Alhaj AKM Rafiqul Alam
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is a pride for Bengali speakers all around the world owing to the fact that he is indisputably the greatest Bangalee of a thousand years. A leader whose able leadership led to the formation of a country called ‘Bangladesh’, he transcended the boundaries of the country to ascend himself to the position of a world leader. Bangabandhu always said, “The world has only two sects – the oppressor and the oppressed.
I am always on the side of the oppressed.” And he has always been true to his words and consequently worked for those who were tortured or persecuted in any way. He did not let anyone or anything taint his or his country’s repute. And all that he achieved were a result of his strong will, dedication and leadership. On top of that, he had the biggest quality a political leader could possess --- an eagerness to develop personal ties with cross-sections of people.
And by dint of a magnetic personality, he even became close to his worst enemies and tried to enlighten them through forgiveness and passion. Bangabandhu, in his personal, family, social and state lives, was not a haughty person at all despite his fame and achievements which carved a niche for him in the history. He was outspoken and intended to develop a rightful society by establishing truthfulness, compassion, love, sacrifice and rightfulness.
His long and illustrious political career always was focused on establishing the rights of the oppressed, which is why he put compassion and humanity on the top of his priorities. He believed heart and soul that it was impossible for a political leader to ensure holistic development of the country without loving the people and upholding humanity. We, the people of Gopalganj, are so proud of him and feel blessed that this short-lived legendary leader was born in our area. I will now recount the memory of my first encounter with Bangabandhu from my childhood.
My home was located in Sultanpur Manikhar village of Kathi Union under Gopalganj Sadar Upazila. Our family was well-respected and a renowned one in the area as my father was a doctor and my uncle was the Union Board’s President since the British rule. Since our area would get inundated during the rainy season, the houses were built quite high, like the hills. It was probably the end of 1953 or the beginning of 1954 when I was a fifth grader and used to put on half-pants.
I was looking for a small ball I was playing with when I felt someone patting me on the back and asked me in a very heart-warming tone, “How are you doing, my brother?” I looked back to see a tall, lean man. The other gentleman standing with him asked, “Is the president home?” I hurriedly greeted them and informed them that my uncle was at home. I escorted them to the drawing room and left them there to call my uncle. I was also there and listening to their conversations.
I noticed that the tall and lean man was speaking in a very frank tone and with irrefutable logic. That was my first introduction to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the transcendental leader of the Bangalees who dedicated his whole life to establishing the rights of his people. From that day, I went gaga over him because of his charismatic personality and sense of impenetrable logic. Whenever I got the chance, I grabbed the opportunity to know him better and listen to his oration.
Since my uncle was the Union Board President, Wahiduzzaman (former commerce minister of Pakistan), former MP Fayekuzzaman, Advocate A Salam Khan and other distinguished people would meet regularly at our home, especially before the elections. But no one ever fascinated me like Bangabandhu.
Owing to incessant floods every year and our middle-class background, our economic condition deteriorated after a few years. Which is why, in 1963, three years after passing Bachelor’s in Science (BSC), I joined Kotalipara Union Institution (Baliadanga) as an assistant headmaster and science teacher and continued to teach at Mary Gopinathpur High School. Later, I joined as a production chemist in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi’s Ordnance Factory, which is why I could not actively join politics.
At the end of 1970, I was transferred to Bangladesh Ordnance Factory. Immediately after my transfer, I found out that AKM Mozammel Haque (the incumbent Minister for Liberation War Affairs) is competing for Chairman post of Gazipur Union from Awami League. I met him and campaigned at the factory in favour of him while asking our workers and officials to vote for him because of my ideological and moral grounds. Eventually, he won the election by huge margins.
Later, Awami League, with Bangabandhu at the helm, won a landslide victory by winning an absolute majority in the general elections held in Pakistan on 7 December 1970. But the Pakistani rulers tried to hold on to power. A movement was waged against them. The barbaric retaliation and human rights violations by the Pakistani military junta transformed the peaceful movement into a war for liberation, a war for our national identity and sovereignty.
During the movement, we used to organise processions and meetings at the Ordnance Factory. During those meetings, our labour leaders, especially A. Salam, Sekandar Ali, Nazrul Islam, A. Sattar, were very vocal against the Pakistani rulers. Meanwhile, Motaleb (who later became a parliament member from Sylhet) was leading the movement at Machine Tools Factory. The local people of Gazipur participated in the movements led by the Ordnance Factory and Machine Tools Factory workers. The Ordnance Factory was at the forefront of the movement.
They led the coup to take over the factory and handed over weapons from the stores to the freedom fighters. The workers of the Machine Tools Factory followed them and had always supported the leaders of the Ordnance Factory. Due to the ban on Defence Ministry personnel against participation in politics and since the factories were put under lockdown after the liberation, workers dispersed around the country.
As a result, the locals took over the political scene in that area. And they continued the legacy. One thing I should mention here is that when the Ordnance Factory was shut down at the very outset of the liberation war, I risked my life and returned to Gopalganj to join the liberation war.
After the last national elections where Awami League won a landslide victory, I, as a liberation war veteran, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban in 2019. After seeing Bangabandhu’s daughter, the leader of the people and now a world leader, I understood what a benevolent and kind person she was.
I was in awe of her frank attitude and openness. And I had this feeling that she is very close and known to me. But this was the first time I met her. Then I realized, the closeness and awe I felt for her was a reminder of Bangabandhu’s very caring and heart-warming tone telling me “How are you doing, my brother?”, a memory that will never fade away from my mind.
The writer is a valiant freedom fighter.
