Resources: Speeches, Letters, Journals, & Memos by Tajuddin
Speeches First address of Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, broadcast by Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. April 10, 1971.
Tajuddin Ahmad addresses the nation at the historic oath-taking ceremony of the First Cabinet of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Mujibnagar. April 17, 1971.
Tajuddin Ahmad’s appeal to nations for aid and recognition. June 13, 1971.
As a political prisoner, Tajuddin Ahmad wrote from prison many letters to his wife Zohra and to his eldest daughter Reepi, who had just begun to read and write. Sadly, all of these letters were either lost or destroyed during the Bangladesh liberation war. Among the letters, which he wrote to his relatives and acquaintances, only a few have survived.
Tajuddin Ahmad’s letter to his relative Shafiuddin Khan from Maymansingh prison.1966.
Tajuddin Ahmad’s letter to Shafiuddin Khan, after the liberation of Bangladesh. 1972.
Tajuddin Ahmad’s letter to Hazrat Mia from Maymansingh prison.1966.
Official Letters:
Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad invited members of different political parties to a meeting regarding the Liberation of Bangladesh. The letter is followed by a Press Release, which announced the Historic Resolution adopted in the meeting and the formation of Eight Member Consultative Committee initiated by Tajuddin Ahmad.
Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad urged newspapers to highlight the heroic sacrifice of the Bengali nation against the barbaric aggression of the invading Pakistani military.
The handwritten Memos reflect the brilliant vision, foresight and methodical mind of Tajuddin Ahmad and his wholehearted devotion to liberate Bangladesh. Of hundreds of memos, fourteen memos from Tajuddin Ahmad in 1971 are included here.
Memo 1. March 15, 1971. Tajuddin keeps an agenda of a series of meetings of the democratically elected political party Awami League with Pakistan’s military general President Yahya Khan who arrives in Dhaka on March 15, 1971. While the meetings take place, the general and his accomplices plan a genocide in secret which began on March 25, 1971.
Memo 4. April 14 (the first day of Bengali New Year) 1971. Tajuddin makes note of the “Cabinet Decisions” regarding ten important matters, ranging from the cabinet’s approval in dealing with various organizations, functioning of the First State Bank of Bangladesh, providing emergency relief and medical supplies to the aggrieved civilian population to setting up leadership and military training centers to combat with the invading army.
Memo 5. April 16, 1971. Tajuddin lists sixteen points, a day before the Cabinet’s oath-taking ceremony. The payment of salaries of the fighting forces and matters related to the military were based on the recommendations from Colonel Ataul Gani Osmany, later appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Army.
Memo 6. April18, 1971. The portfolios are distributed among the cabinet members. Tajuddin shoulders the major responsibilities of leading the Defense, Information, Broadcasting and Communication wings of the government. Health, Education, Planning and Development are some of the additional responsibilities he carries on. The cabinet decisions are made on a broad range of subjects including salaries of the civil employees, distribution of tasks to the youth leaders and the formation of the Bangladesh Relief Fund. The acting President Syed Nazrul Islam formally approves the decisions by signing the memo.
Memo 7. This memo, without a date, is the continuation of Tajuddin’s ongoing planning in the month of April, 1971. Achieving Recognition for Bangladesh is a top priority.
Memo 8. April 23, 1971. The Cabinet approves the assignment of jobs to three Members of National Assembly. M. A. Samad is appointed as Political Aide to the Cabinet, A. Mannan in charge of Public Relations and Barrister Amirul Islam as Aide to the Prime Minister.
Memo 9. April 29, 1971. The appointment of Colonel M. A.G. Osmany as the Commander-in-Chief of Bangladesh forces with the status of a Cabinet Minister and the appointment of Lt. Colonel A. Rab as the Chief of Staff are approved by the Cabinet and the memo is signed by Syed Nazrul Islam.
