Who Won At Sher e Bangla Stadium?

A K Fazlul Haq with Quaid e Azam

Exactly 72 year ago on this day in an historic session of Muslim League, a seasoned politician from Bengal presented the Resolution, later named as Lahore resolution or Pakistan Resolution. It is believed to be the most significant resolution in the history of Islamic Republic Pakistan, the only country in the world founded in the name of Islam.

After 72 years of that historical meeting at Lahore an entirely different meeting was taking place at Sher e Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur where Pakistan and Bangladesh were fighting for the title of Asian Champion in the final of Asia cup cricket tournament 2012. Before this match Bengalis have defeated India and Sri Lanka to force both out of tournament. But this match was a special match for them. This was the biggest moment for 160 million Bengalis, signified by the presence of two bitter rivals in Bengalis politics Prime Minister Sheikh Haseena Wajid and former Prime Minister Khalida Zia together in the stadium.  Bangladeshi president Zillur Rahman and former president HM Ershad were also in the stadium to cheer the tigers. In the end Pakistan won the tense match by two runs leaving 160 million people heartbroken. Bangladeshi players were so upset that some of them started weeping after the defeat.

The final match was played on Sher e Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur the ground which was named after the great Bengali politician Abul Kasem Fazlul Huq. A K Fazlul Huq was the man who moved the historic Pakistan Resolution in the meeting of Muslim league in 1940. He later became the chief minister of Bengal, interior minister of undivided Pakistan and governor of East Pakistan. When army took over the political and administrative control of Islamic republic of Pakistan in late 50’s Bengali politicians were seen as a threat. A K Fazlul Huq with many others was labeled as a traitor by our military establishment. What happened later is a bitter chapter of our history.

Today nation is celebrating the 72nd anniversary of Pakistan Resolution 1940 which was moved by A K Fazlul Huq. The scenes in Sher e Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur after Bangladesh defeat were telling the different story of that resolution. Bangladesh has lost the highest number of matches by a test playing nation in recent times but I have never seen Bengali players so upset after losing a match. What made those scenes more painful was the fact that they were upset on losing again to West Pakistan. Who won and who lost is a question which will keep haunting our generations for long no matter how much we exaggerate the history.

I wonder whether there is any significance of celebrating Pakistan day if Pakistan Resolution was moved by a traitor.