Sheikh Hasina:

It is August. My mother was born in this month. August also heralds birth of my brother Kamal who is two years’ junior to me. His birthday falls on August 5. In an irony of fate, my mother was killed on August 15. Miscreants’ bullet pierced her body. My father and Bangladesh’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman embraced martyrdom on the day. My mother Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, Kamal, Jamal, Russel, newlywed wives of Kamal and Jamal Sultana Kamal and Rozi Jamal respectively, my only paternal uncle Sheikh Abu Naser, husband of my paternal aunt Abdur Rob Serniabat, their 13-year old daughter Baby, 10- year old son Arif, 4-year-old grandson Sukanto and mother of Sukanto faced the same fate. My father’s military secretary Col Jamil was killed on his way to conduct a rescue operation. Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni and his pregnant wife Arzoo Moni were also killed. Around 18 persons including Bangabandhu, most of his family members, his military secretary and on-duty police officials sacrificed their lives.

What was the reason behind the killings? In fact, Bangabandhu was targeted for liberating the country. Lakhs of people took arms and fought the Liberation War responding to the call of Bangabandhu. I tender my heartfelt respect to the martyrs of independence war. Many incidents of the world remain unnoticed and unsung. I am still driven by the memory of my mother. We have got an independent country. We are a liberated nation. The country owes a lot to my father for proclaiming the Liberation War. He was engaged in movement throughout the life. My mother was always beside him in the cause of achieving freedom and welfare of the people. My grandparents also extended support. My mother lost her father at the age of three. My grandpa was a fashionable person. He was engaged in a service in Jashore. He always wanted his two daughters to obtain BA degree. He was obsessed with the idea at a time when journey from Tungipara to Dhaka used to take 22-24 hours. Such a dream of educating daughters is manifestation of a great mentality. He revolted against the social taboos which prohibited female literacy at that time.

My mother finished primary education in a missionary school. She could not continue education for social prohibition. There was no other school in the area except Gimadanga Tungipara (GT) School. It was constructed by my ancestors. The school was one mile away from our house. Students had to go to school treading muddy road. Boat was another mode of journey to and from school. Such a journey was not allowed for girls. Parents used to impart Arabic and general knowledge to daughters by house tutors or pandits. But my mother was exceptional. She had a craving for higher education. When my mother was three years old, she lost her father. During that time, law did not allow a grandchild to inherit property if his/her father died prior to grandpa. However, my mother and her sister were married to cousins. Grandpa of my mother arranged the marriage and bequeathed whole properties to two granddaughters. He also appointed my grandfather mutawalli (trustee) of the same. Later, my grandma (mother of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa) died. My mother was brought up by her mother-in-law. They belonged to an extended family. They lived in houses located in the same compound and shared same yard. So, my paternal grandma took guardianship of my mother leaving my aunt under disposal of her (aunt’s) grandfather.

My mother was married at childhood. Her transition from childhood to adolescence took place at her in-law’s house. She grew up staying with the members of her in-laws’ family. I came to know about her childhood stories from paternal grandparents and aunts.

My father played a crucial role in contemporary politics. He was in Kolkata for perusing higher education. Risking life, he had worked for welfare of the people since school life. He helped people during the riot of 1947 and famine. We used to live with grandparents. After creation of Pakistan, my father got admitted to Dhaka University. He organised a movement aimed at securing the rights of the fourth class employees of Dhaka University. He was arrested during the great language movement. The first language movement took place in 1948. On March 11, he was arrested soon after announcement of general strike.

My father was arrested for leading Bhukha michhil (hunger procession) in 1959.  He was apprehended on three-four occasions during the period from 1947 to 1949. Arrested in 1949, he languished in jail till 1952. From the jail, he pulled strings of the language movement which catalyzed assertion of Bangladesh. He used to hold secret meetings with Awami League and Chhatra League leaders in the jail hospital.

From remote, my mother used to gather information about Bangabandhu. She hardly got any scope to spend time with husband. We never got our father for consecutive two years. Similarly, my mother was a deprived wife. But she did not protest against it. She always believed that her husband was working for the welfare of the country and its people. Mother’s grandfather gave her huge properties. He was a landlord. My grandpa used to give my mother all proceeds from the lands. Mother did not spend a single penny for herself. She preserved the money to give to my father. She thought that her husband is a politician who needs much money. My grandparents always extended financial supports to Bangabandhu. Yet, my mother used to give her savings. This is how she got involved in struggle of her husband at the tender age.

