15 August Dark episode

of

Bangali Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in a respectable Muslim family on 17 March,1920, Tungipara village under the Gopalganj district. He was the third child among four daughters and two sons of Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Saira Begum. Bangabandhu started his school life at Gimadanga primary school at the age of seven. At eighteen he married Begum Fazilatunnesa. They subsequently become the happy parents of three sons and two daughters. All the sons were to killed along with their parents on 15 August,1975. Bangabandhu passed the entrance exam and joined the Kolkata Islamia College and elected the General Secretary of the college union. During the riot of '47, he took a pioneering role in protecting the Muslims and trying to contain the violence. Bangabandhu admitted into Dhaka University. He founded the Muslim Students League on January 4, 1948. Bangabandhu was one of the front line leaders of the language movement and was arrested on March 11, 1948. On July 9, Bangabandhu was elected general secretary of East Pakistan Awami League at its council session. He was the adjacent point of Jukta Front among Shere Bangla, Maolana Vashani and Hossain Shahid Sarwardi. In 1955, he was elected a member of the legislative assembly on June 5.

In 65, government deemed him as the main culprit and charged with sedition case. But then came the historic moment of February 5, 1966. Bangabandhu placed the historical 6-point demand before the select committee of the conference. This historical 6 point-demand paved the way of our Great Liberation War. In '68, the Pakistani government instituted the notorious Agartala conspiracy case against Bangabandhu. In '69, the Central Students Action Council was formed to press for the acceptance of the 11-point demand that included the 6-point demand of Bangabandhu.The movement peaked into an unprecedented mass upsurge that forced Ayub Khan to bow to the continued mass protests and freed Bangabandhu and the co-accused. In February 23, at the race course (Suhrawardi Uddyan), before a million of people, Sheikh Mujib Was publicly acclaimed as 'Bangabandhu'(Friend of Bengal). On December 5, Bangabandhu declared at a discussion meeting that East Pakistan would be called 'Bangladesh' instead of 'East Pakistan'. In 1970, Bangabandhu was re-elected President of Awami League. Under his spurious leadership, Awami League took part in the General Election of '70 and gained absolute majority. Awami League secured 167 out of 169 National Assembly seats and in the East Pakistan gained 305 out of 310 Provincial seats. On March 7, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman addressed a mammoth public rally at the RaceCourse ground, where he declared: " This struggle now is the struggle for emancipation, this struggle now is the struggle for liberation." After that speech, the whole of Bangladesh was static in every sphere and started to follow every command of Bangabandhu.

On the fierce night of March 25, the Pakistani Army cracked down on the innocent unarmed Bangalees. Bangabandhu, in a wireless message, called upon for a entire resist from every section of the society. He was arrested by the Pakistani army on that night. Bangabandhu was sentenced to death by the Pakistani army. In December 16, 1971, Bangladesh became a free nation under the leadership of Bangabandhu. Bangabandhu was freed from the Pakistani jail on January 8, 1972 and returned to his beloved country on January 10. After that started the reconstruction work of the country. And under the leadership of Bangabandhu, the country piled up to the acme of the development. But.... in the pre-dawn hours of 15 August, the noblest and the greatest of Bangalees in a thousand years, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated by a handful of treacherous military officers.

Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujib, wife of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, born at Tungipara, Gopalganj, August 8, 1930 Married to Bangabandhu at a very young age, Begum Mujib was a witness from the closest to the many events the father of the Nation went through in his striving for a Sovereign and free Bangladesh. (She was a constant source of strength to him, what came in the realization that for most of his political career Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur Rahman was in incarceration at the hands of Successive Pakistan regimes). Begum Mujib's task, apart from helping Bangabandhu maintain his struggle against the political domination of what was then West Pakistan, was to act as the base upon which her family operated. The children, all of them young required her presence at every stage. During the War of Liberation in 1971, With the country at war and Bangabandhu in Pakistani prison, Begum Mujib never lost faith in destiny, her family's as well as the country's. Begum Fazilatunessa Mujib was endowed with rare qualities of head and heart, indomitable spirit and undaunted courage. She was a great source of inspiration for Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur Rahaman. She was assassinated in the pre-dawn hours of August 15, 1975, moments after Bangabandhu fell to the foul conspiracy of men determined to take Bangladesh away from its part of democracy and secularism.

Sheikh Kamal, Bangabandhu's eldest son, born at Tungipara, Gopalganj, August 5, 1949. Sheikh Kamal, after passing his matriculation from Shaheen School. Dhaka, and Higher Secondary Certificate Examination from Dhaka College, did his Bachelor of Arts in Honors in Social Studies at Dhaka University. He practiced sitar at Chhayanaut, a School of music. at the same time, he was involved in diverse cultural activities and was also a keen sportsman. as founder of a leading soccer club Abahani, which brought new trend in Bangladesh Soccer, Kamal only reinforced the thought that he was greatly interested in popularising sports throughout the country. At the political level, Sheikh kamal took part ADC to Colonel MAG Osmany, the Commander-in-Chief of the Mukti Bahini. On July 14, 1975, he married renowned Sportswoman of Bangladesh Sultana Khuki. Sheikh Kamal met his end in the deep darkness of August 15, 1975.

