A life epic silently dedicated by the venerable Bangamata

On August 15, 1975, as the dawn was approaching in Bengal, the guards at 677, Road 32, Dhanmondi, the residence of the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, began raising the national flag as the bugle sounded. At that moment, a group of rogue army personnel launched a direct attack from the south.

On August 15, in the gruesome massacre, Sheikh Kamal was first subjected to brush fired. After killing Sheikh Kamal, the assassins proceeded to murder the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. According to testimony in the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder trial from AFM Mahitul Islam and retired Havildar Md. Kuddus Sikder, Abdul Aziz Pasha, with his soldiers, went to the second floor and began knocking on the door of the room where Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib was located.

At one point, they fired at the door. Fazilatunnesa Mujib then opened it and pleaded with them not to kill those inside the room. However, the assassins continued to drag Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, Sheikh Russel, Sheikh Naser, and the maid Ruma downstairs. Upon seeing Bangabandhu’s dead body on the stairs, Bangamata broke down in tears and cried out, “I will not go. Kill me here”.

When Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib refused to go downstairs, the assassins took Sheikh Russel, Sheikh Naser, and Ruma downstairs instead. Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib was then taken back to her room. Sheikh Jamal, Sultana Kamal, and Rozy Jamal were already in Bangabandhu’s room. Abdul Aziz Pasha and Risaldar Mosleuddin indiscriminately shot and killed everyone, including Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib. The lifeless body of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib lay at the door of the room. Sheikh Jamal's corpse was on the left side, while Rozy Jamal was shot in the face. Sultana Kamal's face was pale from the blood loss.

Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib was born on August 8, 1930, in Tungipara, Gopalganj. Her nickname was Renu. Her father was Sheikh Zohurul Haq and her mother was Hosne Ara Begum. She was the wife of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She was not only his spouse but also his comrade and a silent political associate. She was a historical figure in the struggle for independence. Even though she was not directly involved in politics, she was the greatest source of political inspiration for Bangabandhu. She dedicated herself to the country and the nation until her last breath.

The Father of the Nation once remarked in an interview about Bangamata, “Very few women are as courageous as my wife. Whenever the forces or police from Pindi took me to jail, subjected me to various forms of torture, and there was no certainty about when I would be released or when I would return, she never once broke down. I have two great pillars in my life. The first is self-confidence, and the second is my wife, the ideal homemaker.”

Regarding the speech of March 7, 1971, the Prime Minister recalled his mother's memory at a seminar at the International Conference Center on March 15, 2017. He said, “My mother called my father inside the house that day and told him one thing: that he should speak from the heart in that speech. She said the entire nation was looking forward to his address. Therefore, he must say what the Bengali nation wants”. Following Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib’s advice, Bangabandhu delivered the call for independence in his speech. He declared, “This struggle is our struggle for freedom; this struggle is the struggle for independence.”

May Bangamata's illustrious personality and immense sacrifices become a beacon for the new generation. On her birthday, we pay our heartfelt tribute.