Emran Emon

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—the name of inspiration, the name of a shining example of patriotism, the name of the voice of protest against injustice and the pioneer of the architect of an independent country. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the pioneer of the establishment of an independent sovereign state of Bangladesh, the lifeblood of Bengali independence. For his dynamic leadership, we have got a country with immense potentiality.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born on March 17, 1920 in a noble Muslim family in Tungipara village of Gopalganj subdivision (now district) of Faridpur district. Sheikh Mujib is the third child among the four daughters and two sons of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and Mosammat Sahara Khatun. His parents used to call him 'Khoka'. Who knew the little boy will become the Father of Nation of this country? It cannot be denied that if Bangabandhu was not born, this country might not have formed.

Bangabandhu's militant life was spent protesting against injustice, oppression, tyranny, and torture. Bangabandhu was always uncompromising in realizing the rights of the people. He spent most of his life in solitary confinement trying to assert the rights of the masses. He had been suffering inhuman torture there. But it was not possible to suppress him. He has fought to the death for the country, for the people of the country with embracing the great ideal of patriotism.

Inspired by the great leadership of Bangabandhu, the people of this country jumped into the war of independence to liberate the country from the Pakistani enemy. On 16 December 1971, a new sun rose in the sky of Bengal. Through the ultimate victory, we have got an independent and sovereign state Bangladesh.

In the post-independence war-torn country, Bangabandhu made a blueprint of various activities for the progress of the country. But he did not get a chance to implement the blueprint. On the contrary, he has to be the victim of another blueprint.

The time was August 15, 1975. On that day, a shadow of mourning descended on the sky of Bengal. The play of gray clouds was going on in the clear sky. August 15 is the day of national mourning. On this day, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members were brutally killed. In a moment, 18 members of Bangabandhu's family, including Bangabandhu were brutally killed.

When Bangabandhu and his family were assassinated on the morning of August 15, 1975, they were staying at residence Dhanmondi, 32. The time when the murderers were brush-firing all the family members of Bangabandhu at the hour just before dawn, it was raining, as if nature was weeping. The bloody wet air of that day has gone across the Bengal. Frightened by the weapons of the assassins, Bangladesh was in despair in the shadow of mourning. The fire of mourning on 15th August will burn from age to age.

Although Bangabandhu was physically killed, in fact, he is alive, he is immortal. Because the great man never dies. The great people live among human beings through creation. Bangabandhu is a great man who is always a beacon of inspiration among us and he will survive from birth to death. We will never forget his glorious sacrifice.

'Write my name in place of the father's name of the girls who were raped in the liberation war, and give them the address of residence Dhanmondi-32'—he who can say such a thing is undoubtedly a great man. Such a great man may not be born in this Bengal. Bangabandhu is the dreamer of a nation-state and the architect of a state.

Inspired by Bengali nationalism, he inspired the entire nation to join the armed struggle against the colonial-exploiting Pakistani army. After the independence of the country, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formulated the constitution of the country on the basis of Bengali nationalism, democracy, socialism, and secular philosophy to run the state on the basis of secularism. In the realm of oppressors and the oppressed, Bangabandhu was beside the absorbed.

The call for independence made by Bangabandhu in his historic speech at Suhrawardy Udyan on March 7, 1971, in the course of a long 24-year struggle against Pakistani rule, exploitation, and oppression—is unforgettable. On that day in his thunderous voice—'The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation. The struggle this time is the struggle for our independence.' This immortal invocation mesmerized the whole oppressed nation of millions and made them start fighting for independence. Spellbound by that priceless call the Bengali nation became the warriors without fear.

After the most brutal genocide in history on the darkest night of March 25, 1971, even in the first hours of March 26, the nation heard the immortal declaration of great independence in Bangabandhu's voice. The Pakistani ruling class arrested Bangabandhu that night and took him away from his residence in Dhanmondi, 32. After that, he was imprisoned in Pakistan jail for nine months of the great liberation war.

The war of liberation was going on his declaration. Despite the news of his death in captivity, this fearless leader did not compromise on the question of freedom. At the end of the war of liberation, Pakistan was forced to return to the beloved leader of the Bengalis. Bangabandhu came back on 10th January 1972 with a heroic welcome to his envisioned independent Bangladesh.

After coming back to a war-torn country, while working on re-establish the country from the ruins of the war he also engaged people of the country with development. In his battle towards rebuilding the nation, he had the firm belief that the people of the nation will never forget his dedication and contribution to the country. Never could think of them as ingrates. As the president of the newly formed Bangladesh, he kept living in his non-glamorous residence at Dhanmondi, 32, instead of any state-provided residence.

He never thought that this nation would be ungrateful to him. He selflessly loved the people of this country, trusted the people of this country. In return for this faith, love, and patriotism, the nation gave him the gift of "barbaric killing." The ungratefulness of this nation was revealed by the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu on 15 August.

On 15 August 1975, Bangabandhu and his family were killed by a conspiracy of anti-liberation forces and some mistracked army members. Through this heinous and brutal massacre in the history of the world and human civilization, they wanted to kill not only Bangabandhu but also the ideals of independence that the Bengalis had hoped for thousands of years. The heroic history of Bengalis also tried to erase it.

At different times after 1975, various conspiracies have been hatched to remove Bangabandhu from the heart of the people. The plan of deportation of Bangabandhu has been taken under the patronage of the state. But Bangabandhu is a personality who can never be removed from the minds of Bengalis even if he is removed from textbooks, newspaper pages, or television screens. Bangabandhu is immortal, he is alive.

Every year since this cruel incident of 1975, the month of August has come. The whole nation mourns in the shadow of mourning, breaks down in pain. We, the young generation can turn the bloody mourning of August 15 into mettle. Inspired by the great ideology of the war of liberation and embracing the great ideology of Bangabandhu's political cognition and patriotism, we have to build 'Bangabandhu's Swapner Sonar Bangladesh'.

March 26 is our Independence Day and National Day. On this day the victory of independent Bangladesh was declared. In the early hours of March 26, 1971, Bangabandhu declared armed independence. Because of his hypnotic power, the people of this country jumped into the great war of liberation and liberated the country. We find today a country of immense potential, inlaid with red-green maps. In 2021, we have celebrated the golden jubilee of independence and the Mujib Year. Even after 52 years of independence, we are still not independent in many ways. There is a proverb saying, 'It is harder to defend freedom than to gain it'. It is the sacred duty of every citizen of the country to keep the dignity of freedom intact. Besides, the government also has the responsibility to develop the citizens as good citizens. We have to be guided by the life style of undisputed leader Bangabandhu and the new generation has to take the country forward believing in the spirit of the great liberation war.

The writer is a researcher, journalist and columnist.