Bongho Bondho sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
‘’ As long as Padma, Meghna, Gouri, Jamuna flows on, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, your accomplishment will also live on. ’’
– Annada Shankar Ray, Poet and Essayist
Bangladesh will celebrate the “Mujib Borsho” from March 17, 2020, to March 26, 2021, through various programmes marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Unesco made the decision at its 40th General Assembly held at the UN body’s headquarters in Paris recently. 195 countries accross the world willl also celebrate the event.
#Birth of a leader
" Sheikh Mujibur Rahman does not belong to Bangladesh alone. He is the harbinger of freedom for all Bengalis."
---Mohamed Hassanein Heikal
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in Tungipara of Gopalganj on March 17, 1920.
A year after his 100th birth anniversary, Bangladesh will celebrate the golden jubilee of independence on March 26, 2021.
#His contribution to our Liberation war
"The struggle now is the struggle for our emancipation;
the struggle now is the struggle for our independence.
Joy Bangla!..
Since we have given blood, we will give more blood.
God-willing, the people of this country will be liberated ...
Turn every house into a fort.
Face (the enemy) with whatever you have."
Following general Yahya Khan’s postponement of the National Assembly session on March 1, 1971, only two days before the session was due to take place, every section of the Bengalis instantaneously came out onto the streets in massive demonstrations. The Bengalis aspirations for freedom reached an indomitable height. From March 1 onward Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was virtually running East Pakistan as its de-facto head of government. On March 7, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his historic speech at the Race Course Maidan (Suhrawardy Udyan), considered to be his roadmap for the country’s independence. In this context, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and general Yahya Khan held a series of meetings in Dhaka between March 16 and March 24, none of which brought about any resolution. After the discussions hit a dead end on March 25, Yahya Khan secretly left Dhaka in the evening. On the night of March 25, the Pakistan army launched its heinous nine-month long campaign of genocide against the unarmed Bengalis. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the Independence of Bangladesh on March 26 at 12:20 AM. Right after declaration, at 1:30AM he was arrested and 3 days later was taken to a Pakistani prison. On April 10, the provisional revolutionary government of Bangladesh chose Mujib as its President. The revolutionary government took oath of office on April 17 at a famous mango garden (Amrakanan) of Baidyanathtala in Meherpur, which is now known as Mujibnagar. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected President, Syed Nazrul Islam acting president and Tajuddin Ahmed the Prime Minister. During August & September of 1971, the Pakistan Junta held a secret trial and sentenced Bangabandhu to death. On revelation, the freedom loving people of the world was enraged and demanded the security of the President of Bangladesh. On December 27, the Bangladesh government sought Mujib's immediate and unconditional release.
His contrubution after Liberation war
"Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is an icon of democracy, a towering figure."
--Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Of the Republic of India
The Government of Pakistan was forced to release Sheikh Mujibur Rahman under immense international pressure on January 8. On that very day, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman traveled to London on his way to Dhaka. There, at a crowded press conference in his hotel in London, he spoke to the world press and on January 9, met the British Prime Minister, Edward Heath. Prior to returning to Dhaka, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stopped over at Delhi, where the Indian President V. V. Giri and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi welcomed him with grace. When the Father of the Nation reached Dhaka on January 10, millions of grateful citizens of the newest country in the world welcomed him with open arms. He went straight from the airport to the Race Course Maidan now renamed Suhrawardy Udyan, where he addressed the free people of his nation for the first time. On January 12, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took charge as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and embarked on the reconstruction of a war-ravaged country. Within a period of three and half years, Bangabandhu laid the foundations of the new Republic by putting into effect several measures, including rehabilitation of 10 million Bengali refugees, withdrawal of all allied forces within 3 months of victory, formation of the constituent assembly & a constitution for the new state within 10 months, recognition of Bangladesh by more than a hundred states, Bangladesh’s membership of important international bodies including Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, NAM, OIC, enactment of International (Crimes) Tribunal Laws, etc.
#Death of Bangabondhu
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Bangladesh, was assassinated by a handful of army renegades as part of a larger national and international political conspiracy hatched by anti-liberation forces in the pre-dawn hours of August 15. They murdered in cold blood every member of his family except his daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, who by fortune alone were abroad at that time. Bangladesh observes August 15 as the National Mourning Day and remembers the noblest and the greatest Bengali who ever lived, through his spirit, ideology, courage and love for the people of his nation.
‘’ I’m broken by the news of Sheikh Mujib’s death. He was a great leader. His extraordinary heroism has been a source of inspiration for the people of Asia and Africa. ’’
– Indira Gandhi, Former Prime Minister of India
#Govt Activities to celebrate the event
Two national committees—one for planning Mujib Year celebrations and another for implementation.
The government will plant 10 million saplings across the country marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman
Noted Indian film director Shyam Benegal has been selected to make a Bangla film on the life and works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Shyam Benegal earlier made a biographical movie on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
Different publications, including a compilation of reports by Pakistan’s intelligence agency on Bangabandhu, will be published before Sheikh Mujib's next birth anniversary. The 9,000-page compilation will have 14 sections. It will be a selection from 47 files containing 30,000 pages, party sources said.
Another compilation of writings on the Agartala conspiracy and Bangabandhu will also be published.
Besides, rare pictures of Bangabandhu will also be collected.
Meanwhile, youth and sports ministry has planned to stage mega sports events, including a football match among two European teams, two T-20 cricket matches with the participation of Asian and World stars and an athletics meet to celebrate Mujib Year.
Besides, the foreign ministry has taken initiatives to present the country’s motto ‘Friendship to all, malice to none’, enunciated by Bangabandhu, across the world. It is also preparing to take an initiative to move a resolution on Bangabandhu at the United Nations on the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary celebrations.
#Conclusion
Naming the years of 2020 and 2021 as Mujib Barsha or Mujib Year, Prime Minister Hasina had pledged to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary with people from all echelons if society through yearlong programmes.
“The Father of the Nation repaid his debt with his life. We must now repay him,” the prime minister had said during the first announcement of this celebration in 2018.
‘’ I have not seen the Himalayas. But I have seen Sheikh Mujib. In personality and in courage, this man is the Himalayas. ’’
– Fidel Castro, Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba
Answered by Birds of the sky (2 Golds) Wednesday, 22 Jan 2020, 05:03 PM
