How was Bangabandhu’s birthday celebrated on March 17, 1975, before he was brutally assassinated 5 months later? A video posted on Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy’s verified Facebook profile shows how the country celebrated the Father of the Nation’s birthday that year. Along with the video, Sajeeb Wazed posted a caption that reads: “March 17, 1975 was a memorable one as all ways led to Dhanmondi 32 where thousands of people gathered since the dawn to wish their leader on his birthday. Read More: Bangabandhu’s birth anniversary and National Children’s Day celebrated in Canberra “My grandfather Bangabandhu appeared before them, exchanging greetings and shaking hands. His day was tightly knitted with programs from appearing in an award-handing ceremony to receiving greetings from overseas diplomats. In addition, school students also greeted their leader inside the national parliament premises. “Who knew that this man who kindled the spirit of freedom in the hearts of millions would be gunned down by the assassins the same year? The successive military rulers sealed the chapter in such a way that even the footages, recorded and stored by Bangladesh Film Archive, were not allowed to see the light. “However, owing to the tireless works of those who preserved it, these footages are now made public.” Read More: The Fearless Call commemorates fearless Bangabandhu “On his birthday, I would like to pay my tribute to the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” Sajeeb Wazed wrote.

With tears in his eyes, Golam Ahmed Tito – brother of eminent athlete Sultana Kamal who was married to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s eldest son Sheikh Kamal – recounted the traumatic ordeals of having to watch killers of his sister being embraced by the country’s first military ruler General Ziaur Rahman. The profound silence on harbouring killers of the country’s founding father and state patronage – as provided by then BNP governments – to rehabilitate war criminals by allowing Jamaat to grow in the country should be held responsible for systematic executions of over 1,000 armed forces personnel, many of whom were war heroes, during the regime of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and attacks on Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina, he was of the opinion.      A student of University of Dhaka, Sultana Kamal held national records in long jump, but her life met an abrupt end on August 15, 1975 when a group of disgruntled army officers stormed into Mujib’s residence in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi and gunned down as many as 19 family members including Sheikh Russel – who was just 10 at the time – Bangabandhu’s youngest offspring. Bangabandhu’s daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana were the only members of the Mujib family who survived as they were abroad on that fateful night. “…My sister and all members of the family [there that night] were brutally gunned down. What were their faults? Sheikh Mujib had to pay with his life for leading a nation to independence... Why did the rights groups never speak about the rights of so many killed that night?” – Ahmed asked at a recent event in Dhaka. “In 1971, local collaborators with the Pakistani army picked up my brother from his home and later murdered him… We couldn’t even locate the remains of my brother to perform his burial,” said an inconsolable Ahmed. The calls for justice from victim families like Ahmed’s and families of over 1,000 armed forces personnel executed under the Zia regime went unheeded and mocked during the BNP-Jamaat governments.   With a number of war criminals and killers of the Mujib family still evading justice – thanks to some western countries providing them shelter – is a lesson in double standards and hypocrisy, considering the governments of these countries often lecture countries like Bangladesh on human rights, facilitated by certain rights groups who selectively raise issues, Ahmed said. Reports exposed Jamaat leader Mir Quasem Ali striking a $25 million deal in October 2010 with one of the most influential US lobby firms, Cassidy & Associates, for engaging with the US government and the Bangladesh government “to protect his interest”. Though Jamaat actively opposed Bangladesh’s independence and took part in genocide and crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, BNP founder Zia facilitated it in making inroads into mainstream politics in the aftermath of the assassination of the country’s founding father. Jamaat leaders were made ministers after Khaleda Zia formed government, according to freedom fighter, noted researcher, and journalist Ajoy Das Gupta. To protect killers of the Father of the Nation and his family members, including Ahmed’s sister Sultana Kamal, the Indemnity Ordinance was formed in 1975. In 1979, Ziaur Rahman amended the constitution to make it into law. Under successive BNP-Jamaat governments, till 1996, the murderers were offered jobs in foreign missions and they were sheltered by western countries. BNP-Jamaat led coalition unleashed at least 19 assassination attempts on Sheikh Hasina with the most lethal one on August 21, 2004 at an Awami League rally. Orchestrated by militants, reportedly with help from Pakistan, the grenade attack changed Bangladesh’s political landscape forever. The attackers were ensured safe passage from the country to evade justice, according to media reports at the time. Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is a surviving member of the Sheikh Mujib family, wrote: “Over a period of two decades, BNP in collaboration with its extremist ally Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir maintained a notorious political culture marked by homicidal assaults on law enforcement and innocent bystanders, premeditated vandalism and firebombing on transportation, arson attacks against minorities and other communities, and the assassination of political opponents in the name of ‘right to protest’.” “Like before, they are resorting to outlawed extremist outfits like JMB and Harkat-Ul-Jihad to work out their agenda,” he wrote last year in a Facebook post.

