‘My mother used to guide AL with competence in absence of my father’- PM
Photo: Collected
Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, my mother (Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib) had cooperated with my father(Bangabandhu) in every work. She never bothered him with any family problem. In fact most of the time my father was in prison. He could not stay out of jail for two consecutive years. But when my mother went to visit me in prison, she would tell us that there was nothing to worry about. Everything she saw for herself. My mother was responsible for making us to grow up in right way. Besides her, he had relations with every affiliated bodies of Bangladesh Awami League-Chhatra League. Giving instructions or informing the father in jail about the situation outside, bringing the father's instructions and delivering them. She did these things very efficiently.
The Prime Minister was speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organized by the Mahilla Awami League on the occasion of the 91st birthday of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib on Saturday (August 8). She joined the video conference from Ganobhaban.
She said that all the leaders who were imprisoned were in a state of disarray, whether there was a domestic requirments in their house or not. Whether there was a need to help. To treat any Awami League worker who is ill she used to visit him. My mother (Amma) used to take care of the family on the one hand and did these things on the other.
She managed the organization efficiently. She would make the right decisions. This is the biggest thing.
Even when my father became the Prime Minister, I never had this egoistic feeling in my mother. And she never lived in a government building. My father used to come in the morning for work and leave the house with breakfast. At noon, my mother would cook with her own hands and send food in a tiffin- carrier. She always cooked with her own hands. She never thought of going to the kitchen of the Prime Minister's wife to cook.
My mother’s cooking was very tasty. She did not stay in Ganobhaban or government building. The reason for not staying is that she used to say that she would not stay in the government building or in pomp with my son and daughter. I don't want them to get used to luxurious life. She was well aware that we should not indulge in luxuries. She had always taught us that.
We have learned to look at the ground from our parents. At least look at who is worse off than you. Look at those who are better than you, not at the top, look at those who are worse than you and realize that. She never spoke of her own misery. There was never any demand. I never wanted anything. All the time she has gone through.
Majestic woman Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib was a worthy and faithful companion of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the struggle for the rights of the Bengali nation and a comrade-in-arms of the Bengali liberation struggle. Bangamata was endowed with extraordinary intellect, courage, morale and foresight and till her death she made an outstanding contribution to the building of the country and the nation.
My mother did not beg for life to the killer. She did not want to live on her own. She boldly said to the killer, you killed my husband. I will go to him. She was killed there. My mother left us as a suitable companion of my father.
Today is her birthday. At the age of 3 she lost her parents and had been struggling throughout her whole life. It's really painful. But we know how determined she was for the independence of this country. This country will be independent, the people of Bangladesh will be liberated, the people of Bangladesh will be in good condition.
My father’s ideals she held very accurately. And she had dedicated her life to that.
One day the mother never said anything to the father about anything in the world, she did not want anything. These will have to be seen - I will see everything, I will do everything. That's exactly how she left. As a result, my father got the opportunity to work for the country as a whole. I think the women of our country should follow the same ideal.
Through sacrifice a world can be made beautiful, an institution can be made beautiful, a country can be made beautiful.
There is nothing greater than rising above desires and giving up oneself. My mother had shown that example.
We must take the country out of the coronavirus crisis. I will establish Bangladesh as the golden Bengal as dreamt by the Father of the Nation. My mother's sacrifice will not be in vain there, the sacrifices of millions of martyrs will not be in vain.
