Dr. Muhammad Mahtab Hossain Mazed

Today, Monday 05 August, is the 75th birth anniversary of sports organizer, heroic freedom fighter Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman 2024. He was born on August 5, 1949 in Tungipara village of Gopalganj.

On August 15, 1975, Sheikh Kamal was killed along with Bangabandhu's family at the age of 26.

Bangabandhu's eldest son Sheikh Kamal was a dedicated activist of the Bangladesh Chhatra League. As a struggling, idealist worker of this organization, he played a heroic role in the '69 Mass Uprising' and the Great War of Liberation.

On the night of March 25, 1971, the historical residence of Bangabandhu's historical memory-encroached road number 32 in Dhanmondi was attacked by the Pakistani forces, leaving his house and directly participating in the liberation war.

He was trained in the first war course in independent Bangladesh and received a commission in the Liberation Army and served as ADC to General Osmani, the commander-in-chief of the Liberation War.

After independence, Sheikh Kamal was discharged from the army and concentrated on education. He was a member of the Central Executive Council of the Chhatra League.

A shining symbol of youth with multi-dimensional unique creative talent, Sheikh Kamal completed his secondary education from Shaheen School and higher secondary education from Dhaka College and BA from Dhaka University Department of Sociology. Passed honors.

He was a student of Chayanot's sitar department. He was the foremost organizer of the theater movement in the reconstruction and rehabilitation program of post-independence war-torn Bangladesh as well as in stimulating social consciousness to improve the fortunes of the backward sections of the society.

He formed 'Spandan Shilpi Group' with fellow artists. Sheikh Kamal was one of the founders of Dhaka Theatre. As an actor, he was established in the Natangan of Dhaka University.

From childhood he had great enthusiasm in various sports including football, cricket, hockey, basketball. He was the founder of Abahani Krirachakra, one of the best sports organizations in the subcontinent, the promoter of modern football in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Kamal contributed immensely to the development of the country's aesthetic football and cricket along with other domestic sports through tireless work. He used to organize training camps to create new players and practice with them regularly.

On July 14, 1975, he got married to the famous national athlete Sultana Khuku. At the time of martyrdom on August 15, 1975, he was M. of Sociology Department of Dhaka University. He was a final exam candidate and a member of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Farmer Workers Awami League's National Chhatra League.

Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, mother Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib and newly married wife, two brothers Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Russell along with 18 family members had to face brutal death at the hands of some treacherous disorderly soldiers of the army on August 15, 1975.

The father of the nation spent twelve years of his youth in prison. The Bangabandhu family members never expressed any resentment despite suffering in his absence. Rather, the family members accepted them with pride and became part of the Bengali national liberation struggle.

It is sad to say that after the independence of the country, the Kuchakri Mahal tried to spread false propaganda against Sheikh Kamal, which was completely baseless and did not hold up in reality. Quoting one of Kamal's childhood memories. Reading the memoir that brings water to the eyes, it is difficult to hold back the tears.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has mentioned this memory in her writing titled 'Sheikh Mujib Amar Pita' - "My father was arrested in 1949. I was very young and my brother Kamal was just born. Dad didn't even get a chance to see him. He was imprisoned continuously till 1952. At that time, my mother and our two siblings lived with my grandparents. Once, on the occasion of a case, father was taken to Gopalganj.

Kamal then learned to speak little. But he has never seen or known his father. As I repeatedly run to Abba, calling Abba-Abba and he just stares in amazement. There is a large pond in Gopalganj police station, next to which there is a large open field. In that field we two siblings used to play and run to catch grasshoppers. And sometimes I ran to my father.

I have collected many flowers and leaves and sat playing with Kamal on the balcony of the police station. He suddenly asked me, 'Hasu apa, I call your father a little father.' When I remember Kamal's words today, I can't hold back tears."

The assassin's bullet wanted to wipe out the existence of independent Bangladesh by killing the family of the father of the nation. The killers wanted to make Bangladesh leaderless. They knew that the children of the nation were the bearers of the ideals of the great liberation war. That's why they didn't spare anyone Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Russell. As the two daughters of the father of the nation were abroad that day, the assassin's bullet could not touch them.

Dear readers, many of you may not know. In 1974 there was a terrible flood in Bangladesh during the monsoon season. The entire Bangladesh was affected by this terrible flood for the first time after independence. The infrastructure of the newly independent country was also weak. Apart from the government activities to save the flood-affected people, Sheikh Kamal jumped into the welfare of the helpless people with sportsmen and cultural workers.

During the post-flood period, Kamal led various programs for the health care of people suffering from water-borne diseases. The then Abahani Club played a leading role. He inspired the marginalized athletes of the country to serve humanity. There was not so much media then, so his activities were not widely publicized. But he did not work for publicity. Nowadays media are 'fixed' for propaganda before engaging in public service work.

A theoretical philosophy is needed to help the democratic process to strengthen the democratic state and solve the problems of billions of people. Sheikh Hasina has inherited the vision she has given. Note that there is a need to gain power. But we need to know how to use it effectively for the welfare of the people for the welfare of the state.

Not the arrogance of power; Power must be digested. That digestion comes from a deeper source underlying life, which is the spiritual nature of humanity. If you can develop that power, everything becomes easier. Then there will be no injustice, no oppression, no exploitation, only humanity. The sense of service will inspire the whole careerSo today on his birthday, Sheikh Kamal and his life are being remembered with respect.

May Sheikh Kamal, the immortal genius born and raised, be a source of inspiration for the Bengali youth. As long as the state holds Sheikh Kamal, the Bengali youth will not lose their wayMy heartfelt tribute to the unique organizer Sheikh Kamal on his 75th birthday.

The writer is a columnist and political analyst Founder Chairman, Jatiya Rogi Kallyan Society.