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                                       Memorial Monument at Mujibnagar                                                      

Mujibnagar upzilaLocated at a distance of about 7 km. from the town of Meherpur.but memorial monument distance of about 15km.

                                                                                                POSTAL ADMINISTRATION OF MUJIBNAGAR GOVERNMENT

Introduction

The first phase of the Liberation War, started with the non-cooperation movement, which started after the sudden postponement of the national and provincial assemblies for an indefinite period, by General Yeahia Khan, on 1^st March 1971. During the non-cooperation movement, the staff of the post office and the General public used to write  “Bangladesh” instead of Pakistan in all letters and forms, and thus mentally participating in the Liberation War. This paper focuses on the Postal History of how the postal Administration of the Mujibnagar Government emerged, functioned, the stamps it issued during the liberation war, that have made a permanent mark in the history of Bangladesh. It is based on both published sources, as well as surviving philatelic evidence. The paper is divided in three sections. The first part discusses the propaganda measures, which was the result of commercial ventures. The Second part discusses the establishment and function of the Postal Administration by the Mujibnagar Government. The third and final part discusses the Postage Stamps issued by the Mujibnagar Government.

“Propaganda Measures” The results of Commercial Ventures with

F.P.O’s ( April-May 1971)

After the army crackdown on 25^th March, the Pakistani army met fierce resistance mainly in Chittagong, and in some other parts of North Bengal, but due to lack of proper command, ammunitions, and logistics, this resistance did not sustain. By the end of April the Pakistani Army took control of all major towns in all the districts of Bangladesh. A fully chaotic and confused situation prevailed during this period, with thousands of people crossing the border everyday, in fear. News of death and destruction appeared in all the world newspapers especially in India.

In the Philatelic Arena,  several stamp dealers in Calcutta realized the commercial importance of this chaotic situation in Bangladesh. As the Mujibnagar Government was them re-arranging its administration, it did not have a fully functional postal service. This was taken full advantage of, by some stamp dealers in Calcutta. On this event the seals and name stamps showing names of various Field Post Offices (F.P.O) constituting the names of some places adjacent to the border with India, were prepared by them for the philatelic market. The covers bore addresses of Muktibahini divisions, and their personal addresses. Delivery stamp impressions for these covers were obtained from different border post offices of India namely Bongaon. In order to ensure the validity and publicity of these covers, a Photographer Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, was contacted, he being a freelance photographer and press reporter, made arrangements for publication of photo’s of covers supposedly received and delivered by various field post offices. Some covers were addressed directly to the newspaper editors who upon receiving them published them in their newspapers. No one had any time verify the facts. The names and date of publication of these Photographs are given in, Table 1.

Table 1

Particulars of Newspapers which published Photographs of the Propoganda covers

Made for the purpose of feeding the world philatelic market, the suspicions to their genuineness soon arose. The question was if the F.P.O’s practically did exist. Following is a briefing, which was published in the cover page of  “Stamp Digest” in April 1971 issue Concerning the authenticity of the Covers, and pictures of such covers published in Calcutta newspapers.

“Our attention has been drawn to the news appearing in Calcutta newspapers with photographs of stamp of Bangladesh overprinted in Bengali or English or both on Pakistani stamps with these stamps franked with blacked rubber circular seals reading, ‘BANGLADESH MUKTI FOUZ … DARSHANA or MEHERPUR, etc’. With delivery postmarks on back of BONGAON (a border town in West Bengal) or various Calcutta Post Offices. So far we have failed to obtain their bona fides or authenticity. According to an officer of the P.M.G West Bengal Circle no mailbag has been exchanged in the month of April…On the other hand an officer of the Bangladesh Mission in Calcutta informs us that they have no information of any Postage Stamp of Bangladesh having been issued by their Government or the Liberation Forces."  [ Details Mujibnagar Government page ]

The matter was also informed to the Postmaster General West Bengal Circle, who issued a circular banning the acceptance of the F.P.O Covers for delivery cancellations. Following extract of the news titled ‘Bogus Bangladesh Stamps’ was published in the May issue of the ‘Stamp Digest’.

“It is reliably informed that the postmaster General, West Bengal Circle has drawn attention of the Postmasters of various post offices in his circle to the Bogus Bangladesh Stamps being used on mails, by some philatelic dealers who have obtained Pakistani stamps and overprinted them with Bangladesh, and have used them to obtain the date stamp impression of the Post Offices in border and in Calcutta area…. The postmasters have been asked not to recognize if any such articles is found posted in the office with any stamp other than Indian Postage Stamps. Such articles will be treated and dealt accordingly."   [Details Mujibnagar Government page ]

By the end of May, the Mujibnagar Government had fully formed the Mujibnagar secretariat at 8 Theater Road (Now Shakespeare Sarani) in Calcutta  [ Mujibnagar Government page in this website ] new initiatives were taken to make the Posts and Telegraphs department, under ministry of transport and Communications, fully operational. Even though suspicions were raised regarding existence of the Field Post Offices and respective covers, which emerged in the philatelic market, and solely prepared for commercial purposes, the widespread publicity of these covers in various newspapers, directly and indirectly supported the cause of Bangladesh, and the activities of the first provisional Government. The covers in due course became the tools of propaganda measures. 

Establishment of a Postal Administration by the Mujibnagar Government

From “The report of the administrative reconstruction and Legislature system” published by planning cell of the Mujibnagar Government on 13^th December 1971, it is observable that the postal administration, was established under the ministry of Transport and Communication. Under this ministry, the department of civil aviation and communication was controlled. This department was responsible for the administration of the “Posts and Telegraphs Department”. The entire ministry of transport and communication was headed by a Cabinet minister assisted by two deputy ministers. The position of secretariat division is described in [ Mujibnagar Government page in this website ]

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   Mujibnagar Mango grove in Mujibnagar,Meherpur,Bangladesh

  Mujibnagar Mango grove in Mujibnagar,Meherpur,Bangladesh

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