Sheikh Jamal, Bangabandhu's Second son, born at Tungipara, Gopalganj, April 28, 1954 Sheikh Jamal, after a period of studies at Shaheen School, finished his matriculation from Residential Model School in Dhaka. He learned playing guitar at a music institution and was also a good cricketer. Detained with his mother and other and other members of the family at a house in Dhanmondi during the war of Liberation in 1971, Jamal found the means to escape and cross over to a liberated zone, where he joined the struggle to free the country. While a student of Dhaka College. Jamal traveled to Yugoslavia for military training under the auspices of the Yugoslav army. Subsequently, he trained at Sandhurst Army Academy. After the trained at Sandhurst Army Academy. After the training he joined Bangladesh Army as a Commissioned Officer. On July 17, 1975 he married his cousin Rosy. Both were assassinated on August 15, 1975.

Sheikh Russel, Bangabandhu's youngest son; born at Dhaka, October 18, 1964 At the time of his death, Russel was a student of Class Four at Dhaka University Laboratory School. In the political atmosphere in which he spent his days, Russel had his bicycle as constant companionship. He was especially attached to his father, of whom he saw very little. On August 15, after everyone else had been assassinated in the family, Russel pleaded to be taken to his mother. the killers, in a macabre moment, made him walk past the bodies of his close ones. Finally, when he confronted his mother's body sprawled in the lobby, he burst into tears. `Take me to Hasina, who was then abroad. Moments later, the assassins put a bullet into Russel, Silencing him for good.

Sultana Kamal Khuki, wife of Sheikh Kamal, born at Dhaka, July 1951 Daughter of Dabiruddin Ahmed, Executive Engineer of Dhaka University, Khuki passed her matriculation examination from Muslim Girls' School. She did her Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Sociology from Dhaka University. Besides her studies, she was a keen sportswoman and Succeeded in establishing a reputation for herself in the field. She came second in the Pakistan Olympics long Jump in 1966 and in 1968 Obtained a gold in the same sports meet. in 1970, She set an all-Pakistan record. Her stream of Successes never seemed to end. She married Sheikh Kamal in July 1975. A month later, She was assassinated with the other members of the family.

Parveen Jamal Rosy wife of Sheikh Jamal born at Sylhet, 1965 Parveen Jamal Rosy was the daughter of Bangabandhu's Younger sister Khodeja Hossain, whose husband Syed Hossain was Cabinet Secretary in Bangabandhu's Government. Having done her matriculation from Dhanmondi Girls' School, rosy was preparing for her Higher Secondary Certificate examinations from Dhaka's Badrunnessa College at the time of her Assassination. The marks of `Mehendi', signs of her marriage to Sheikh Jamal a month earlier were still on her palm on the day she died.

Sheikh Abu Naser Bangbandhu's Younger Brother born at Tungipara, Gopalganj September 1928 Sheikh Abu Naser pursued his studies at Tungipara and Gopalganj. Owing to his physical ailments as well as the fact that elder brother Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was with politics, Sheikh Naser stayed around helping the family look after its affairs. At a later stage, he established himself as a businessman in Khulna. Sheikh Abu Naser took part in the war of Liberation in 1971 and proved his merit through variety of activities.

Abdur Rab Serniabat brother in law of Bangabandhu, born at Barisal, March, 1921 Passing matriculation from Barisal. Abdur Rab Serniabat came close to Bangabandhu at Kolkata Islamia College and Stayed With him at Baker Hostel. After doing IA and BA at Kolkata, he did his Law from Dhaka University and soon became a lawyer turned politician in Barisal. Serniabat was elected to the Pakistan National Assembly on an Awami League ticked in 1970 and joined the cabinet as minister for agriculture. After the elections of 1973, he was appointed minister for irrigation and flood control. Known for his staunch ideals, Serniabat was assassinated on August 15, 1975.

Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni nephew Of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, born at Tungipara, Gopalganj, December 4, 1939 Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni was a devoted follower of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and a resolute Organiser during the War of Liberation in1971. Earlier, as a student leader at Dhaka University, he displayed extraordinary telnets in organising resistance to the antipeople policies of the Pakistani regime. After the liberation, Moni became founder-chairman of the Bangladesh Awami Jubo League. He also founded two newspapers, The Banglar Bani and the Bangladesh times and functioned as their editor. Known for the steadfast nature of his politics, Sheikh Moni was also assassinated in the pre-dawn hours of August 15, 1975.

Begum Arju Moni, wife of Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni, born at Barishal, March 15, 1947. Begum Arju Moni passed her matriculation from Barisal Government Girls' High School and did her higher secondary Schooling and Bachelor's from Barisal B. M. College. She married Sheikh Moni in 1970. Mother of two children, Arju Moni was pregnant when she was assassinated along with her husband on August 15, 1975.

Baby Serniabat Daughter of Abdur Rab Serniabat, Born at Barishal May 20, 1960

Arif Serniabat Youngest son of Abdur Rab Serniabat Born at Barisal March 27, 1964

Sukanto Abdullah Babu, Grand-son Of Abdur Rab Serniabat Born at Barisal, June 22, 1971

Shahid Serniabat Nephew of Abdur Rab Serniabat Born at Barisal March 26, 1940

Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu, Cousin of Awami League leade Amir Hossain Amu, Born at Barisal, December 1, 1957

Colonel Jamiluddin Ahmed Principal Security Officer to Bangabandhu, Born at Gopalganj, February 1, 1933 Jamiluddin Ahmed joined the Pakistan Army as a cadet in 1952 and was commissioned as and officer in 1955. Returning to Bangladesh from Pakistan in 1973. He joined the Prime Minister's secretariat and took over the Charge of Bangabandhu's Security. On August 15, 1975, moments before he was assassinated, Bangabandhu Called him and informed him of the attack on his residence. Losing not a moment, col. Jamil rushed to save Father of the Nation and President of the Republic. But before he could reach Bangabandhu's residence, he was assassinated outside Sobhanbagh residence.