Today marks the 106th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Born on March 17, 1920, in Tungipara, Gopalganj District, he was the third of four sisters and two brothers of Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Sayera Khatun. Affectionately called “Khoka” in his childhood, he would later become the guiding light and saviour of the oppressed Bengali people.
From his early years, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman closely observed the joys, sorrows, and struggles of rural life. Deeply connected to his village and its people, he was profoundly affected by the exploitation and oppression inflicted by landlords, moneylenders, and local elites. This upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of justice. The communal harmony between Hindus and Muslims in his village shaped his values of secularism and tolerance. By his teenage years, he was already actively involved in politics.
While studying in the eighth grade at Gopalganj Mission School, he joined anti-British movements and was arrested for the first time, marking the beginning of a lifelong struggle for the rights of the people.
Bangabandhu dedicated his entire life to the cause of Bengali rights and liberation. He spent 14 years in prison and faced death sentences twice, yet he never wavered in defending the dignity and rights of his people.
In 1948, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with his political colleagues, established the Bangladesh Chhatra League and later the Awami League in 1949. He played a pivotal role in the 1952 Language Movement, the 1954 United Front elections, the 1962 Education Movement, the 1966 Six-Point Programme, and the 1969 Mass Uprising, culminating in the historic 1970 election that confirmed him as the undisputed leader of the Bengali nation.
Inspired by his fearless leadership, the oppressed Bengali people rose in unity. On March 7, 1971, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered a historic speech at the Racecourse Ground (now Suhrawardy Udyan), declaring: “Ebarer songram – amader muktir songram; ebarer songram – swadhinotar songram” (The struggle this time is for emancipation! The struggle this time is for independence!). Following this declaration, a nationwide civil disobedience campaign began. On the first hour of March 26, 1971, before being arrested by Pakistani forces, he formally declared the independence of Bangladesh.
Nine months of brutal armed struggle ensued, resulting in the sacrifice of three million martyrs and atrocities against 200,000 women, ultimately leading to the birth of an independent Bangladesh under his leadership. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is widely recognized as the founding father of Bangladesh, inseparably linked to the nation, its land, and its people.
However, tragedy struck on August 15, 1975, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were brutally assassinated by a group of army men, plunging the nation into mourning.