎকালীন মন্ত্রী আবদুল হামিদ এর বাসভবনে পৌঁছে এবং তাকে নিশ্চয়তা প্রদানে বাধ্য করে যে বাংলা কে রাষ্ট্রভাষা করা না হলে তিনি পদত্যাগ করবেন।


সঠিক প্রচারণার অভাবে ভাষা আন্দোলনের এই বীরত্ব গাঁথা আজ ইতিহাসের পাতা থেকে হারিয়ে যাচ্ছে।

পলাশী ব্যারাক এবং সচিবালয়ে সংগঠিত ঘটনার পুলিশি বিবরণঃ


Report on the Plassy Barrack and Secretariat Incident on 12.12.1947

On 12.12.47 Urdu speaking Muslims of Chowk area organised a meeting to be held on 13.12.47 at 4 p.m. in front of the Chowk Mosque to discuss the subject of Urdu to be made the State Language for Eastern Pakistan. To give publicity to this proposed meeting hand bills were printed and a lorry fitted with loud speaker was sent out for announcing the date and time of the meeting and also shouting slogans in support of Urdu language. This lorry started from Chowk at about 10 O'clock and passed through different afeas of the town. About mid-day the lorry reached the University Buildings where the men who were in the bus. With a view to making propaganda in'the connection, started shouting slogans in support of Urdu language. Some University students intervened and asked these people not to shout slogans in support of Urdu language and extorted to support Bengali language. This led to the dispute between them and it is reported that one of the University students was roughly handled by the people of the bus. The propaganda bus then proceeded towards the Plassy Barrack and as it was passing along the road in front of the eastern gate of the Plassy Barrackshouting in support of the Urdu Language. Some inmates of the Plassy Barrack mostly students came out and stationed the bus and started arguing with the occupants of the bus that they should support Bengali and not Urdu to be the state language. This created a confusion and some of the Plassy Barrack people wanted to drag .down some of the occupants of the bus and there was sort of howling and pulling in which some of the occupants of the bus were roughly handled by the Plassy Barrack people. The bus with its occupants then left the place and it is reported that after about half an hour the same bus carrying a large number of people followed by another big crowd came in front of the Plassy Barrack and all attacked theinmate of the Barrack from the eastern side. It is reported that free inter-change of brick-bating and other continued for sometime when the attacking party from outside retreated. Information about this incident did not reach the Police before 13.30 hrs. When a message was received at the Lalbag, reporting about some troubles in Plassy Barrack. A Police force in a lorry in-charge of an inspector and a sergeant were sent there at once but on arrival at the sport the Police party did not see any fight but found a crowd of Plassy Barrack inmates in a very excited mood on the road in front of the eastern gate of the Barrack. A group of students of the Engineering College was also found standing along side the Railway Lines in front of the Engineering College Hostel. The Engineering College Hostel boys alleged that their hostel also attacked by a crowdcoming from the town side who caused some damage to the dining hall that some crockeries and other utensils were taken away by the attackers that some of the inmates of the Engineering hostel including the wife of the Hostel Superintendent received minor injuries due to the brickbats thrown by the miscreants. It will also alleged by the inmates of the Plassy Barrack that the invaders took away some of their articles from their Barrack as well.

I received information about the trouble at about 2 p.m. from S.P. I rushed to the scene forthwith and on reaching there noticed an excited crowed, all of whom were inmate of the Plassy Barrack, in front of the eastern gate of the Barrack. I also found a crowed of Engineering students of the Railway Lines in front of their hostel and persuaded the crowd in front of the Plassy Barrack as well in front of the Engineering College Hostel to go inside their respective places. I also removed crowds which were to the south side of the maidan. On enquiry from inmates of the Plassy Barrack and the Engineering Hostel and from Medical College it was found that about 13 people received minor injuries except a Danvan of Plassy Barrack who had a broken nose. 2 students of Engineering College also received minor injuries.

