Gonobahini
{{Short description|Armed Wing of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal}}
{{Distinguish|Gonobahini (Mukti Bahini)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{infobox militant organization
| abbreviation =
| name = National Socialist Party – People's Army
| native_name = জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল – গণবাহিনী
| image =
| other_name = JGB
JaSaD Gonobahini
| dates = 1972–75
| dissolved = 1976
| country = {{flag|Bangladesh}}
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|জাসদের পতাকা.svg}} Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal
| motives = Overthrow the BAKSAL government through a communist revolution
| ideology = Vanguardism
Left-wing nationalism
Revolutionary socialism
| position = Left-wing
| opponents = {{Tree list}}
- {{flagicon image|বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগের পতাকা.svg}} Awami League
- Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini
{{Tree list/end}}
| battles = 1972-1975 Bangladesh insurgency
| leader1_name = Lt. Col. Abu Taher
Hasanul Haq Inu
| leader1_title = Commander
| leader2_name =
| leader2_title =
| flag = 200px
| colors = {{colorbox|red}} Red
}}
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal – Gonobahini (JGB;{{Cite web |title=Bangladesh - Terrorist, insurgent and extremist groups |url=https://www.satp.org/terrorist-groups/bangladesh |access-date=21 November 2024 |website=South Asia Terrorism Portal}} {{langx|bn|জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল – গণবাহিনী||National Socialist Party – People's Army}}), better known as just Gonobahini ({{Langx|bn|গণবাহিনী|4=People's Army}}), was the armed wing of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal.{{cite news |title=JS sees debate over role of Gono Bahini |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/js-sees-debate-over-role-of-gono-bahini-31691 |work=The Daily Star |accessdate=9 July 2015}} The group was mainly composed of former Mukti Bahini members from the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.{{Cite book |first=Lawrence |last=Lifschultz |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/883842630 |title=Bangladesh : the unfinished revolution |date=1979 |publisher=Zed Press |isbn=0-905762-07-X |oclc=883842630}}
History
In 1972, a section of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Bangladesh Awami League split to form the Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, led by Serajul Alam Khan.{{cite news |last1=Hossain |first1=Kazi Mobarak |title=Hasanul Haq Inu's JaSoD splits as he names Shirin general secretary |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/03/12/hasanul-haq-inus-jasod-splits-as-he-names-shirin-general-secretary |accessdate=11 July 2016 |work=bdnews24.com |date=13 March 2016}}
The party called for establishing socialism through an armed revolution. As a result, the Gonobahini was formed and led a violent insurgency against the government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In 1974, Hasanul Haq Inu led a group of armed men to attack the residence of then home minister Mansur Ali, which resulted in a massacre.{{cite news |title=Rizvi now blasts Inu at press briefing |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/politics/rizvi-now-blasts-inu-press-briefing-1240042 |accessdate=11 July 2016 |agency=UNB |work=The Daily Star |date=15 June 2016}} The Gonobahini is also accused of killing numerous Bangladesh Chhatra League and Awami League members.
Disbandment
When Ziaur Rahman was freed by members of the Gonobahini, Ziaur Rahman realized that the disorder set off by them in the mutiny had to be suppressed firmly if discipline was to be restored in the Bangladesh Army. Ziaur Rahman declared martial law, cracked down on the Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal and Gonobahini, Abu Taher was sentenced to death and other party figures had various terms of imprisonments.{{cite news |last1=Ahsan |first1=Syed Badrul |title=Bourgeois dreams of socialist revolution |url=http://www.observerbd.com/2015/07/07/98425.php |accessdate=13 July 2016 |work=The Daily Observer (Bangladesh) |date=7 July 2015 |archive-date=18 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818131553/http://www.observerbd.com/2015/07/07/98425.php |url-status=dead }}
Criticism
In 2016, Bangladesh Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam remarked that Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Gonobahini had created the political atmosphere that led to the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.{{cite news |title=Awami League will have to atone for making a JaSoD leader minister, says Syed Ashraf |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/06/13/awami-league-will-have-to-atone-for-making-a-jasod-leader-minister-says-syed-ashraf |accessdate=11 July 2016 |work=bdnews24.com |date=13 June 2016}} Opposition party leaders also hold its activities responsible for Sheikh Mujib's killing.{{cite news |title=Clarify your role in Bangabandhu killing, BNP to Inu |url=http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/76721/No-lecture-on-democracy-please-BNP-to-Inu |accessdate=11 July 2016 |work=Prothom Alo |date=24 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012181457/http://en.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/news/76721/No-lecture-on-democracy-please-BNP-to-Inu |archive-date=12 October 2016 |url-status=dead}} Other opposition figures have called it "the Al Qaeda of its day."{{cite news |title=Inu, Khairul to be tried in people's court: BNP |url=http://www.newstoday.com.bd/index.php?option=details&news_id=2434364&date=2016-02-03 |accessdate=11 July 2016 |agency=UNB |work=The News Today |date=15 June 2016}}