Feature Desk:
August 15 is National Mourning Day. On this day in 1975, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and his family were brutally killed by some misguided army personnel at his house No. 32 in Dhanmondi. Bangabandhu’s daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived because they were out of the country that day.
After the assassination of Bangabandhu, instability prevailed in the country. The whole country was overwhelmed with grief. The heroic freedom fighters also lost their way. Many freedom fighters still could not overcome the grief of Bangabandhu’s assassination. Today, Jago News confronts some brave freedom fighters to know their feelings.
Rafiqul Islam, a former commander of the Sonatala Freedom Fighters’ Parliament, said, “On August 15, 1975, at 8 am, it was heard that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib had been shot dead by assassins. Then we were shocked to hear the news. In a word, I lost my way. What happened! Our guardian left. What will happen to us? We freedom fighters were terrified, our guardian was killed, what will happen to us now? Why only that day? I spent the whole month in a state of panic and grief. I took care of myself slowly. ‘
“I still remember that day,” he said. Bangabandhu was a very generous man. He loved and trusted everyone. He used to call everyone, that was his crime. Furthermore, he behaved like a normal human being. I believe that if he had acted like a president, he would not have been killed. Although late, the names of the killers have been revealed. Their trial is ongoing. That is why I am optimistic as a freedom fighter. ‘
The heroic freedom fighter Abdul Baki Akand said, ‘I went to the war of liberation at whose call the country became independent; How do we stay normal after killing that leader of ours? It’s been almost a year. I was not in a state of mourning. To make matters worse, people very close to Bangabandhu; Whom he loved dearly. That Khandaker Mushtaq betrayed Bangabandhu. He was involved in the murder. I was shocked to think. Then I can’t believe myself. Intense hatred was born in the mind for these Mir Jafars. But we did not think that Bangabandhu’s murder would be tried in this country, or we will see. Now that Bangabandhu’s murder has been tried, we are very happy about it. At the same time, happier, Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina is building the golden Bangladesh of her dreams in the way shown by her father. ‘
Freedom fighter Abdul Gafur Mandal said, “In 1985, I was working in the telecom company of Rajshahi Police Department. On the morning of August 15, I heard on the wireless that Sheikh Saheb and his family had been killed. After hearing this incident, everyone became terrified. Such a great leader, at whose call everyone jumped; He was killed. The head of state has been killed? We can’t believe it. Then there was chaos in the country. We have already submitted weapons. Otherwise, I would have jumped on the killers of my favorite leader. Then a frightening situation has arisen in the country. However, even if we could not, the people’s leader Sheikh Hasina was able to bring to justice the murder of our leader and his family members including his father. ‘
Nurul Anwar Badsha, a former VP of Bogra Government Azizul Haque College, said, “On August 14, I was in Comilla Cantonment. My brother was a major there. I went to his house. On the morning of the 15th, a sepoy knocked on my brother’s door. As soon as he opened the door, the sepoy said, “Sir, sir, Bangabandhu has been killed.” I woke up then. Hearing Bangabandhu’s words, I went ahead. I almost went crazy. Later I also got the news through the radio. Everyone in his family has been killed. Bangabandhu’s youngest son was not spared either. ‘
“I was terrified and thought it was safe to be here,” he said. Then I told someone to take me home. That’s when I left. After Daudkandi came, some soldiers said, you can’t go. The situation in the country is not good. I left without listening to him. But I could not come far. Come to Dhaka. The curator of the National Museum in our area. Enamul Haque has no refuge. Then the traffic stopped for two days. I drive home. When I got home, I was almost in mourning. I am amazed that a leader of such a large size has died, and they say it is a commonly isolated incident. My hatred for them goes away. I still remember that day. ‘
After the assassination of Bangabandhu, Bangladesh was not in mourning. The outside world is also shocked by this incident. World leaders mourn. The Bengali nation loses its undisputed leader. The defeated forces wanted to erase the heroism of this country’s independence. That is why they killed the father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with his family. Bangladesh is now moving forward by turning the grief of losing a leader into strength. His daughter Sheikh Hasina is working to build the golden Bengal of Bangabandhu’s dream. In his hands, we are the role model of development today. Bangladesh is moving forward with irresistible progress. On the National Mourning Day on 15 August, I pay my respects to all the martyrs, including Bangabandhu.
