Agartala Conspiracy Case

Agartala Conspiracy Case
Agartala Conspiracy Case
Court	Special tribunal in Dacca Cantonment
Full case name	State of Pakistan vs Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others
Ruling
	Case withdrawn on 22 February 1969, release of all those accused.
Court membership
Judges sitting	Justices S. A. Rahman; M.R. Khan; Maksum-ul-Hakim;
Laws applied
	Sections 121-A and 131 of the Pakistan Penal Code, waging or attempting to wage war or abetting waging of war against Pakistan.

The Agartala Conspiracy Case was a sedition case in Pakistan during the rule of Ayub Khan against Awami League, brought by the government of Pakistan in 1968 against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then leader of the Awami League and East Pakistan, and 34 other people.The Agartala Conspiracy Case was a significant political and historical event in Pakistan's history, specifically in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). It was a sedition case brought by the government of Pakistan in 1968 against several Bengali politicians, military officers, and civil servants. Here's an overview:

Background

East Pakistan was facing political and economic discrimination by the central government of West Pakistan, leading to widespread discontent.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the leader of the Awami League, was at the forefront of demanding greater autonomy for East Pakistan through his Six-Point Movement.

The central government of Pakistan accused Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others of conspiring with India to secede East Pakistan.

The Case

Named after Agartala, a city in India near the East Pakistani border, where the alleged conspiracy was said to have been planned.

The Pakistani government claimed that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 34 other individuals had colluded with Indian intelligence agencies to prepare for East Pakistan's secession.

The accused were charged with high treason in what came to be known as the Agartala Conspiracy Case.

Key Developments

1. Trial: The trial was conducted in a special tribunal under strict security, but it drew significant public attention.

2. Mass Movement: Public sentiment in East Pakistan strongly favored the accused. Protests and demonstrations erupted, particularly among students and workers, demanding their release.

3. Killings of Protesters: During the mass movement, the killing of student leader Asaduzzaman Asad on January 20, 1969, and other protesters further intensified the agitation.

4. Withdrawal of the Case: On February 22, 1969, amid rising public pressure, President Ayub Khan's government dropped the charges and released all accused, including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Significance

The case solidified Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s status as the leading figure in East Pakistan's struggle for autonomy.

It deepened the divide between East and West Pakistan, eventually contributing to the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.

The public perception of the case as unjust highlighted the political marginalization of Bengalis in Pakistan.

The Agartala Conspiracy Case remains a crucial episode in the history of Bangladesh's independence movement.

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The case was filed in early 1968 and implicated Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others in conspiring with India against the stability of Pakistan. The case is officially called State vs. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others, but is popularly known as Agartala Shoŗojontro Mamla (Agartala conspiracy case) as the main conspiracy was purported to have taken place in the Indian city of Agartala in Tripura state, where Sheikh Mujib's associates met Indian military officials.^[4]

On 22 February 2011, one of the accused of the Agartala conspiracy case, Shawkat Ali, told the parliament in Bangladesh that the Agartala conspiracy case was not false and the charges brought against the accused were all true. He also confirmed that Navy Steward Mujibur Rahman, and Educationist Mohammad Ali Reza had indeed gone to Agartala, India to seek Indian support for Bangladesh's independence.^[3]^[5]

^ Cite error: The named reference banglapedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860)". Pakistani.org. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference bdn23Feb201 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Talbot 1998, p. 190 "The case against them became known as the Agartala Conspiracy Case since it was at Agartala that the accused were alleged to have met Indian army officers"
^ Cite error: The named reference ds12Jun2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[banglapedia-1] Cite error: The named reference banglapedia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[2] "Pakistan Penal Code (Act XLV of 1860)". Pakistani.org. Retrieved 26 May 2024.

[bdn23Feb201-3] Cite error: The named reference bdn23Feb201 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[4] Talbot 1998, p. 190 "The case against them became known as the Agartala Conspiracy Case since it was at Agartala that the accused were alleged to have met Indian army officers"

[ds12Jun2010-5] Cite error: The named reference ds12Jun2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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