Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was fortunate enough to have Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib as his life partner who provided him immense strength to work for the independence of the country and welfare of the people.
“It had been the good luck for my father that he got my mother as a life partner beside him,” she told a programme held to mark the birth anniversary of Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib. She also distributed Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Padak-2022 at the function.
Sheikh Hasina is the eldest child of Bangabandhu and Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib. Both her parents were assassinated along with most members of the family during the August 15 carnage in 1975 at their residence on Dhanmandi Road 32.
She also paid tribute to her grandfather and grandmother for allowing their son (Bangabandhu) the freedom to work for the country from his early days. Her grandparents had never demanded anything from their son, she said.
“It was easy for my father to devote fully to the struggle for achieving independence of the country as he got such wonderful life partner and parents beside him,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said it would have been very tough for Bangabandhu to work for the country and give full concentration on politics had he not been blessed with a life partner like her mother.
“…if she had nagged her husband all the time pressing for various demands, it would have been a tough job for my father,” she said.
She said that her mother never insisted on getting anything from her husband.
The PM said that her mother had been gifted with an unusual mental strength to face any problem with courage and adjust her life with difficult situation.
She further said her mother also brought them up in that way and taught her children to face hostile situation with courage.
Sheikh Hasina also said that the political decisions that her mother had made proved helpful for the country’s independence movement.
“My mother’s attention was on everything that was for the good of country and its people,” she said.
In this regard she mentioned some anecdotes that occurred before and after the independence of Bangladesh.
“My mother was confident that the country will get its independence and this conviction of my mother was very much helpful for my father,” she said.
Sheikh Hasina said that her mother had given everything for the country till her last breath.
“On august 15, she did not beg for her life. She rather sacrificed her life,” she said.
She asked the women of the country to be imbibed with Bangamata’s ideology that teaches that desire, pleasure and luxury should not be only purpose of one’s life.
“I will call upon the women of the country to be imbibed with the spirit of sacrifice and work for the welfare of the people,” she said.
Noted writer Anwara Syed Haq presented the keynote paper on the life and sacrifices of Bangamata.
Syeda Zebunnesa Haque, who spoke from among the awardees, said she was deeply touched to have received the honour.
State Minister for Women and Child Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, Jatiyo Mohila Sangstha Chairman Begum Chemon Ara Tayab and Women and Child Affairs secretary Md. Hasanuzzaman Kallol also spoke at the programme.
A documentary on the Bangamata was screen at the programme.
The PM also distributed Tk 2000 each to 2500 insolvent women across the country through mobile banking system.
Of the amount, Tk 13 lakh was distributed among the women in flood-hit Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Netrokona districts.
She also distributed some 4500 swing machines among distressed women across the country.
She also unveiled the cover of a book written by her titled ‘Sheikh Fazilatunnesa: Amar Maa’ (Sheikh Fazilatunnesa: My Mother).
Sheikh Hasina also opened a women's hostel named after Begum Fazilatun Nesa Mujib in the capital.
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