Mujib turned into a great leader
Without any doubt, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the architect of Bangladesh. Mujib first showed the signs of being a people’s leader in 1943 when he distributed rice to famine-stricken people from his father’s stockpile without his father’s knowledge. From that very first act of leadership until the day he died, he remained a leader of the people.
An analysis of his prison history indicates that during the 24 years of Pakistani rule, Mujib spent nearly 12–13 years in prison and faced death sentences twice. Professor Gary J. Bass, author of The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger and a Forgotten Genocide, noted that Mujib’s lifelong activism repeatedly sent him to jail, turning him into a hero to the people. With the Six-Point demand and the mass uprising of 1969, Mujib emerged as an invincible leader.
Bangabandhu’s historic speech
Bangabandhu’s historic 7 March Speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was extempore. Delivered in only 19 minutes, every word of the speech conveyed strategic guidance for the final phase of the struggle and inspired patriotic feelings among the people.
Professor David Ludden of New York University argued that the speech “inspired a popular revolution.” It has been recognized as one of the greatest speeches in world history. In his 2013 book We Shall Fight on the Beaches: The Speeches That Inspired History, Jacob F. Field included extracts from some of the most inspirational speeches of the last 2,500 years, alongside those of leaders such as Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Mao Zedong, and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In the book’s preface, excerpts from only three world leaders are featured, one of whom is the Founder of Bangladesh.
South African leader Nelson Mandela described the March 7 speech as the formula for the independence of Bangladesh. Yugoslav President Josip Broz Tito said, “Bangabandhu proved it was not Pakistan, it was Bangladesh.” British Prime Minister Edward Heath remarked that the speech was not only for the people of Bangladesh but also an inspiration for liberators around the world.
On October 30, 2017, UNESCO declared the speech part of the Memory of the World Documentary Heritage, recognizing it as a historic document that inspired a nation’s independence and resonated across the world. UNESCO also associated itself with Bangabandhu’s birth centenary through its Anniversary Programme in 2019. In 2020, during the centenary year of Bangabandhu’s birth, UNESCO established the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy.
Honor and tribute to Bangabandhu
The World Peace Council awarded the Julio Curie Peace Prize to Bangabandhu on May 23, 1973, at a peace conference in Dhaka, describing him as “a friend of the world.” Later, India conferred the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2020 on Bangabandhu, recognizing his immense and unparalleled contribution to inspiring the liberation of Bangladesh, bringing stability to a nation born out of strife, laying the foundation for close and fraternal relations between India and Bangladesh, and promoting peace and non-violence in the Indian subcontinent.
During the 1973 summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Algiers, Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro made a memorable remark: “I have not seen the Himalayas, but I have seen Sheikh Mujib. In personality and courage, this man is the Himalayas.”
World leaders paid glowing tributes to Bangabandhu on the occasion of his birth centenary and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence. Presidents and heads of government from around the world—including the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation—described Bangabandhu as an inspiration for generations to come.
Among them, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Bangabandhu means a leader of courage, a man of conviction, a sage of peace, a champion of justice, equality and dignity, a hand of defiance against brutality, and a shield against coercion.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping noted that fifty years ago Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman founded the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and devoted his entire life to his country and people. He also mentioned that Bangabandhu was an old friend of the Chinese people, recalling his visits to China in 1952 and 1957 and his interactions with Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai. Xi added that the Chinese dream of national renewal could connect well with the dream of Sonar Bangla.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga described Bangladesh’s independence as a historic achievement under the indomitable leadership of Bangabandhu. He recalled welcoming Bangabandhu to Japan in 1973 and his conversations with local people during visits to Japanese paddy fields and farmlands.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described Bangabandhu as an extraordinary leader and highlighted the historic friendship between Russia and Bangladesh.
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen stated that Bangabandhu’s idea of secularism ensured freedom for people to practice religion while preventing its political misuse. According to Sen, countries in the Indian subcontinent could learn from this concept of secularism.
An unbelievable tragedy
Unfortunately, a dark chapter unfolded in the nation’s history when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was brutally assassinated along with most of his family members by a group of junior army officers on August 15, 1975—an event known as the Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After 34 years, a verdict on the murders was delivered through due legal process. Yet it remains tragic that justice has not been fully ensured even today, as several convicted killers continue to live abroad in different countries, including Canada and the United States. No country should serve as a safe sanctuary for convicted murderers. The international community should respect the law of the land and cooperate in bringing these individuals to justice.
Conclusion
A great leader never truly dies, even when he is killed. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remains not only a towering figure for Bangladesh but also a leader whose legacy continues to inspire people across the world