The student and clerks of the Plassy Barrack held a meeting immediately after this incident inside.the compound of the Plassy Barrack and started to proceed to the Secretariat Buildings in procession to protest against the attack on the Plassy Barrack by the town goondas. The procession started at about 4 p. m. from thePlaosy Barrack and proceeded towards Secretariat Buildings. The students from the Salimullah Muslim Hall, Engineering Hostel, University Buildings and other places also joined the procession. Between 4.30 to 5 p. m. the procession reached in front of the Hon'ble Minister Mr. A. Hamid and the Hon'ble Minister was forced to come down and give assurance to the demonstration that he would resign if Bengali was not made the State Language of Eastern Pakistan. With this assurances the demonstrators proceed­ed towards the Secretariat Buildings with the Hon'ble Minister in their midst. The processionists by now were becoming rather disorderly. The gates of the Secretariat Buildings were, in the meantime, closed to prevent the demonstrators getting in to create troubles inside the Secretariat compound. The processionists reached the northern central gate of the Secretariat Buildings and began to push against the door. There was shouting of slogans and shower o f abuses against the present Ministry and the Police force. The demonstrators finding that the gate could not be forced open they all climbed over the compound of the Secretariat Buildings and got in. They surrounded the Hon'ble Minister Mr. Afzal and dragged him by force one place to another in the compound in the Varenda of the Secretariat Buildings, it appeared that the demonstrators were determined to roughly handle the Minister and the Police intervention was absolutely necessary but as the Hon'ble Minister did not like Police intervention, Police party simply had to stand by as minute spectators. The demonstrators then started throwing brick-bats and other missiles on the Police officers and men who where inside the Secretariat compound. The brick hits some of the officers and men and caused minor injuries. The demonstrators also assaulted the darwan of the Secretariat Building and caused injuries on his person. By these acts the processionists committed offences of rioting and wrongfully restraint to Ministers and assaulting public servants in the execution of their duties as they should therefore be prosecuted for these offenses committed within the precinct of the Secretariat Buildings. I may mention here that the brick-bats thrown by the demonstrators inside the Secretarial compound that evening hit me twice. Mr. L. Rahman, Addi. S. P. (Crime) was also hit on the back of his head as well as on his hand. The latter caused bleeding
injury. Md. Sabir Khan my guard constable was hit on the back by a brick-bat Some other constables were also hit but were not hurt. Mr. MacPherson, Dy. H. P. Wireless just escaped from being hit on his tace by a brick aimed at him. A case has been started against the people responsible for the attack on the Plassy Barrack and the Engineering College Hostel, at Lalbagh P. S. and the investigation is proceeding.


Sd. A. Ghaffer
Addl. Superintendent of Police
Dacca City


Government of East Bengal, B-Proceedings, Bangladesh National
A r c h i v e s , H o m e Department, Police Branch, Bundle-75m May,
1949, Proceedings No. 19-20




পলাশী ব্যারাকে সংগঠিত ঘটনা সম্পর্কে পলাশী ব্যারাক ওয়েলফেয়ার কমিটির বিবরণী

Plassey Barrack Welfare Committee
(Recognised by the Govt, of East Bengal)


On Friday the 12th December at about 11.30 A.M. nearly 40 men came by a Bus named ’Mukul' which was fitted with two microphones from the direction of the Muslim Hall towards the Plassey Barracks. It stopped before the eastern gate of the barracks and shouted the slogans mentioned below :

' রাষ্ট্রভাষা উর্দু চাই
উর্দু- ভাষার বিরোধীরা কাফের
এই কাফেরদের শায়েস্তা করতে হবে।'

As a result of the shouting of these slogans a number of inmates of the barracks collected near the gate. One unknown voice from the barrack side shouted ' রাষ্ট্রভাষা বাংলা হবে।'