Begum Fazilatunnesa took part in campaign for the United Front in the elections to the East Bengal Legislative Assembly in 1954. After polls victory, father took us to Dhaka for good schooling.  Bangabandhu was elected from the Gopalganj constituency and sworn in as a minister.

 Two months later, in May 1954, the United Front ministry was dismissed by the central government and Bangabandhu was arrested. We are tender aged. Kamal and Jamal were just crawling. We were at a house at Road 3 on the Mintoo Road. One morning, we saw mother silent and perplexed. She was sitting on the bed in a melancholy mood. I was too little to realise the situation. Police came to our house and arrested my father at night.

I saw my mother’s eyes filled with tears. I wanted to know about father. Mother replied “Your father was arrested.” It was my first-hand experience about father’s arrest. We were ousted from the government house after a 14-day notice. My mother was not familiar with Dhaka city. She was in a fix and did not know what to do. The house was full of visitors when my father was a minister. It turned into an abandoned house in course of time. An uncle along with another relative came to our house. They helped us get a rented house at Nazirabazar. Mother shifted us to the house. We came across many troubles but mother was bold, confident and steady to overcome those. She never asked my father to give up politics. She did not pressurize him to meet expenditure of the family.

My mother managed the family. She never disturbed my father over any issue. Majority of the women want their husbands to be close to them. They anticipate close association. They have fascination for ornaments, flats and luxurious cars. But my mother was an exception.

Sufferings of Begum Fazilatunnesa knew no bound, but she endured the pains silently. She had no material demand. Bangabandhu was frequently arrested in 1954. However, he again became minister the next year (1955). He won national assembly polls and joined the cabinet. At this time, we were shifted to government house at 15 Abdul Ghani Road. The history of Bangladesh shows that politicians abandoned party to become minister. Bangabandhu was quite different. He quitted cabinet and held general secretary post of Awami League.

Had my mother been an ordinary woman, she would have protested against her husband’s decision to abandon ministerial post. My mother did not have any grief over losing house, vehicle and other ministerial facilities. She never quarrelled. Rather, she supported every decision of my father.

The family was shifted to a small and ordinary house again. Huseyn Suhrawardy appointed my father chairman of the Tea Board. We got a residential facility at Segun Bagicha. Later, martial law was declared. My father was in Karachi when Ayub Khan imposed martial law. Bangabandhu returned home at the night. He was arrested at early hours of October 12, 1958.

My paternal grandmother was along with us. The Pakistani authorities seized emergency money which we had in the house. They also took our vehicle.

I saw my mother to handle the situation with patience. We were evicted from the house within six days of receiving notice. Street was the address of the household goods and small children for hours. Rehana was very little. Somebody gave us a shelter. We started to live in a two-roomed house. A lot of false cases were being filed against Bangabandhu one after another. My mother searched for a liveable house, went to the court and consulted lawyers with utmost patience.

Leaders and activists of Awami League and friends of my father gave us support. My paternal grandfather used to provide us with money, rice, dal and essential items. So, financial crisis did not touch us.  If my mother faced any trouble, she did not express it.

However, we rented the first floor of a house at Segun Bagicha. Sometimes, my mother sold ornaments for facilitating treatment of ailing Awami League leaders and activists and supplying essential goods to families of arrested party members. My mother did not know how to say “no”.

We had a refrigerator imported from America. When my father visited the USA, he procured it. The refrigerator was sold on the plea that cold water is bad for health. It causes cold related diseases. We were not told that mother needed money to handle family and support sick and imprisoned party men. My mother never uttered the word “financial crisis.” When my mother could not buy good food, she cooked khichuri (a food made by boiling rice, dal, salt and chilly together). She did not disclose the fact that she could not go to market and afford better food for lack of money. She used to encourage us to eat khichuri saying it to be very delicious. “Is rich food always tasty? We will eat khichuri today. It is very delicious,” she told. She was so determined that she could handle any situation.