The rueful month of August is remembered as one of the darkest days in history for the brutal assassination of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members on August 15, 1975. On that day, the then Director-General of DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence), Shaheed Brigadier General Jamil Uddin Ahmed, ‘Bir Uttam’, was the only one to sacrifice his life to save Bangabandhu.  Marking the 46th death anniversary of the assassinated martyrs and National Mourning Day 2021, the country’s premier news agency United News of Bangladesh (UNB) recently organized a first-ever video interview featuring seven grandchildren of the brave-heart remembered as ‘Colonel Jamil’: Masud Jamil Khan, Rumessa Mailloux, Jamil Khan, Nahar Khan, Armaan Jamil Hossain, Shaan Jamil Hossain and Zahra Jamil Rahman, together for the first time from home and abroad. The special interview, hosted by noted visual artist Sourav Chowdhury, commemorated the valiant patriot who his grandchildren never met in person due to his heroic sacrifice and untimely departure. The grandchildren also fondly remembered their late grandmother Anjuman Ara Jamil, former Member of Parliament and an iconic entrepreneur in the country. Also read: Brig. General Jamil: A profile in duty and courage   Sourav Chowdhury: Being the eldest grandchild, how do you view your grandfather and honour his legacy? Masud Jamil Khan: Unfortunately, I couldn’t meet my grandfather in person - however, I always receive mass admiration from everywhere as the grandson of Colonel Jamil and my grandmother Anjuman Ara Jamil, a former Member of Parliament representing Kushtia, Meherpur and Chuadanga. She established the Jamil Foundation, empowering local women - which we are proudly continuing as their legacy. As the Deputy Managing Director of the Cosmos Group and also a father of three beautiful daughters, I always feel that the patriotism, sacrifice and dedication of our grandparents have always inspired us to gloriously move with confidence, pride and dignity.  Sourav Chowdhury: Cosmos Foundation has been focused on working towards preserving Bangladesh’s history and culture, namely the works and legacy of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu. Could you tell us about this? Masud Jamil Khan:Through our Cosmos Foundation and its artistic wing Gallery Cosmos, we have been organizing several cultural activities to fulfill our commitment to the society - including special exhibitions, art camps, workshops and more, at home and abroad. We have published special books on the Father of the Nation, namely "Bangabandhu: Epitome of a Nation" and "Brave Heart". Written by Enayetullah Khan, these books are incomparable as these have featured exclusive memoirs of Bangabandhu and also our patriotic grandfather, and I hope we will see further publications in the future."  Sourav Chowdhury: Jamil Khan, you are currently joining us from San Diego California in the US. You are named after your heroic grandfather and you have a lot of similarities too, I hear. Could you tell us about your grandfather? Jamil Khan:We grew up hearing the stories about our brave-heart Nana (grandfather) from my mom, my Nanu (grandmother) and my aunts. Recently, I learned that my Nana Bhai liked photography, and I like photography too - my photography exhibition was held in Dhaka back in December 2004. Nana bhai liked to travel, I like to travel as well. To preserve his legacy, I have plans to feature his heroism through writing and archiving publications, photographs and more. Sourav Chowdhury:Rumessa Mailloux, thank you for joining us from Toronto, Canada. Please tell us about your thoughts and feelings on your grandfather. Also read: Cosmos Foundation and Liberation War Museum sign MoU Rumessa Mailloux: I was born nine years after my Nana’s passing, so we couldn’t meet in person. However, I was blessed to hear the stories regarding how charming, handsome, sincere, charismatic and humble of a person he was. He is the pride of our family and our nation, as he was the only one who sacrificed his life for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - the greatest leader and founding father of Bangladesh. His legacy is being continued through his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Three years ago, my son did a project on Nana Bhai and I am so proud he shared his story with his Canadian mates, who were amazed to know about our family history. A true hero lives forever and remains immortal because of the heroic acts, and I hope my Nana and Nanu have reunited peacefully in heaven. 

August, the month when Bangladesh lost its founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, began on Saturday.