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Profile of the Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | | |  Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in 1920 at Tungipara in Gopalgonj District of Bangladesh. The life of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman endearingly called “Bangabandhu” or the friend of Bengal is the saga of a great leader turning people’s power into an armed struggle that culminated in liberating the Bangalee nation and created an independent country called ‘Bangladesh’. From his young days Bangabandhu uncompromisingly fought for the cause of the common people. He was always pro-people and his struggle for the Bangalee nation started from his early years.
Through his great struggle against the Pakistan military junta in the fifties and sixties, the autocratic Military was forced to hold the first ever general election in Pakistan’s history. Awami League, the party led by Bangabandhu won 167 seats out of 169, an overwhelming majority in 300-Member parliament. But the autocratic military govt. of Pakistan refused to hand over power to the elected representative. They started a massive repressive operation against the Bengalee Nation.
Bangabandhu declared an independent Bangladesh on the 25th March night 1971 and the people of Bangladesh, under his leadership, fought against the repression of the Pakistan army, and finally victory was achieved after a nine month long liberation war of immense sacrifice and struggle.
After the independence, Bangabandhu worked hard to reconstruct the war ravaged country. His dream was to create Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal), which would be democratic, non-communal and free from exploitation. But his dream was shattered on the early hours of 15th August, 1975, when he and most of his family were brutally murdered by some recalcitrant army officers who were opposed to democracy and freedom. After his death the ‘Economist’ brought out an editorial, calling the event ‘Fall of a Giant’.
Bangabandhu was for the people and worked with the people all his life. He was a true democrat who believed in attaining power only through elections achieved via mass movement. He is the dreamer, philosopher and the founder of Bangladesh and he is fondly called the father of the Bangalee Nation. | | |