Being the elder daughter, I was close to my mother in terms of age. Her father and mother were not alive. So, she used to consider me to be her mother, father and friend. As I was the elder daughter, I perceived the hidden things. I knew the family incidents better than anybody else. My siblings were too little to understand anything. My mother took every necessary step to boost organisational strength of Awami League. She pulled the strings from behind the curtain and never came to the limelight. Cutting jokes, she used to say, “I would like to thank Ayub Khan.” Why did she say so?

My father was arrested in 1958. He was released in December of 1959 following a habeas corpus writ petition. Huseyn Suhrawardy moved the case. It was a conditional release. Bangabandhu was not allowed to do politics and go beyond Dhaka. He took up a job in an insurance company. He got a handsome salary and a car. The family was solvent at that time. So, my mother used to say that Ayub Khan offered her best opportunity to her life. “He (Bangabandhu) is doing a job. I am handling the family comfortably,” she said. Earning from insurance company enabled my father to construct two rooms in Dhanmondi.

In October, 1961, we were shifted to Dhanmondi. To save labour cost, my mother used to install bricks on the wall and spray water. She also engaged us in the work. The house was equipped with all essential things. My father was getting much salary. Yet, mother used to teach us to exercise restraint in all spheres of life.

The following years saw a heated situation. My father was arrested in 1962 and 1964.  If I look back, I see that Bangabandhu was never out of jail for two consecutive years. My mother used to send food, clothes and other essential things to Bangabandhu in the prison. She used to handled legal issues and contest the cases. Besides, she used to maintain contact with the party. She formed Chhatra League. She used to look after Chhatra League and guide its leaders and activists.

In 1964 riot, my father used to take members of Hindu community to our house risking life. Later, he sent them to safe places. He assigned volunteers to stop riot.

Bangabandhu rushed to Adamjee to quell Bangali-Bihari riot. My mother assisted him in every step like a shadow. Bangabandhu took many people of vulnerable community to home and my other cooked food for them.

The Six-point movement was spearheaded by Bangabandhu eventually leading to the liberation of the country. He travelled over all parts of the country and addressed public rallies to propagate the six-point movement. But he invited cases in every district visited for the purpose. Arrest and release of my father followed each other. On May 8, 1966, he was arrested again. This time, he was not released. He was shifted from jail to cantonment. We were ignorant of his whereabouts. Even, we did not know as to whether he was alive or dead. This situation continued for five months. In his absence, my mother organized movement and June 7 strike. My mother along with us used to go to the house of the youngest paternal aunt. She used to change her clothes and slipper in the house and wear veil. Mother used to go to student leaders by taxi and held meeting. My material uncle, who was a student, accompanied her.

Finishing meeting, she along with us used to return home. We were under scanning of the intelligent officials. So, my mother used to adopt strategies and hold secret meeting. She used to work for a vibrant student movement. She used to meet Awami League leaders to enforce an effective strike.  She always avoided newspaper coverage. She never issued any press statement. Even, she did not allow her photo to be published in the media. Later, many leaders were divided over the effectiveness of six point and eight-point movements. Many politicians came to Dhaka from West Pakistan for discussing the issue. Top leaders of Awami League also returned. Awami League leaders are sometimes confused although activists of the party remained determined in the critical situation. The problem of the party leaders is evident to me since my childhood.

Great leaders came to Dhaka from Karachi to choose between six and eight point movements. They used to hold meeting at the then Shahbagh hotel (now Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University). My mother used to send me to the meeting venue to gather information about the leaders and their wives present there. In fact, I was assigned for espionage.  Accompanied with Russel, I used to visit the meeting place and eavesdropped on conversation of the leaders. Returning home, I passed the information to my mother. My mother had a good network in Dhaka city.

A group led by the then Dhaka city leader Gazi Golam Mostafa used to brief my mother about every development. Accordingly, she contacted the relevant persons and fixed next course of action. She used to maintain rapport with grassroots leaders. I am lucky to see her political conscience. Begum Fazilatunnesa was determined not to deviate from the six-point movement. She made her stand clear to my father. Unfortunately, many of our leaders supported the eight-point movement. Being a college student, I was mature enough to understand the situation. Later, I got admitted to university. Many of our renowned leaders tried to convince me to follow eight-point movement. According to them, I was unable to realise the situation and select right course of action. “Ma (mother), you are unable to understand anything,” they told me. In reply, I said “I need not understand anything.  My father spoke about six-point. We need six-point, nothing else.”

