Today marks the 106th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh, the undisputed leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, widely known as Bangabandhu.
He was born on March 17, 1920, in Tungipara of Gopalganj District. His father was Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and his mother Sayera Khatun.
Born during the British colonial era, Bangabandhu became politically active from his teenage years. While studying at Gopalganj Mission School, he participated in anti-British movements and was imprisoned for the first time. Later, during his studies at Islamia College in Kolkata, he came under the influence of prominent leaders Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Abul Hashim, becoming deeply involved in student politics.
His formal political journey began in 1940 when he joined the All-India Muslim Students Federation. In 1946, he was elected general secretary of the Islamia College Students’ Union. Later, on January 4, 1948, he helped establish the East Pakistan Muslim Students League.
Through his leadership in the Six-Point Movement, the 1969 Mass Uprising in East Pakistan, and the 1970 Pakistani General Election, he emerged as the undisputed leader of the Bengali people.
On March 7, 1971, at the then Racecourse Ground in Dhaka, his historic speech inspired the nation’s struggle for independence. On the night of March 25 that year, Pakistani forces arrested him. After nine months of war, Bangladesh achieved independence on December 16, 1971.
He was released from a Pakistani prison on January 8, 1972, and returned to the country on January 10 via London and Delhi. After returning, he dedicated himself to rebuilding the war-ravaged nation. However, on August 15, 1975, he was assassinated along with most of his family members.
Throughout his struggle against Pakistani rule, Bangabandhu spent a total of 4,682 days in prison. During Pakistan’s 24-year rule, he remained behind bars for nearly 13 years and spent eight of his birthdays in jail.
Bangabandhu himself never celebrated his birthday with grandeur. He usually spent the day simply, receiving greetings from family members at home while party leaders and activists commemorated the occasion through various programs.