Memo12. August 9, 1971. Tajuddin makes plan of action regarding strengthening of the Youth Camps where young people who volunteered to resist Pakistani aggression are received and given training,irrespective of party affiliation, as freedom fighters. As Defense Minister he continues his plan for the guerrilla training, psy-warfare defense and zonal administration. He also writes a second memo on the evening of the same day about the Cabinet’s decision to give relief to the department of Mukti Bahini and political workers.
Memo 13. October 21, 1971. Tajuddin summarizes key points of lectures given by various members at Awami League’s Working Committee meeting. Throughout his notes he highlights the conviction that Bangladesh will be liberated . As early as October future plans are noted for the millions of people living inside Bangladesh and millions of refugees who need to be rehabilitated. The welfare of the freedom fighters who will be fruitfully “absorbed in future framework of free Bangladesh” is addressed.
Please refer to the bibliography section on this page ,for more information about the books in which the memos are included.
Journals:
Tajuddin Ahmad wrote daily journal entries, beginning in his college years. An ardent political activist, his journals depict regular interactions with members of various socio-political groups and his worldview at large. The journals have provided invaluable materials for historical research on the people and politics of Bangladesh.
Tajuddin Ahmader Diary, 1947-1948 and Tajuddin Ahmader Diary, 1949-1950.
Audio
Audio Lecture, April 3, 1974: Finance Minister Tajuddin Ahmad delivered a lecture on Bangladesh Agriculture at a conference initiated by the United Nations Department of Food and Agriculture, United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Bangladesh. The Dhaka Atomic Energy Commission organized the conference. A portion of this lecture is missing due to a now incomplete audio cassette recording.
Hussain, Rimi Simeen. Amar Chotobla, Unishsho Ekattor ebong Baba Tajuddin Ahmad (My Childhood, 1971 and My Father Tajuddin Ahmad). Dhaka: Pratibhas, 2001.
Hossain,Kamal.Tajuddin Ahmad:Bangladesher Obhbhudoi ebong Tarpor(Tajuddin Ahmad:The Emergnce of Bangladesh and After).Dhaka:Ankur Prakashani,2008.
This book is a revised version of a pioneer Ph.d dissertation on Tajuddin Ahmad. Kamal Hossain has obatained a Ph.d degree from the Department of History at Rajshahi Unversity,Bangladesh in 2005.
Imam, H. T. Bangladesh Sarkar 1971(Bangladesh Government 1971). Dhaka: Agamee Prakashani, 2004.
Hasan, Muyeedul.Muldhara Ekattar
(Mainstream 71). Dhaka:The University Press Limited,1986.
Quadir, Muhammad Nurul. Independence of
Bangladesh in 266 Days: History and Documentary Evidence. Dhaka:Mukto Publishers, 2004.
Umar, Badruddin. Bhasa Andolon Prashanga: Katipay Dalil (The Documents in Context of the Language Movement). Ed. Vol 1. Dhaka: Bangla Academy, 1984.
Mukul, M.R Akhtar. Ami Bijoy Dekhechi (I have Seen the Freedom). Dhaka: Sagar Publishers,1984.
Hussain, Rimi Simeen.Tajuddin Ahmader Diary. 1947-1948. Ed. Vol 1.Dhaka: Pratibhas, 1999.
Hussain, Rimi Simeen. 
Hussain, Rimi Simeen. Amar Chotobla, Unishsho Ekattor ebong Baba Tajuddin Ahmad (My Childhood, 1971 and My Father Tajuddin Ahmad). Dhaka: Pratibhas, 2001.
Hussain, Rimi Simeen. Tajuddin Ahmad: Itihasher pata theke (Tajuddin Ahmad: Glimpses from History). Dhaka: Pratibhas, 2000.
Hasan, Muyeedul.Muldhara Ekattar 
Quadir, Muhammad Nurul. Independence of
Umar, Badruddin. Bhasa Andolon Prashanga: Katipay Dalil (The Documents in Context of the Language Movement). Ed. Vol 1. Dhaka: Bangla Academy, 1984.