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 (Shiela
Sengupta, niece of Subhas Bose, in the first ever public statement
to hindustantimes.com gives an account of Col. Habibur Rahman's
meeting with the Bose family members. In this meeting, Habib's
colleague Col. Raturi challenged his version of the air-crash)
Our family, that is my father Suresh Chandra Bose(who was
also a member of the Shah Nawaz Comittee) and all of us used
to stay in Calcutta at 9/1, Hungerford Street. Officers and
jawans from the Azad Hind Fauj, among them also Maj
Gen Shah Nawaz, would often drop in at our place, stay back
for the night and were a part of our family gatherings.
It was one such family gathering that evening. Officers of
the Azad Hind Fauj had dropped in and among them were also
Maj. Gen Shahnawaz and Col Habibur Rahman.
Habib stayed over at our place that day.
In the course of the conversation, Dr Satyen Dutt, Subhas
Chandra's maternal uncle, asked Habibur Rahman, "Habib,
what exactly happened on that day(August 18, 1945). What happened
in the air-crash?
Habib started narrating the events of August 18, 1945, how
according to him the crash took place and Subhas Chandra died
in the crash. He said: "I was with Netaji. Our plan was
to go to Japan. We had to divert from the original route due
to some problem. Taipei was not on our route. The plane crashed
and caught fire. I picked up Netaji".
"See my hands got burnt," said Habib. Habib's hands
were burnt on the outer side. There were also burns on the
left side of the face. But, surprisingly, there was no scar
on the inner side of the arms!
Dr Satyen Dutt asked him, "But, Habib if you picked
him up, how is it that you did not suffer any burns on the
inner side of your arms".
At this point, Col Raturi (he was the highest decorated man
in the Azad Hind Fauj) jumped up and said, "You know,
Col Habib was wearing the same uniform that day(when the crash
took place) and it has not been damaged at all.
Instantly Habib sat upright and ordered Raturi, "Sit
down," and Raturi left the room.
But my uncle, Satyen, persisted with the matter. He told
Habib, "OK, Habib, I believe your story. You were with
Subhas. We take your word that he died in the air-crash. But
what is Raturi talking about. Is this the same uniform you
were wearing while travelling with Subhas and when the crash
took place? I want to call Raturi and clear the matter right
away".
But, Habib stood by his what he had already said: "This
is all I have to say. I don't know any more".
Later, we all quizzed Raturi about his statement on the uniform.
Raturi said that in the Azad Hind Fauj, every officer had
a ceremonial uniform. The ceremonial uniforms were the same
that the officers donned while they served in the British
Army.
Whenever they would accompany Subhas Bose, anywhere, they
had to wear that uniform. So, if Habib was travelling with
Subhas that day, he was bound to be in the ceremonial uniform.
Habib is wearing the same uniform today and it is not burnt
at all, Raturi exclaimed.
As for my personal impression of Col Habibur Rahman, I know
Habib. I know the kind of person he was. If Subhas had put
him under an oath not to divulge information, Habib would
not have done so, till his dying days.
(As told to Vijaya Sharma)
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