Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman attended the birthday celebration of his grandson Sajeeb Wazed Joy on Jul 27 in 1975, which was, in fact, the last family function of his life.
During the programme, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib were captured in a photograph with Joy, son of Sheikh Hasina, the incumbent prime minister and Awami League president.
Wearing his grandfather’s cap, little boy Joy posed for the picture, but none knew that this would be Joy’s last close interaction with Bangabandhu.
Recalling his memories as Bangabandhu’s private secretary, former governor of Bangladesh Bank Dr Mohammed Farashuddin Ahmed said there was festivity in Bangabandhu’s family throughout the month of Jul in 1975.
Bangabandhu joined the birthday function of Joy on Jul 27, although the function was very much simple, he added.
Two days later, Sheikh Hasina with her two children Saima Wazed Hossain Putul and Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her sister Sheikh Rehana left the country for Germany on Jul 30.
Despite her unwillingness, Sheikh Hasina had to go to Germany after getting a phone call from her husband Dr MA Wazed Miah, who was then working there.
An active politician since his student life, Bangabandhu always thought for the welfare of the mass people throughout his life. He could spend a little time with his family members, including father, mother, wife and children.
After returning home from Pakistan jail following the country’s independence in 1971 through a bloody war, Bangabandhu devoted himself to serve the country and its people. He planned for reforming the country’s education, health, economy and cultural sectors.
He arranged wedding ceremony of his sons –Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Jamal– in Jul 1975 three and half a year after he assumed state power of the new born Bangladesh. Bangabandhu married off his sons in three days.
According to Farashuddin Ahmed, on Jul 14, 1975, Bangabandhu’s eldest son Sheikh Kamal tied knout with Sultana Ahmed Khuku, the youngest daughter of Dhaka University’s (DU) then executive engineer Dabir Uddin Ahmed while
Sheikh Jamal married to his cousin Rosy Jamal, daughter of Syed Hossain, on Jul 17, 1975.
As per the Bangabandhu’s directives and Bangamata’s assistance, about all of the precious gifts that were presented in the wedding ceremony of Sheikh Kamal were donated to the state treasury, he said.
But everything was evaporated only within a month. A vicious circle ruined Bangabandhu’s dream of building Sonar Bangla. Newly conjugal lives of Sheikh
Kamal and Sheikh Jamal were smashed. Color of henna of the new brides was blended with blood. Screaming of infant Sheikh Russell was lost forever. The whole nation sank in darkness.