Diplomatic Correspondent
Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Mohammad Ziauddin has said that Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib is a ‘shining star’ of Bangladesh’s history.
He flashed back on how Bangamata devoted her entire life to look after her own family and the families of the arrested Awami League leaders as well as advance the Bengali’s movement for emancipation by encouraging Bangabandhu to face all eventualities during the painful days of his life under Pakistani military junta.
The Embassy celebrated the 90th birth anniversary of Bangamata, beloved wife and life partner of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation was celebrated in a befitting manner at Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C on Saturday.
They held a discussion on life and work of Fazilatunnesa Mujib, screened a documentary on her pre-independence struggle alongside Bangabandhu, readout of the messages of the President and Prime Minister, special prayer and cut the birthday cake.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador recalled Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib’s “wisdom and farsightedness” and advices to Bangabandhu at critical times including her opposition to Bangabandhu’s release on parole to join the roundtable in Lahore offered by military dictator Ayub Khan though many Awami League leaders at that time had advised otherwise.
“If Bangabandhu had accepted the parole to join the RTC, Bangladesh would perhaps not become independent,” he said, quoting political pundits.
Ambassador Ziauddin said it is Begum Mujib who inspired Bangabandhu to write down his “Unfinished Memoir” in jail.
She was also the inspiration behind Bangabandhu’s historic 7th March speech at Dhaka’s Race Course from where he had called on the Bengali nation to fight for freedom and independence.
“Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib remains a shining star of Bangladesh’s history of independence because of her sagacity, farsightedness, and astute appraisal of evolving politics and well thought out decisions,” he noted.
The Ambassador said after independence, Bangamata devoted her time to be at the side of Bangabandhu in rebuilding the war-ravaged Bangladesh.
She stood beside the women tortured by the Pakistani occupation army, rehabilitated them in society and also arranged marriage of many girls from poor families.
“For her entire life of sacrifice, and for her wise and pragmatic counselling of Banglabandhu in leading the Bengali nation to attain a country of their own, it is only right that the grateful Bengali nation proudly and rightfully so honored Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib as ‘Bangamata’.”
Defence Attaché Brig. Gen Moinul Hassan and Minister (Press) Shamim Ahmad read out the messages of the President and Prime Minister respectively.
First Secretary and Head of Chancery Md. Mahmudul Islam conducted the programme.
Ambassador Ziauddin along with his spouse Yasmin Ziauddin cut the birthday celebration cake. Embassy officers and employees, spouses of the officers and kids present on the occasion.
