Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: The life of the guardian of Bangladesh and his family ended in just one hour of operation.
He was the father of Bangladesh, the description of Bangabandhu’s last days still stings
He was the father of Bangladesh, the description of Bangabandhu’s last days still stings
The year is 1975. East Pakistan was freed from West Pakistan only a few years ago. The struggle started after the partition of ’47. Then many hellish events happened, the soil of Bengal was washed with fresh blood. A country became independent at the end of that struggle. The old name was thrown away and the new name was Suryoday – Bangladesh. August 1975 could have been any other day. Just as the wind blows in the paddy fields, the birds fly towards the blue sky. The shepherd boy sits in the shade of the tree and plays the flute. It could have been such a lovely picture. But his color changed instantly. The frame turned red like blood. Think back to the day. August 14, 1975.
Let’s go back a bit to the historic March 7, 1971. Millions of people throng Dhaka’s Race Course Maidan (Sohrawardy Udyan). By that time, Bengal had seen the blood of Jabbar, Rafiq, Barkat. He has seen the death of thousands of young men, women and young people. Saw the hellish killings, rapes and carnage of the Pakistani army and Razakars. The country should be freed from all these. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman standing on stage. Just a few minutes of speech. It was as if a fire was burning in the other side of Bengal. “This struggle is the struggle for our liberation… this struggle is the struggle for freedom.” Independence – this word once again stuck in Bengali mind. The rest of the story is another story.
It happened several years later. By that time, Bangladesh was ready, that revolutionary, personable Bengali leader of that day sat on the post of President. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The year 1975 is not going very well for the government. Famine hit the country a year ago. Moreover, the division within the army is becoming evident day by day. Islamic fundamentalism is erasing secularism. Also, Abdal is “shaking Calcutta” in Pakistan behind the scenes. Bangabandhu was handling everything. His goals, dreams, dreams of Bangladesh must be fulfilled. From his own residence, he went to Ganabhaban and worked day and night, then returned home to give time to his family. This is how it went.
But what happened to him on August 14, 1975! The mind is not happy at all. Walking in the garden of Ganabhaban after work, feeding the fish in the lake, walking among the trees – these were his daily activities. But on that day, it seems that nothing can subdue the mind. He is getting restless, he has to go home soon. The car came; A special black car, not white, came to pick him up from home. My heart broke even more. He will go in a black car. Black is…! Why is the heart calling so much! Shaking off everything, he got into that car and went to house number 677 on road number 32 of Dhanmondi.
On the same day of August 14, a secret exercise is going on in another part of Bangladesh. Army artillery suddenly became active in the darkness of the evening. As the night grew darker, they began to gather near the airport. When it was almost midnight, some high-ranking officers of the army started gathering one by one. Major Dalim, Major Huda, Major Pasha, Major Noor, Major Shahrior and others were there. Everyone’s mouths are tight, jaws are tight. There is a fire burning in the eyes. Something seems to be going on in everyone. It was almost midnight. Major Farooq opened his mouth. Why have everyone gathered? Because I have to go to work in a few hours. A very big job. what is that Major Farooq said in a cold voice, “Sheikh Mujibur Rahman must be killed today, along with his family.”
The context, however, was set. An idea was formed in a section of the country that the person who got independence from Bangladesh should be killed. Yet, Bangabandhu, such a personable man, was the country’s first president. The cold stream flowed at least a little. But when the blue design is ready, what’s the point of delaying! Before five o’clock in the morning, the army car came out. There are more troops with those majors. The main goal is three places. Apart from Bangabandhu’s house, two other houses were also targeted. One, the home of Sheikh Mani and two, Abdur Rab Serniabat. Soldiers have fresh ammunition, bullets and automatic guns. Around 5:15, Muslim Uddin arrived with his army at Sheikh Mani’s house in Dhanmondi. About Bangabandhu’s nephew. He just woke up reading the paper. Without giving him a chance to speak, Muslim’s gun mangled him. Sheikh Mani’s pregnant wife was inside the house. His fate is the same as that of his husband. Only their two children survived in the blood-filled house.
The next target is the house of Abdur Rab Serniabat. A Dangal soldier led by Major Dalim entered his house. Serniabat could not make a last effort even though he woke up on hearing the sound of gunshots. The members of the house are lined up inside the house. Serniabat was accompanied by his teenage daughter, son, nephew, servants, guests. Even the four-year-old lap baby, Nati Babu, was made to stand there. Then the indiscriminate firing started. There was only blood and blood in the house. The milk baby also lay frozen there.
Then the real target. By that time the news had reached house number 677 of Dhanmondi. The firing has started outside the main gate as well. Bangabdhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came out while wearing a genji and lungi. He was accompanied by his wife, Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib. Housekeeper Rama and Abdul woke everyone up by then. Mujib asked the private secretary Mohitul Islam to call the police control room. But there was no line at all. Finally, Bangabandhu called General Safiullah, the army chief. After reporting the attack, he took immediate action. Colonel Jamil left for the President’s house with his driver. But the last defense is not. The army also surrounded the road where Bangabandhu came home. Colonel Jamil was shot dead on the road.
By that time Bangabandhu’s son Sheikh Kamal had come downstairs. After getting to know the identity of Major Bazlul Huda, shots came out from the gun. The lower floor is covered in blood. Mujibur Rahman himself has come to know that his son is no longer alive.
Then Bangabandhu closed the door with his family in the second floor room. He finally came out after the army took up positions outside his house. A single sentence came out in a thunderous voice, “What are you farming? Where will you take me? Do you want to kill me?” Love for the Bengali nation was clinging to him even at that moment. Bangabandhu standing on the threshold of the stairs. No one else was late. Major Huda and Noor’s guns roared. A total of 18 bullets entered Bangabandhu’s body. A river of blood flowed down the stairs.
One by one the rest of the family met the same fate. Sheikh Nasser was taken to a bathroom and shot dead on the pretext of taking him to a safe place. Then if you want to drink water, more bullets are embedded in your body. And Sheikh Russell? Bangabandhu’s younger son was crying. He is taken by the hand to the second floor, where his mother’s bloody body lies. And the father’s body is on the stairs. He was taken there and shot straight in the face. The head is crushed, the eyes come out of the socket. The whole house was a sea of blood. Wherever it appears, blood is flowing. And there are traitors’ bloody boot prints. The day was August 15, 1975. The life of the Bangladeshi guardian and his family ended in just one hour of operation.
Only two survived this hellish, brutal event. Bangavadhu’s two daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana. Neither of them were in the country. Still they could not return to Bangladesh for a long time. They are walking with the picture of their father’s blood-stained body on their chests.
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