By Tameem Ahmed

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the founding leader of the country of Bangladesh. He was a politician and statesman. This inspiring man was the first president of Bangladesh. Additionally, he was the second prime minister. Mujib was the architect of independent Bangladesh. He led the Liberation War to victory and known as the father of the Bengali nation.

Mujibur Rahman was born in 17-March-1920 in Tungipara. He was the son of a landowner— Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Sayera Khatun. During his childhood, his parents had noticed a potential of leadership. Also he was socially driven and a huge fan of sport. Mujib studied law and political science at University of Calcutta and University of Dhaka.

Sheikh Mujib was in great touch with Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy so he joined the Bengal-Muslim-League. Mujib actively worked for separate Muslim state of Pakistan. A year passed and Mujibur Rahman became the general secretary of the Islamia College Students Union.

Mujib had a special contribution to the language-movement for Bengali to be their main language instead of Urdu.

During 1949, Sheikh Mujib was now again politically active and began his career with a election to be one of the joint secretaries of the East-Pakistan Awami Muslim League. Sheikh Mujib finally lead the Awami League, after Suhrawardy’s death in 1963. The party had been nationally known in Pakistan. He wanted to oppose Ayub Khan’s democracy plan which concentrated on power in Pakistan.

In 1966, Mujib declared a 6-point movement titled Our Charter of Survival at a conference in Lahore, for independence of East Pakistan. It’s main agenda was to remove the disparity between the two sides of Pakistan. It was considered an milestone to Bangladesh’s independence. The six points included things such as: the government should deal with two subjects, defence and foreign affairs, the power of taxation and revenue collection should be vested in federal units and they would have no power, etc.

President Ayub Khan created an infamous plan of quelling the 6-point movement. In January-1968, a false case known as the Agartala Conspiracy Case was field Mujib against the state of Pakistan. Hearing this, there were a lot of protest about this. The case ended when a mob set fire to the case files and evidence even thought it hasn’t been proven. Ayub administration was compelled to release him on 22/2/1969, unconditionally.

The next day of release, All-Parties-Student-Acton-Committee organised a reception to him at Dhaka and titled him Bangabandhu.

There was a general election held in Pakistan during 1970. Mujib’s Awami League won a landslide victory, however power wasn’t given to Mujib. Bangabandhu called an movement in East-Pakistan. On 2-25-March-1971 the entire civil authorities in East-Pakistan came under the control and directives of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, himself becoming the head of government of the province.

On 7-March, Muhib made a historical speech at the in Dhaka with a governing over two-million people. Banghabandu proclaimed “This time the struggle is for our freedom. This time the struggle is for our independence.” It inspired the Bengali’s to prepare for independence. Meanwhile, Yahya Khan came to Dhaka on 15-March-1971 for dialogue and it continued until 25-March.

On 25-March-1971, the Pakistan-army had started the genocide and arrested Sheikh Mujib. In the face of the planned massacre, the war of resistance started in the country. Even though he was arrested, Mujib was made President of the-Mujibnagar-Government. His leadership skills were used for the national unity and strength. The freedom fighters farmed within a few months to liberate the country from the occupation of the Pakistani military. Bangladesh had finally won on 16-December-1971 from Pakistani occupation. 3-million-people had been killed in this war and it had gone on until December. Mujib was released from jail and via London he arrived in Dhaka 10-January-1972.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman leaded the first government of the post-liberation Bangladesh for a period of three-years-and-a-half. It was because of his charismatic leadership Bangladesh gained recognition from the international community including the United-Nations.

Mujib was the 1st President-Of-Bangladesh and 2nd Prime-Minister-of-
Bangladesh. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated by army officials on August 15, 1975. Bangabandhu’s eldest daughter, Sheikh Hasina, is the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh.