Exile Government of Bangladesh in 1971

The oath-taking ceremony of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh-in-exile at Mujibnagar on April 17, 1971.

Mujibnagar Government On 10 April 1971, the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was formed through a proclamation of independence issued from Mujibnagar. It confirmed the declaration of independence made earlier. Bangabandhu sheikh mujibur rahman, who was then interned in Pakistan, was elected President, syed nazrul islam Vice President and tajuddin ahmed Prime Minister. In the absence of the President, the Vice President was empowered to exercise the powers, duties and responsibilities of the President.The Bangladesh Government held a formal inauguration ceremony at the mango grove of village Baidyanathtala (renamed Mujibnagar) under the present Meherpur district on 17 April 1971. A few platoons of the then EPR and freedom fighters were deployed for presenting the Guard of Honour. The ceremony started at 11 am. When Syed Nazrul Islam hoisted the flag, a small group sang the national anthem Amar Sonar Bangla (My Golden Bangla) in a chorus. Syed Nazrul Islam announced the formation of a sovereign government of Bangladesh and introduced the ministers to the audience. The Acting President then delivered his speech. After that, Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed spoke at a press conference.

Facts of the Mujibnagar Government:

President : Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (interned in Pakistani jail)
Vice President : Syed Nazrul Islam (served as the Acting President in the absence of the President).
Prime Minister : Tajuddin Ahmed.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law : Khondakar Mostaq Ahmad
Finance Minister : M Mansur Ali
Minister for Home Affairs, Relief and Rehabilitation : AHM Qamaruzzaman
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces : General Mohammad Ataul Ghani Osmany
Chief of Staff : Major General Abdur Rab
Departmental Chiefs : Abdul Mannan (Press, Information, Radio and Film); Professor Yusuf Ali (Relief and Rehabilitation); Matiur Rahman (Commerce); Barrister Amirul Islam (Volunteer Corps)
Chairmen in charge of various zones: Professor Nurul Islam Chowdhury, MNA and Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury, MPA (Southeast Zone); Dewan Farid Gazi, MNA and Shamsur Rahman Khan (Northeast Zone); Lt. Col. M A Rab, MNA (East Zone); Matiur Rahman and Abdur Rauf, MNA (North Zone); Azizur Rahman and Ashraful Islam (West Zone), MNA; M A Rauf Chowdhury, MPA and Phani Bhushan Majumdar, MPA (Southwest Zone).
Officers in charge of zonal offices: Faiz Uddin Ahmed, S A Samad, Kazi Raquibuddin Ahmed, Abdur Rab Serniabat.

Prime Minister Mr. Taj Uddin Ahmed and Acting President Syed Nazrul Islam of the exile-Government of Bangladesh responding to the greetings of the people at Dhaka on their return on December 22, 1971.

Mujibnagar government secretariat:

Principal Secretary: Ruhul Quddus; Establishment Secretary: Nurul Kader Khan; Home Secretary: Abdul Khaleque; Defence Secretary: Abdus Samad; Information Secretary: Anwarul Haque Khan; Foreign Secretary: Mahbubul Alam Chashi; Cabinet Secretary: Hossein Toufique Imam; Finance Secretary: Khondakar Asaduzzaman; Agriculture Secretary: Nuruddin Ahmed.

Envoys

Special Envoy: Justice Abu Sayeed Chowdhury; Chief of Mission at New Delhi: Humayun Rashid Choudhury; Chief of Mission at Calcutta: Hossain Ali.

Planning Commission:

Chairman: Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury, Members: Dr. Mosharraf Hossain; Dr. Anisuzzaman, Dr. Khan Sarwar Murshid, Dr. Swadesh Ranjan

Directorates:

Director, Youth Camp: Wing Commander S R Mirza; Director, Information and Publicity Department: M R Akhtar Mukul; Director, Department of Films: Abdul Jabbar Khan; Director, Arts and Design: Quamrul Hasan; Relief Commissioner: J G Bhowmik.

Director, Health: Dr. T Hossain; Assistant Director, Health: Dr. Ahmed Ali.

Personnel at Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra: Ashfaqur Rahman Khan, Shahidul Islam, T H Shikdar, Balal Mohammad, Taher Sultan. Kamal Lohani (Bangla news), Aly Zaker (English news), Alamgir Kabir (English news commentary), Zahid Siddiqui (In-charge of Urdu programme), Samar Das and Ajit Ray (Music), Hasan Imam, (In-charge of Drama), Ashraful Alam (Outdoor broadcasting and interviews), Syed Abdus Shakoor and Rezaul Karim Chowdhury (Engineering).

Courtesy: Muhammad Musa, Banglapedia

10 thoughts on “Exile Government of Bangladesh in 1971”

  1. Dear sir,with best regards i have the honor to state that during liberation war of people's Republic Bangladesh in 1971 so many staff and officers who were serving in Pak Govt.joined in Bangladesh mission at 9,circus avenue on prescribed form and accordingly they were given substience allowance taking them as mujibnagar employees and officer but their names are not traceable.Kindly help me from where i can get list of officers and staff of Mujibnagar Govt.Thanks

  2. Dear Sir,
    I need to know about the mujibnagar Government staff and employee list. and I need to know about their identity and their son and doughter identity. They are freedom fighter or not. about this case how is it possible to apply for job for their son as muktijodha quota.
    Pls answer. I'm wait for kind reply.
    Thanks and best regards
    Shaheed Khan
    01721721431

    1. Dear Shaheed Khan,it would be very helpfull if you kindly inform that whether have you traced out the Gazette of Mujianar officer's and employe?if so kindly help me the way.Thanks,bakson

  3. Dear sir,with best regards,i have the honor to let you know still i have not received any reply of thread posted above.In 1971 a list of officer and employees who joined and served under the then Govt.of People's Republic of Bangladesh at Mujibnagar in response to the call of Liberation of our beloved country.The officers and employess was given subsistance allowance after acceptance of their bio-datas.It is a matter of pain that till to-date no list of Mujibnagar Employees are traceable.Kindly help me as where a complete list can be had.It is necessary to recognise as a freedom fighter.I would therefore,request the competent authority to please look over the problem and solve the issue immediately.Regards,bakson

  4. Hi M@Q

    I was wondering if you could explain why did you use the word 'exile-government' instead of 'government'. Is there any specific reason?

    Thanks

  5. My father was an employee in the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Calcutta during our liberation war.
    Beside him I know couple of his colleagues. They all are now retired. No body remembers them. They did not get any special regeneration for their sacrifice. Yet they did not complain

  6. Dear Sir,
    The armed personnel in uniform who gave the First Guard of Honour to the first ever Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh were 12 Ansars and not the members of EPR. The Guard was commanded by Mr. Mahbub Uddin Ahmad, popularly known as SP Mahbub.
    Mizan.

  7. My late husband was an employee of Mujibnagar government.But still we couldn’t find his name as a freedom fighter.He loved his country & thats why he was appointed as a special relief officer at Mujibnagar Govt.But in his lifetime he tried to get the recognition but failed to do that.I know some of the so called mugtjoddha who got theie certificate as Muktijoddha who was not born at that time or they were under age for doing a job for a war.They are showing their mussle as a so called Muktijoddha. Now my question is wheather this country will go in right path or always go in a wrong way?For this we fought for the country????????Pls reply………..

  8. I was also looking for the real list of officers and staffs of Mujibnagar Government but have failed so far. I fear the real list is missing to replace it with fake one. An evil quarter may have been involved in that.But I hope the real list is still exists somewhere in the country or in India. If the Government wishes then it is very possible to find out the the real list that contain the names who left Pakistan Govt job and joined Mujibnagar Govt in 1971 at Calcutta or Agartala.

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