The missing 1971 documents

THE news that historical documents like the hand-written proclamation of our independence on April 10, 1971 and the formation of Mujibnagar government, a week later, have gone missing from government custody has left us dumbfounded. The cabinet division where the priceless historical papers were stored owes an explanation to the nation as to how the documents, that were testimony to the glorious war of liberation, could be lost. Besides, pertinently, why were these not handed over to the national archives for preservation in the first place?

It is more than an issue of preserving some inanimate objects; it is a question of how we view the papers that actually shaped our political destiny during the most crucial phase of our collective struggle and existence back in 1971. If these sacred documents could be lost due to sheer negligence and callousness, we as a nation will be hard pressed to prove our sincerity and honesty while reminiscing about and taking pride in the liberation war and the supreme sacrifices that went into the making of history in 1971.

Now, the cabinet division officials have expressed their ignorance about the matter. They discovered the mysterious disappearance of the original copies of the proclamation of independence and some momentous events of 1971 while handing over the documents to the National Archives on April 2 this year. Evidently, only the photocopies were handed over. It seems the officials do not know exactly when the documents went missing, which makes it amply clear that there was no periodic checking, which was necessary to protect the documents.

Retired government officials, who were in the cabinet division immediately after the country became independent, have stated that the possibility of foul play could not be ruled out. The documents might have been stolen or destroyed by those who were never comfortable with the emergence of an independent Bangladesh or the elements who wanted to cut us off from history.

Clearly, the issue is sensitive enough to warrant a thorough investigation by the government and making the public fully aware of the outcome of the probe, including the circumstances leading to the disappearance of the papers. More importantly, determined efforts must be made to recover the documents and the culprits responsible for the papers' disappearance have to be brought to justice.