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Bangabandhu’s Sonar Bangla saved by his undaunted daughter


Published : 04 Aug 2021 10:41 PM | Updated : 04 Aug 2021 10:41 PM

The dream of Sonar Bangla was shattered when the anti-liberation evil forces killed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975. For long 20 years the evil forces tried erase the name of Bangabadhu from the history.

But his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through her undaunted courage, patriotism and vision restored the dream of Sonar Bangla and turning the dream into a reality. Bangladesh, under her leadership, now leading the world in many aspects.    

The country’s founding father and most of his family members were brutally assassinated on the night of August 15 in 1975. In the month of mourning in 2004, a brutal attack was also carried out on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to kill her. She narrowly escaped the attack, but many of her party colleagues were killed in the attack.

The martyrs of the August 15 carnage included Bangabandhu’s wife Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, his sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, Bangabandhu’s brother Sheikh Naser, brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, nephew Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, Moni’s wife Arzoo Moni and Bangabandhu’s military secretary Col Jamil. However, Sheikh Kamal’s birthday is today.

Like previous years, the ruling Awami League and its associate organisations are observing the month of mourning through various programmes.

The ruling Awami League began a month-long programme on August 1, commemorating the 46th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Mourning Day on August 15 on a limited scale this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

 However, there was no event on August 4 in the month-long programme announced by the ruling party.

Meanwhile, celebration of the birth anniversary of valiant freedom fighter Sheikh Kamal remains in the month-long programme.

Marking the birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal, floral wreaths will be placed at his portrait on the premises of Abahani Club at Dhanmondi in the capital at 8.30 am today (Thursday). Later, wreaths will be laid at his grave at Banani Graveyard at 9.15 am. Leaders and activists of Awami League and its associate bodies and others will also offer Fateha there.

Born August 5 in 1949, Sheikh Kamal had lived until now he would have been in his seventies, an age which was quite desirable as per the life expectancy at birth in Bangladesh. But it is so tragic that the eldest son of Bangabandhu died only at the age of 26 and just a month after his marriage.

Prof Dr Rashid Askari, former vice chancellor of Islamic University, had written about Sheikh Kamal that if the son of Bangabandhu had lived until now, maybe he was the heir apparent to his great father’s politics.

Sheikh Kamal’s childhood was spent on the banks of Madhumati and Raghiya in Gopalganj playing with the village-boys. Later, he became a champion of sport and its patronage has perhaps, become implanted in his mind in the village life in Tungipara.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had to remain in jail almost round the year. Once on his release from imprisonment, he came to Tungipara to meet his family. All his children were jumping in joy getting their father in their midst. Sheikh Kamal, however, could not understand the reason for the joy, nor could he recognize the man who was the source of their joy. However, he found it astonishing that his elder sister Sheikh Hasina was calling him ‘Abba’. He leaned over and shyly whispered in her ear, “Hashu Aapa, Hashu Aapa, please let me call your father Abba”. This is what Sheikh Kamal was—a shy and intelligent boy!

Sheikh Kamal had tried to represent Bangladesh and Bengali culture overseas in his student life. During the tumultuous days of the 1969 mass movement, he along with many other people defied the ban and kept practicing Rabindrasangit (Songs of Rabindranath).

In 1971, Sheikh Kamal joined the Liberation War with hundreds of thousands of freedom fighters. He received training in India and also received wartime commission in Bangladesh Army and played an important role in the freedom fight both as a fighter and an organiser.

Sheikh Kamal established Abahani and in 1972 and purchased Iqbal Sporting Football Team and Ispahani Sporting Cricket and Hockey team under the organisation.

Sheikh Kamal is an unsung hero in the history of Bangladesh.