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Singh, Moni (1901-1990) radical politician, founder
of communist
party of bangladesh. Moni Singh was born at Susang-Durgapur
in the district of Mymensingh on 28 June 1901. After completing his primary
education he went to Calcutta for pursuing secondary education. There
he joined Anushilan Dal, an armed revolutionary group (1914). But after
a decade he withdrew himself from terrorist movement and joined the Communist
Party of India.
Moni Singh achieved his initial success in 1928 when
he led a 13-day long strike by the workers of Kesharam Cotton Mills at
Metiaburuj in Calcutta and had their demands fulfilled. He was arrested
in 1930, and on his release from jail in November 1937 he came back to
Susang-Durgapur. There he organised the farmers and led a peasants' movement
to protest against tanka system. He was one of the chief organisers and
president of reception committee of the convention of Nikhil Bharat Kishan
Sabha held at Netrakona in 1945.
After the partition of India in 1947 Moni Singh assumed the leadership
of communist movement in East Bengal. At this stage he once again
joined the Hajang peasants of Mymensingh and started a movement
for the abolition of Tanka system. As this turned into an armed
uprising, the government of Pakistan abolished the Tanka system
in 1951. At the same time an warrant of arrest was issued against
Moni Singh and all his movable and immovable properties were confiscated.
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Moni Singh |
While in hiding, Moni Singh was elected secretary of
Communist Party of East Bengal in 1951. In 1954, the Communist Party was
banned by the government of Pakistan. In the third conference of the party
which took place secretly in 1956 Moni Singh was again elected secretary.
He was interned in 1967. He was elected general secretary for the third
time in the congress of the party held secretly in 1968.
Moni Singh sided with the Soviet Union when a riot took
between USSR and China. mass
upsurge of 1969 compelled the government to release him, but
he was soon arrested again before long. During the war
of liberation Moni Singh managed to escape from the Rajshahi
prison on 7 April 1971 with the help of common prisoners and joined the
War. He was made a member of the advisory council of the mujibnagar
government during the War of Liberation.
After the emergence of Bangladesh Moni Singh was elected
the president of Communist Party in the second congress of the party held
in 1973. In 1975 he joined the bangladesh
krishak sramik awami league (BAKSAL). Moni Singh revived Communist
Party in 1976. In the presidential election in 1978, he took part in election
campaign in support of Democratic Alliance. In the third Congress of Communist
Party held in 1980 he was once again elected president of the party and
continued to hold this position till his death on 31 December 1990. His
autobiographical work entitled Jiban Sangram (2 vols) is an important
book on the contemporary politics. Moni Singh died in Dhaka. [Saleh Athar
Khan]
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