Similarly, those leaders tried to convince my mother. They told that my mother was unable to understand future of eight-point movement. “Bhabi (sister-in-law), you cannot understand the issue,” they told my mother. She replied “Vai (brother), I have no higher degree. But I think the 6-point movement is the charter of emancipation of Bangalis. He (Bangabandhu) declared it. I follow it. I do not know anything else.” They tried most to deviate us. Meetings of the Working Committee were held at our house. There was no decorator shop in the city in those days. Besides, the party had no fund to arrange commercial feast. My mother used to cook foods for them. We used to prepare tea and serve the party leaders. The examinations were knocking at the door. So, I was busy with study. Leaving reading table, I frequently went to the meeting room. I was too frightened to leave the room, lest the meeting adopt eight-point movement. I saw my mother to demonstrate her determination in the meeting. Finally, the meeting passed resolution in favour of the six-point movement.

Leaders were annoyed and they vented anger. I am eyewitness of many incidents. When my mother visited my father at the jail, she narrated everything to him. She had sharp memory. As such, we used to regard her as “tape-recorder.” She taught us some techniques to be followed in jail i.e. making noise in jail to divert attention of the prison officials, passing all information to my father exploiting the situation, collecting advice from father and conveying the advice to the students. Every instruction came from Bangabandhu in jail. And my mother used to engage Chhatra League in implementing the instruction.

On January 18, 1968, Bangabandhu was shifted from Dhaka central jail to the cantonment. We were in the dark about his condition. My mother was very worried. She was interrogated in connection with Agartala Conspiracy Case. She replied to all queries carefully and intelligently.

We badly needed independence. Being removed from cabinet by Ayub Khan, Bhutto came to our Dhanmondi-32 residence to meet my mother. Drawing room and dinning room in the downstairs were divided by a curtain. When leaders of West Pakistan came to our house, she never met them.  She used to talk to them from behind the curtain. “We will be liberated from them. Why should we meet them?” she questioned.

Being a minister, an MP and an MLA, my father used to travel to Karachi but my mother had never been to West Pakistan. She was not willing to go there. She could foresee that the country would be liberated. She could read the future in advance. She was imbued with the spirit of liberation. She had a strong urge and cravings for freedom. She had a strong belief. We first met father in July when Agartala conspiracy case was pending. Earlier, we met in January. However, the place of our meeting with father has been turned into a museum. The mess in the cantonment where my father was confined during trial of the case and the place where the case filed are also museums now.

Our leaders were desperate to attend the roundtable meeting convened by Ayub Khan. Not joining the meeting would invite a disaster, said the leaders justifying their stand. My mother got the information and sent me to the jail. She sent a message to my father asking him not to pass any decision without consulting her. Looking at my face, father could realise that I was carrying some message from my mother. Mother said that father will not join the meeting getting release on parole. He will attend the meeting only after getting clean chit. I conveyed the message to my father.

Awami League leaders came to our house and scolded me for passing such message to Bangabandhu. “What sort of daughter are you? Don’t you want your father to be released from jail?” they told me. They cautioned my mother that she was going to be a widow. In reply, my mother told leaders “I am not only one person to be affected. There are 34 married accused in the case. Their wives will be widows. Don’t you think about their future? How can I be concerned over my safety only?” Out of the 35 accused in Agartala conspiracy case, 34 were married. Bangabandhu will not join the meeting if the case is not withdrawn. The political prudence of my mother paved the way for liberation of the country. Had my father attended the meeting getting release on parole, Bangladesh would not have got liberation. It was the ground reality. My mother showed sharp determination and political acumen in the subsequent movements. Her stand during non-cooperation movement was not an exception. Before March 7 speech, great intellectuals gave tips. They advised Bangabandhu to stress the issues specified by them. They laid emphasis on various topics. Not uttering the issues would be perilous, they cautioned. There was splendid pile of papers and advices. However, my mother used to ask him to spend some moment at home before taking any critical decision. Accordingly, she took Bangabandhu inside the house. She told Bangabandhu, “I will say whatever you like. Lakhs of people have flocked to the capital equipped with bamboo sticks and oars protesting misrule by the Pakistani regime. Armed Pakistani authorities are waiting to know the announcement of Bangabandhu. They will not allow the crowd to return home. They will kill everybody. Pakistani rulers were determined to retaliate. They will made freedom loving people to face a dire consequence. Some of our leaders advised my father to declare independence directly. They asked Bangabandhu to say “Bangladesh is liberated today.”

