Bangamata had great contribution to independence: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib had a significant contribution to the independence of the country and all achievements during the struggle for liberation, reports UNB.

"My mother made the 7th June hartal (a countrywide strike in 1966 in support of the historic Six-Point programme) a success. She knew how to wage movement and keep the organization united (in absence of Bangabandhu)," she said.

The premier was addressing an event in the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium on the occasion of the 93rd birth anniversary of Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib.

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs arranged the event to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bangamata and give Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Padak-2023.

Bangamata was gunned down along with her husband Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most members of their family during the mayhem on August 15, 1975 at their 32 Dhanmandi residence.

Hasina said when Bangabandhu was in jail, Bangamata used to inform him about the situation of politics and his organization (the Awami League). She also used to convey Bangabandhu's instructions to the party's leaders and workers.

"Our house was always under the surveillance of the Pakistan intelligence. My mother used to talk to leaders and conveyed them the instructions (of Bangabandhu) going to different places avoiding the watch of intelligence," she said.

In this context, the PM recalled her mother's firm stance in favour of the historic six-point demand when some leaders argued for an eight-point demand instead.

Talking about the detention of Bangabandhu in the Agartala conspiracy case, PM Hasina said her mother took a firm stance for the release of all the accused through the withdrawal of the case, not accepting a proposal for the release of only Bangabandhu on parole. "What a firm morale my mother had!" she said.

She said Pakistani intelligence quizzed Bangamata as well and tried to implicate her in the case.