There upon the goondas came out of the bus with hocky stick, daggers and iron rods and began to attack the members of the barracks who had collected there. This resulted in the injury of several persons. After this the goondas retired to a little distance for a while. They then made a renewed attack with brickbats for sometime and went away. In the meantime the Lalbag Police were rang up from the Engineering Hostel and requested to send help.At about 1.30 P.M. goondas came back reinforced from the Dutta Bagan side. This time they came by the bus named Mukul and followed by a Track. They now launched a simultaneous attack on the Plassey Barracks and the main hostel of the Engineering College. A list of persons injured during the attacks in enclosed. During the couse of the attack they looted the barracks and the main Engineering hostel carrying away some cloths from the barracks and utensils and crockeries from the Engineering hostel. During this attack the wife of the V ic e- Pr in ci pal of the Engineering College received serious brick-bat injuries.Among the goondas there were a number o f persons in the uniform of National Guards and also two men who keep stalls in front of the Plassey Barracks on the side of the City Road (Eastern Gate of ^he Barracks). These two men have now closed their stalls but it should be possible to trace them by making enquries from the neighbouring stall keeper.This last attack went on for more than an hour. The goondas left a little after 2.30 P.M. on receiving warning from one of their men who came by a Truck. Immediately after their dispersal about 3 or 4 Policemen accompanied by a European Officer came and made some enquiries. One of the goondas who was stealthily lingering at that time in the crowed were detected and shown to the Police officer who seemed to take him into custody. After the party of Policemen had left Mr. Gofur, the City Police Superintendent who came with a number of armed policemen and began to assult and chase the inmates of the barracks. He went away without making any enquiries whatsoever. At the time of going away he took into custody 13 member of barracks without any reason.The goondaism went on unchecked even after this. In the evening at about 6.30 P.M. while returning from Chowk Bazar Maulvi Qazi Barkhundar Ali as Assistant of the Office of the
Controller of Printing and Stationary residing in the Salimullah Muslim Orphanage was challenged by a number of ruffians armed with daggers and dangerous weapons near the Maternity House on the Urdu Road and was dragged into a nearby lane and finally let off after having convinced them that he was not a resident of the Plassey Baracks. On the morning of the 13th many Government employees were molested near the vicinity of Chawk. Maulvi Moinuddin Chaudhurv an Assistant of the D.A.G.P.T. residing in the Plassey Barracks was caught by some ruffians near the central jail. He managed to escape by giving false address.

P.S. One of the goondas who attacked the barracks on the 12th has been detected. His name is Ekbal Hussain, Fitter Tejgaon Work­shop. He now lives in Plassey Baracks No. 16, Room-8. His move­ments are still suspicious. He should be immediately apprehended.Submitted to Chief Secretary through D.S. Home Department for immediate necessary action.



Signed/Md. Sirajul Huq
President, Plassey Baracks Welfare Committee
13.12.47.
K. Halimuzzaman
General Secretary, East Bengal Secretariat Association

Inmates of the Plassey Barrack assulted on 12.12.47 by the gundas.
1. Md. Ali, an employee of A.G.E.B., age 28, injured on the knee by a Brick-bat during the second attack while starting for office.
2. Md. Nurul Islam, an employee of Finance Department, age 20, hit and cut on his check-bone by a brick-bat while going for prayer.
3. Badiul Alam - cook attached to Block - 8, age 15, hit on the toes by brick-bat during second attack while going to market.
4. Ishak Khan - A.G.E.B., age 27, hit on the fore-head by hockey stick during first attack while returning from market.
5. Lutfar Rahman - age 23, cook attached to Block 7, Room - 8, hit on the left arm by brick-bat while going to Bazar.
6. Sk. Jane Alam, Finance (Accounts), Block - 6, received brick-bat on the (illegible).
7. Sikandar Ali, C.T.O. hit on the fore-head by a lathi w h i l e returning from office.
8. Khondakar Abul Hussain, P.M.^'s office, cut on the-pate by brick-bat while coming from office.
9. A.F.M. Nurul Islam, P.M.S. - received brick-bat injury on the skin while coming from office.
10. Abdul Mannaf-cook attached to Block 11, received brick-bat injury on the head while going to market.
11. Ali Ahmed - cook attached to Block 10, received brick-bat injury on the elbow while returning from the market.
12. Noab Ali - cook attached to Block No. 5, received brick-bat injury on the left leg.
13. Fazlur Rahman - an employee of High Court received brick-bat injury on the leg.
14. Md. Muzaffar - P.S.C. - received lathi injury on the middle finger of the right hand.


Engineering Hostel
1. Md. Nowab Ali, Gate Keeper, Plassey Barrack (Engineering Hostel)
2. Syed Ahmed, 1st Year Student, Enginnering School.
3. Mesbahuddin Ahmed, Student, 1st Year Engineering School and many others.



Office Notes :
This was shown to C.S. and D.M. and S.P. A copy has also been sent to S.P. through I.G.P. with the request to take necessary action at once. D.S. 1 may see.


Signed. A. ali
14.12.47.
Seen.
Signed/Illegible
15.12.47.



G o v e r n m e n t o f Ea s t B e n g a l , H o m e , P o l i c e , B - P r o c e e d i n g s ,
Bangladesh National Archives, Bundle-75, May, 1949, Proceedings No. 19-20

তথ্য সূত্রঃ
ভাষা আন্দোলনের দলিল পত্র
রতন লাল চক্রবর্তী
ইতিহাস বিভাগ
ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়