On the other hand, my mother reminded Bangabandhu of the imprisonment and sufferings he embraced for the welfare of the people. In the March 7 speech, he indirectly shared his dream to secure emancipation of the people. His speech is globally acclaimed and regarded as the best one. It is one of the 100 most rousing and inspirational wartime speeches in the last 2,500 years. The speech inspired the people of this country. He proclaimed independence on March 26. He said the draft of announcement will go through EPR warless. He made the whole arrangement in advance.

Bangabandhu knew well that he might be arrested or killed anytime. My mother teamed up with him without any fear. After proclamation of independence, the army attacked our house and arrested Bangabandhu. The following day, they again attacked the house.

My mother took shelter in a nearby residence. She changed various houses. However, my mother along with us was confined to an abandoned house at Road 18. The one-storey house had no curtain. We had to stay at the residence for long. We were not protected from burning sun. But my mother was firm. She was confident, determined and brave to overcome the situation. Although Pakistani soldiers surrendered on December 16, 1971, we did not get release. The following day, we were released.

A picture shows my mother is standing on a field and waving hand. In fact, she was standing on bunker underneath the house. The bunker was constructed by Pakistani army. When Indian army cordoned of Pakistani soldiers and pushed them to surrender, thousands of people rushed to the spot. My mother was showing us the scene standing on the bunker.

We could not move during the surrender because of sentry at the gate. We were still confined. My mother knew name of the sentry. She asked him to give up arms. She told him “Hatiar daldo.” She knew the expression. Addressing Fazilatunnesa mother, the sentry replied in the affirmative and went to the bunker. “Zi Ma (yes mother)” he soldier said. The incident shows bravery of my mother. We escaped an assassination plot of that night.

After liberation, my mother did not lead luxurious life as the wife of Prime Minister. She continued to live in the Dhanmondi residence. She said children might be spoiled due to luxurious environment. She never compromised with her principles. However, she used to stand by the persecuted girls. She used to visit them in the hospital. A board was formed to rehabilitate the girls. My mother used to remain present at the wedding ceremony of the girls. She used to present them with her ornaments. I also gave my ornament to be gifted to the girls.

Begum Fazilatunnesa did not like publicity. Once, she expressed dismay at the magnitude of torture inflicted on a 14-year old girl by Pakistani soldiers and their collaborators. This is how she always stood by the persecuted people. If anybody demanded anything, she gave it without hesitation. She was very patriotic.

I have shed light on the memories of my mother lest those may sink into oblivion after my death. People should know the incidents. Some inspiration acts behind every great work. My mother was a source of inspiration to my father. She did not obstruct him. She was not concerned about personal happiness and gain. I never saw her demanding anything for herself.

My mother always dreamed about liberating the country and bringing public welfare. After independence, she used to reconstruct the war-torn country. She used to discuss the issue with my father. She gathered information and informed Bangabandhu of it.

She was beside my father till the last moment of her life. When miscreants killed my father, she did not try to save her life. Rather, she asked the criminals to kill her also. “You (miscreants) killed him (Bangabandhu). Kill me also,” she told the killers. She along with others sacrificed life. I along with my sister escaped the plot. We went abroad 15 days prior to the massacre. Our lives on earth in absence of the rest of the family members are burden and painful. The people, who lost their family members, can feel our sufferings.

I request countrymen to pray for my mother. She had much contribution to the independence of the country. She loved the country from the core of heart. Like my father, she dreamt of a country free from poverty and exploitation. She was confident about my father’s ability to implement the dream. The miscreants marred and jeopardized everything.

The situation has prompted me to accomplish the unfinished task of my parents. I have no expectation beyond it. Suffering was constant companion of my mother. She sacrificed her life. I seek blessings for her. I seek blessings for other martyrs of August 15. May Allah grant them Jannat.

The writer is Prime Minister of Bangladesh

(Translated by Firoz Al Mamun)