Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recited a poem titled ‘Father’ written by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana on the occasion of the inauguration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The recorded recitation was aired simultaneously by all electronic media, including Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, online and social media on Tuesday evening.

Father

Sheikh Rehana

My greatest delight was to

greet you with a flower

on your every birthday.

I shall never get this happiness

I shall never be able to say

happy birthday.

Why did it happen so?

Who will answer my question?

Where shall I get you?

If you stay within the evening stars

I shall say happy birthday

gazing at the sky.

Will you be twinkling?

If you dwell in front of the vast ocean

enjoying its swirling waves,

I shall say happy birthday.

Shall I hear your thunderous voice

in the roar of the sea?

At the peak of hill

where clouds play hide-and-seek

in the blue sky,

are you there?

Gazing there I shall utter happy birthday.

A slice of white cloud will drift by,

are you there?

I shall go on searching and calling you

in the sky, air, hills and valleys.

Do you lodge in the reverberation

caused by  my calling?

Happy birthday.

Happy birthday.          

(London, 17th March 2010 )

Translated by: Saidur Rahman