Today is 15th August. 41 years ago on this very day the founding father of our country, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members, except his two daughters who were abroad at that time. People of Bangladesh still mourn for Bangabandhu who gave them a secular identity and a sovereign state. I had the great privilege of knowing this great man from a very close quarter. Every year 15th August comes and reminds me of the great tragedy that shocked the whole nation which is still recovering He still stands tall as Himalaya
Sheikh Mujib was called Bangabandhu, friend of Bengal. After achieving independence of Bangladesh he lived only for three and a half years but had he been alive now, he would have been ranked with some famous world leaders
Abdul Gaffar Choudhury
Today is 15th August. 41 years ago on this very day the founding father of our country, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated along with most of his family members, except his two daughters who were abroad at that time. People of Bangladesh still mourn for Bangabandhu who gave them a secular identity and a sovereign state. I had the great privilege of knowing this great man from a very close quarter. Every year 15th August comes and reminds me of the great tragedy that shocked the whole nation which is still recoveringfrom it.
The private secretary of Sir Winston Churchill, the wartime Prime Minister of Britain, wrote a book under the title I was the shadow of Churchill where he highlighted many personal traits and political sides of Churchill, which was even unknown to his many biographers also. I was not a shadow of Sheikh Mujib, but a close associate for a long time. I have seen his both sides-as a political leader and a private man. As a political leader his towering personality was a match with his personal charisma. I have no doubt that if he were still alive he would have been accepted as one of the great leaders of South-east Asia.
Sheikh Mujib was called Bangabandhu, friend of Bengal. After achieving independence of Bangladesh he lived only for three and a half years but had he been alive now, he would have been ranked with some famous world leaders. Realizing this truth the World Peace Conference awarded him the Joliot Curie Peace prize with the title Bishwabandhu (friend of the world) in 1973. After his death his portrait was placed with some famous leaders of the world like Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam in the International Peace Conference held in Warsaw.
In 1973, just after the independence of Bangladesh Bangabandhu was invited to the Summit of Non-aligned Movement held in Algiers. He joined the conference on 6th September. I was a member of his entourage as a journalist and witnessed some great events in my life. At tea-break the Presidents and Prime Ministers of different Non-Aligned countries gathered in the big hall relaxing and chatting with each other. When Bangabandhu entered the hall they rushed to see him and surrounded him. I saw a great desire among them to be acquainted with the person who has just freed his country by an armed struggle. Indira Gandhi of India immediately started introducing Sheikh Mujib to other leaders. Among them were Anwar Sadat of Egypt, Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, Yaseer Arafat of Palestine, Marshal Tito of Yugoslavia (now defunct), and Fidel Castro of Cuba. King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was standing just outside this circle.
For a particular reason after 43 years I still remember those leaders who were present in that conference. Except Fidel Castro, those leaders are all dead now. Among those who died all were assassinated except one, Marshal Tito who died a natural death. It was alleged that all the assassinations were plotted by CIA. Sheikh Mujib was killed on 15th August 1975. Only a month before this assassination King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was killed. Before his death he declared he would free the City of Jerusalem from the occupation of Israel and offer his prayer in the holy Mosque of Al-Aqsa. He could not fulfil his promise and became a victim of the joint conspiracies of CIA of America and Mossad of Israel. I have already mentioned those leaders who surrounded Bangalbandhu on that day. All of them except two were killed. Though it was said that Yaseer Arafat died a natural death now it has been revealed that he was also poisoned by Mossads agents. Very recently Colonel Gaddafi was also killed in the name of the so-called Arab Spring.
Last century had witnessed the rivalry between two superpowers-America and Soviet Union. The newly independent countries of Asia and Africa wanted to keep themselves free from this rivalry and keep themselves safe from their aggression. They formed Non-Aligned Movement under the leadership of Nehru of India, Nasser of Egypt and Tito of Yugoslavia. The Soviet Union before its collapse supported this movement, but America did not.
After the death of Nehru and Nasser it seemed that NAM would not survive for the lack of strong leadership. But immediately two new leaders filled up the gap- Indira and Sheikh Mujib. In Algiers Summit 1973 it was apparent that the conference again got a trio leadership- Indira, Mujib and Tito.
In the same conference the leader of Cuba Fidel Castro embraced Sheikh Mujib and said, I have not seen Himalaya, but I have seen Sheikh Mujib. The leaders of the newly independent countries of Asia and Africa immediately got a message that NAM is still their protector from the aggression of super powers, under a new, strong leadership.
With the passing of time the world situation has changed very rapidly. The killings of Sheikh Mujib and Indira Gandhi and the death of Tito has weakened NAM and the collapse of Soviet Union has created a unipolar world with unlimited power in the hands of America. Neo-conservatives in America have copied Mein Kampf from Hitler and formulated their formula for world domination. Present world terrorism is nothing but the product of global imperialism and capitalism which is now the greatest threat to humanity.
Bangladesh is a small South Asian country that could not escape the present volatile situation in the world. Still the government of the country, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangalbandhu is adhering to his ideals. After coming to power she tried to strengthen NAM by inviting the leaders to hold the conference in Dhaka. All preparation was finished for the NAM conference but Sheikh Hasina lost the election and BNP came to power. They did not allow the NAM leaders to hold the conference in Dhaka and changed the venue. If this conference could be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh could have enjoyed more importance and influence in the Non-Aligned countries of the world.
The world has changed in a big way in the last century, but Sheikh Mujibs ideals are still very much relevant to Bangladesh politics. Sheikh Hasina, to cope with the change of time is still following Bangabandhus policy both home and abroad with some alterations.
She got inspiration from Bangabandhus life to fight against terrorism and not to submit to the so-called new world order. In the present circumstances also Bangabandhu is still very much relevant to our national life and he still remains the leader for our struggle for survival.
London, Friday 12 Aug 2016
