Brave father’s bold son: Sheikh Jamal

Today is the 70th birth anniversary of valiant freedom fighter Sheikh Jamal.

Jamal was the second son of Bangladesh’s founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and younger brother of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sheikh Jamal was born on April 28th, 1954 in Tungipara, Gopalganj. After a period of studies at B A F Shaheen College, he attended Dhaka Residential Model College for his matriculation and Dhaka College for his intermediate studies.

He was an accomplished cricketer and had learnt guitar at a music school.

Jamal went to Yugoslavia for military training under the patronage of the Yugoslav army while he was a student at Dhaka College. Subsequently, he received training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom.

After returning from there, he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Second East Bengal Regiment in Dhaka.

He left a lasting impression of outstanding professionalism and honesty among the officers and soldiers throughout his brief time with the Second East Bengal Regiment. The boxing team for the unit was also trained by him.

He later joined Bangladesh Army as a Commissioned Officer under first long cours.

During the Liberation War in 1971, Jamal was imprisoned in Dhanmondi together with his mother and other family members. Jamal managed to escape the home arrest and cross over to a freed zone, where he joined the fight for the liberation of the nation.

After a perilous journey from Dhanmondi, he finally arrived in Agartala, India. Jamal joined the Mujib Bahini (Bangladesh Liberation Forces, BLF). He participated in Sector-9's front line during the liberation war after obtaining training.

On 19 December, the two freedom fighter brothers Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Jamal, attired in military uniforms, returned home to their family at Road 18 Dhanmondi.

He got married with his cousin (his paternal aunt's daughter) Parveen Jamal Rosy on 17 July 1975.

Sheikh Jamal visited the cantonment on August 14, 1975, sometime late in the evening while serving as a battalion duty officer. Naik Subedar Burki informed him, "Sir, it is late in the night. Stay with the group tonight.”

Jamal was supposed to be with the squad that night, but that did not happen. He traveled back to House 677 on Road 32 in Dhanmondi. By then, the nefarious conspiratorial forces had completed their horrific plans to carry out some of the most brutal murders in history.

On early August 15 in 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s architect, with most of his family members including Sheikh Jamal, was assassinated by a group of disgruntled army officers.

The killers murdered Sheikh Jamal, Sultana Khuki, and Rosy Jamal in Bangamata Fazilatunnessa Mujib's bedroom on the first floor of the mansion after first killing Sheikh Kamal and then Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

At the time Jamal was a second lieutenant in the Bangladesh Army. He was associated with Abahani Club and other sports clubs. Now a club has been named after him, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.

On the occasion of celebrating his 70th birthday, ruling Awami League organized a special munajat (prayer) at around 9:00 am at Banani Graveyard to honor Shaheed (martyred) Sheikh Jamal on the occasion of his birthday with the appropriate dignity and to offer prayers for his departed soul.