Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the symbol of the unfulfilled desire of the people of our country. He was able to form an inseparable link between the Bengali nation and himself. He was a dreamer of freedom. He was ready to be hanged for this country and its residents. In the history of this country – Bangladesh, Bangabandhu and the Liberation War – these three words are inter-related. There is no way to analyze these three words separately. But today we are sitting to lose the ideal of the Bangabandhu. World leaders called him the great hero of the nation. Cuba’s popular and famous leader Fidel Castro said “I have not seen the Himalayas, I have seen Sheikh Mujib”. American famous news magazine Newsweek regarded Bangabandhu as ‘Poet of Politics’. The Financial Times remarked – “Bangladesh would never have been born if Mujib had not.” Bangabandhu loved the country and the people more than his life. And he was able to establish himself as a self-sacrificing patriotic leader. This great leader of the nation has always sought the victory of the common people. The liberated Bengalis were delivering the message of liberation to the nation. The six-point that he gave to the Bengalis is also about the political and economic liberation of the common people. He always thought for the welfare of the common people.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman wanted to make Bangladesh an independent, sovereign and dignified state by freeing the Bengali nation from exploitation and deprivation. And the work he has done to fulfill the dreams of the people were the ideals in his life. The basis of this ideal was renunciation and struggle. Where and whenever it was possible, he always sought to assert the rights of people regardless of the risk in his own life. We see from the pages of history that he never ran for power. His only goal was to build a hunger free, prosperous and wealthy Bangladesh. And from this, he became the undisputed leader of the Bengalis, leaving behind many of the contemporary great politicians of his time.
In a nutshell, the ideal of Bangabandhu can be summed up as: to create a golden Bengali free of hunger and poverty, to build a secular-democratic-progressive state and love for the people. Self-restraint, self-composure, self-criticism, the establishment of justice at all levels of society, elimination of corruption from society and making peace, Appoint government officials and employees for the welfare of the people, ensuring the highest benefit of freedom, removing hostility among people, friendship with all, without compromising. What he gave to the country, without thinking of it, is to establish a society without discrimination, which is freedom for others. To ensure independence without spoiling, look down so that you do not stumble. Bangabandhu established his ideals throughout his whole life, through work and behavior. He resigned from his ministry in 1957 and started his own party activities which are normal in the political life of Bangabandhu.
He wanted an independent and sovereign country, which is Bangladesh. And this dreamer Bangabandhu was killed on 15th August 1975. As a result, the nation lost its father. Establishing hunger and poverty free golden Bangladesh, establishing secularism by eliminating communalism, loving people, not compromising with injustice, thinking about what I could give to the country regardless of what the country gave to me, establishing a society without discrimination through the allocation of wealth, fighting against discrimination and promoting Bangla language and culture were the ideals of Bangabandhu. To realize these ideological goals of Bangabandhu, the Bengali nation jumped at the call of Bangabandhu in the Great War. The War is the greatest chapter of the Bengali nation’s history. The Liberation War is undoubtedly the most glorious and conspicuous event in the history of the Bengali nation. At midnight on March 25, 1971, the Pakistani army jumped on the sleeping empty-handed Bengali. It was the worst incident in human history. On 26 March, Bangabandhu declared independence of Bangladesh. That night Bangabandhu was arrested and taken to West Pakistan. As a result, although Bangabandhu was absent for nine months of the War of Liberation, his motivation was effective in the War of Liberation. With the absence of Bangabandhu on April 10, he was chosen as a president by an independent Bangladesh government. After the long nine months of the war, the victory of the Bengali nation became possible on 16 December 1971.
The pursuit of Bangabandhu’s whole life was to create an exploitative-free society, where there would be no gap between the rich and the poor and where every person would have access to the basic needs of life, clothing, housing, medical and education. He wanted to establish an independent entity of Bengali nation with dignity and make it economically self-sufficient. And he has given up his entire life for that purpose. The ropes of the gallows could not shake him off his target. The role of this unconcerned fighter is exemplary for our new generation. Today is the time to build a self-reliant and secular Bangladesh of Bangabandhu and introduce ourselves as the new soldiers of Bangladesh.
Bangabandhu is a man who spent the most significant time in his life for the benefit of the state and the people. He visited different parts of the country for political purposes. He was with the grassroots people to create public opinion in for democracy. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dedicated himself to establish good rapport with people. Bangabandhu was a visionary leader who possessed extraordinary political wisdom. Once, in 1971 when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman met with Bhutto at Bangabhaban, he told Bhutto, “Mr Bhutto, Pakistan Army conspired under Yahya Khan. You don’t trust the Pakistan Army. They’ll kill me first, then you.’ But the Pakistanis could not kill Bangabandhu. But in Bangladesh, some misguided elite officers of the army were involved in international conspiracy and killed Bangabandhu. However, the prophecy of Bangabandhu was true. Then Pakistan Army General Ziaul Haq had Bhutto executed by hanging.
Air Vice Marshal Asghar Khan came to meet Bangabandhu during the non-cooperation movement in 1971. Asghar Khan asked Bangabandhu, ‘What will happen next?’ Bangabandhu replied, ‘Then Yahya Khan will come. MM Ahmed will be followed by Yahya Khan and a team from the Planning Commission will arrive. The team will consist of General Hamid, General Mitha, Bhutto and other generals. Then one day he would start a dialogue with me and then suddenly they would attack the Bengalis. And that day the tomb of Pakistan will be erected. ”What a perfect analysis of the political situation! That is what occurred to the fate of Pakistan.
Because of the fact that the father of the nation did not compromise on the question of democracy and human rights, he had to spend four thousand and 675 days in jail in his lifetime. On the other hand, had he accepted the alluring proposals of the Pakistani rulers, he could have easily lived a comfortable life in luxury with a big post but he did not do that. The people of this country liberated Bangladesh through the Liberation War in 1971 in the name of Bangabandhu, while he was imprisoned in Pakistan. However, imbued with the ideals of Bangabandhu, the Bengali nation will one day establish a happy and prosperous golden Bengal of Bangabandhu’s dream.
Author
Md. Saidur Rahman
