The Agartala Conspiracy Case : Record Of Proceedings Vol. 2

The Agartala Conspiracy Case, commonly known in its vernacular form as Agartala Shorojontra Mamla, has been a seminal event in the history of Bangladesh. It commenced when the Pakistan government issued a press note on 6 January 1968, claiming that it had detected in December 1967 a conspiracy, hatched in the Indian city of Agartala, to separate East Pakistan through an armed revolt. Although 1,500 Bangalis were arrested throughout the country, the brunt of the case was directed at Awami League chief Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was implicated on 18 January 1968, despite the fact that he was detained in jail. Initially, the Pakistan government wanted to court martial the accused, but subsequently it decided to try them under civil law. The number of accused was narrowed down to 35, and Sheikh Mujib was enrolled as the accused number one. After forming a special tribunal, the hearing of the case started on 19 June 1968 inside Dhaka Cantonment. A charge sheet consisting of 100 paragraphs was drawn up against the accused and there were 227 witnesses including 11 approvers. Four approvers were eventually declared hostile by the government. But the turning point came in the morning of 15 February 1969 after a Pakistani habildar killed the accused number 17, Sergeant Zahurul Haque, in front of his prison cell.