Tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, The Great Hero of Our Nation

Publish: 9:58 PM, August 14, 2022 | Update: 9:58 PM, August 14, 2022

Nayeem Islam Nibir

The great man of history, the greatest Bengali of all time, on the 47th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – including the family members of the Father of the Nation who lost their lives in the brutal bullet I remember all of them with humble respect. This day of mourning is celebrated every year as a day of national mourning in the country and abroad with due dignity and solemn atmosphere.
On the 15th of August, the month of mourning, we have lost the father of the nation, the best friend of the oppressed people of the world – without whose birth this country would not have been independent and we would still be in bondage to Pakistan. Year after year, this day of mourning has returned to our national life in a different way. Many aspects of the life and work of the Father of the Nation are revealed, he is revealed in his glory today. From August 15, 1975 to before ’96, dictators enforced a culture of fear in the country and blocked the trial of Bangabandhu. Those injustices have been washed away by the current of truth. In the history of the establishment of independent Bangladesh, it is clear to everyone today that ‘Awami League’, ‘Bangabandhu’ and ‘Bangladesh’ are deeply related and synonymous. Two books written by Bangabandhu, ‘The Unfinished Autobiography’ and ‘ The Prison Diaries’ are one of the important documents of national history. We are grateful to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu, for publishing these two invaluable books. We have learned many unknown things about history from these two books.
Bangabandhu used to say, ‘After the establishment of Pakistan, I realized with my heart that this Pakistan was not for the Bengalis. One day Bengalis will have to decide the fate of Bengal.’ With that goal in mind, he established Chhatra League on January 4, 1948 and Awami League on June 23, 1949. He led the great language movement of ’47 and ’52. He led the United Front in ’54, the Constitution of ’56, the Education of ’62 and the movement against communalism in ’74. In 1967, he established a nationwide movement on the basis of the 6-point demand for the liberation of Bengalis to establish autonomy and independence; Later, on the basis of the 11-point demand, a massive mass movement-mass uprising was created in ’69, freed the struggling students and people from the gallows and soaked in the love of millions of people, he was awarded the title of ‘Bangabandhu’. In this way, by uniting the entire nation through the great nationalist movement and participating in the historic elections of ’70, he proved to the world that he was the only legitimate political leader of the Bengalis. After the election, when the military ruling party started procrastinating on the issue of handing over power, the majority Awami League party representatives started preparing for the upcoming struggle. As part of this, the swearing-in ceremony of the people’s representatives in front of more than one million people at the Racecourse Ground on January 3, 1971; He instructed the people to form a parliamentary party with the Awami League party elected representatives in the provincial and national assemblies on 18 February and to stand at the holy altar of the Shaheed Minar at midnight on 21 February to confront the conspiracy and prepare for the impending struggle. When the Awami League Parliamentary Party was meeting on March 1 at Hotel Purbani to participate in the National Assembly session convened on March 3, Bangabandhu unilaterally adjourned the National Assembly session in a surprise radio address by President Yahya Khan. Comes the historic March 7th. The day he gave a world-famous historical speech. That speech is sitting in the seat of dignity in the world assembly today. From then on, the country was run under the leadership of Bangabandhu and the unarmed Bengalis were turned into an armed nation and made to stand on the brink of national liberation.
When the Pakistan Army started the genocide on March 25 as per the blueprint of ‘Operation Searchlight’, Bangabandhu declared independence in the early hours of March 26, saying, ‘This may be my last message. Bangladesh is independent from today.’ At the end of 9 months of bloody war by taking up arms under the direction of Bangabandhu, we achieved a great victory on 16 December 1971 in exchange for a sea of blood. And on January 10, 1972, Bangabandhu was released from prison in Pakistan and returned to his homeland in the guise of a victorious hero and devoted himself to rebuilding the war-torn country. “Your country has been reduced to rubble,” he was quoted as saying by foreign journalists at a news conference on his way home from London.
In reply, Bangabandhu said, “If the people of my country exist, if there is soil, then one day Sujla, Sufla, grain-rich golden Bengal will be formed from this ruin.” He has done politics with two goals. One, Independence of Bangladesh. Two, To transform Bangladesh into a golden Bengal. He used to say proudly, “My Bengali will be Ruposhi Bangla, my Bangladesh will be Sonar Bangla, my Bangladesh will be Switzerland of the East.” Today he is buried in Tungipara. He will never come again. Don’t call the Bengali nation ‘my brothers’ in that tender voice.
As a leader, there is no end to his merits and there is no end to writing about him. This time I will discuss some important things about Bangabandhu. Wherever Bangabandhu visited, he used to exalt the adjectives of the leaders and workers there. He would easily adopt others. Those who were in opposition were drawn to the world-deceiving behavior. When he said, ‘I don’t want to be prime minister’, people believed so. He did not do politics for power, to stay in power, to be the Prime Minister. Protecting the beloved motherland from exploitation and deprivation, he has done politics to sacrifice his life so that Bengalis can be the fortune tellers of Bangladesh. He has endured lifelong imprisonment, oppression and torture. He spent 12 years of his life in prison. Never bowed his head.
Bloodshed of March 1971 was Bangabandhu’s 52nd birthday. After a discussion with Yahya Khan, a journalist asked Bangabandhu during a private discussion with journalists at his residence in Dhanmondi at noon. ‘What is your biggest and most sacred wish on your 52nd birthday?’ The undisputed leader of the deprived Bengalis in the North said in a natural voice, ‘The overall liberation of the people.’ Afterwards, when he was greeted by reporters on his birthday, he said in a sad voice, “I don’t celebrate my birthday – I don’t light a candle or cut a cake on my birthday.” There is no security for the people in this country. You know the condition of our people. They can die at any moment at the whim of others. I am one of the people, what is my birthday, and what is the day of death? My life and death for my people. ‘After independence, world-renowned journalist David Frost asked Bangabandhu,’ And when you see them digging a grave and you think of everything you will have to leave behind you, do you think of your country or, for instance, of your wife and children first?’ Bangabandhu said, ‘I feel for my country and my people and then my family. I love my people more. I suffered for my people and you have seen how my people love me.’ The depth of the sea-ocean can be measured; But Bangabandhu’s love for the people of the country is immeasurable.
After the independence of the country, he started his journey empty handed. There is no rice in the warehouse, no money in the bank, no foreign currency. There are no roads, ghats, pools, culverts, trains, planes, steamers. Communication system destroyed. But he soon restored communication.
He rebuilt the Bhairab Bridge and the Hardinge Bridge. At the sole initiative of Bangabandhu, the Indian Army left Bangladesh on 12 March 1972. Bangabandhu was re-elected president and Zillur Rahman general secretary of the colorful council of the Awami League held at Suhrawardy Udyan on April 6-7, 1972. On November 4, 1972, he drafted one of the best constitutions in the world in just six months. He successfully elected the National Assembly and formed the government with huge public support. The foundation stone of the Bangabandhu-1 satellite that has been launched into space today has also been laid by setting up the Betbunia Earth Satellite Center in ’75. Bangabandhu has only three and a half years to build a war-torn Bangladesh. The government led by Bangabandhu has conducted economic activities in two parts.
During the rule of Bangabandhu, Bangladesh was recognized by most of the countries of the world. Bangabandhu was honored in the World Assembly. Among the international organizations that Bangladesh became a member of at that time were the Commonwealth of Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations. Bangabandhu was the center of attraction in the conferences and sessions of international organizations. February 8, 1972 was Bangabandhu’s first foreign tour.

Nayeem Islam Nibir is a young generation political leader and columnist in Bangladesh. He can be reached: [email protected]