Remembering Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a towering personality
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Shamsher Chowdhury
I am a small man to be writing about a towering personality like that of Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Yet, I could not check the temptation of portraying a few unique characteristics of the great man. I am not a politician hence my views and anecdotes are purely based on a personal experience and understanding of the man's exceptional human qualities. My impression of our Father of the Nation was further fortified by my brothers Professor Kabir Chowdhury and late Shaheed Munier Chowdhury.
The first time I came to close proximity of Bangabandhu was when he was delivering that historic speech at the Ramna Race course ground on the 7th of March 1971.
My brother Munier Chowdhury was then living with us at our ancestral home on the then Central Road, now named Shaheed Munier Chowdhury Sharak. This was sometime around two in the afternoon that my brother almost all too suddenly asked me to accompany him to the Race Course ground to listen to the speech about to be delivered by Bangabandhu.
We lodged ourselves at a vantage corner near the present entrance of the Dhaka Club, between the Tennis Federation and the club. I was awe-struck by the sight of a sea of people gathered to listen to him. Never before had I seen such a vast sea of people to have congregated to listen to a single individual. They came even walking from far and wide. As the speech began my brother pressed my shoulder and said, "Look at the great man." Every time Bangabandhu made a point there was thunderous applause. Almost half a million people gave the great man a standing ovation and then became silent and sat down and waited for the next occasion. The weather was hot and the oppressive. I told my brother Munier Chowdhury after a while to return home. Despite the fact he suffered an acute condition of backache, he stayed back for some time more. Such was the charisma of the man, a man who could hold an audience, big or small, mesmerised for hours together.
Later another opportunity presented itself to see Bangabandhu from close quarters at his residence in Dhanmondi. Again it was my brother Munier Chowdhury whom I accompanied when he went to meet Bangabandhu. I have not forgotten to this day as to how he welcomed us.
He called Begum Mujib and said pointing his finger to my brother, "Look, the king has come to my house". I found it a unique element in Bangabandhu that despite the fact that a few thousands of people were already waiting around his house to listen to and talk to him, he was never in a hurry with us. Bangabandhu had a special liking for a certain category of intellectuals like that of my brother. He was a man deeply affectionate and extremely generous. His affection and concern for the poor was unparallel.
I shall narrate yet another incident where I had the opportunity of having a brief encounter with Bangabandhu which is still as fresh in my memory as though it happened yesterday.
It was sometime in 1974. My brother-in-law late Abdur Rahim (former IG of Police) was his Private Secretary. I went to him to seek his assistance in getting a file cleared so that a team of five rice scientists could go to Manila, the capital of the Philippines the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), to attend a meeting of rice scientists. Since he was busy with the then Chiefs of our three forces who were waiting to call on Bangabandhu, I, too, had to wait. Shortly the Chiefs took leave of Bangabandhu and departed. Almost all too suddenly, a tall man, clad in a baggy white pajama and kurta, appeared. He had a pipe in his hand and had a black waist coat on. I was for a while awe struck and could not believe my eyes that I had been looking at the man himself. I was suddenly jolted by a husky but strong and sharp voice asking Mr. Rahim if any one else was waiting to see him. No sooner had Mr. Rahim pointed to me and was about to narrate the purpose of my visit than
Bangabandhu looked at me and said, "Wait Rahim, you do not have to introduce him to me. I know him too well, he is none other than Munier's brother". Such was the photogenic memory of Bangabandhu. Thereafter, Bangabandhu himself caught me by the hand and led me to his chamber and asked me to locate the file lying amongst a pile of flies. I presented it to him and without going into the details of notes in the file he affixed his signature of approval. He then came out and asked Mr. Rahim to arrange issuance of the relevant government order forthwith.
Epilogue
I find it absurd that with only the passing of a few decades we have badly tarnished the image of such a man the kind of which we may never see again. I have no insight into his political wisdom but one thing for sure, come heaven or hell, he was the founder of Bangladesh and the undisputed leader of the country. Admittedly he too had made mistakes just like any other human being. He was no angel but he was no ordinary man either. We, as a nation, are an ungrateful one. A section of our political leadership is guilty in this debilitating act of mauling the image of the great man. Some day I hope they do realise as to what blunders they have committed.
The writer can be reached at e-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com
I am a small man to be writing about a towering personality like that of Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Yet, I could not check the temptation of portraying a few unique characteristics of the great man. I am not a politician hence my views and anecdotes are purely based on a personal experience and understanding of the man's exceptional human qualities. My impression of our Father of the Nation was further fortified by my brothers Professor Kabir Chowdhury and late Shaheed Munier Chowdhury.
The first time I came to close proximity of Bangabandhu was when he was delivering that historic speech at the Ramna Race course ground on the 7th of March 1971.
My brother Munier Chowdhury was then living with us at our ancestral home on the then Central Road, now named Shaheed Munier Chowdhury Sharak. This was sometime around two in the afternoon that my brother almost all too suddenly asked me to accompany him to the Race Course ground to listen to the speech about to be delivered by Bangabandhu.
We lodged ourselves at a vantage corner near the present entrance of the Dhaka Club, between the Tennis Federation and the club. I was awe-struck by the sight of a sea of people gathered to listen to him. Never before had I seen such a vast sea of people to have congregated to listen to a single individual. They came even walking from far and wide. As the speech began my brother pressed my shoulder and said, "Look at the great man." Every time Bangabandhu made a point there was thunderous applause. Almost half a million people gave the great man a standing ovation and then became silent and sat down and waited for the next occasion. The weather was hot and the oppressive. I told my brother Munier Chowdhury after a while to return home. Despite the fact he suffered an acute condition of backache, he stayed back for some time more. Such was the charisma of the man, a man who could hold an audience, big or small, mesmerised for hours together.
Later another opportunity presented itself to see Bangabandhu from close quarters at his residence in Dhanmondi. Again it was my brother Munier Chowdhury whom I accompanied when he went to meet Bangabandhu. I have not forgotten to this day as to how he welcomed us.
He called Begum Mujib and said pointing his finger to my brother, "Look, the king has come to my house". I found it a unique element in Bangabandhu that despite the fact that a few thousands of people were already waiting around his house to listen to and talk to him, he was never in a hurry with us. Bangabandhu had a special liking for a certain category of intellectuals like that of my brother. He was a man deeply affectionate and extremely generous. His affection and concern for the poor was unparallel.
I shall narrate yet another incident where I had the opportunity of having a brief encounter with Bangabandhu which is still as fresh in my memory as though it happened yesterday.
It was sometime in 1974. My brother-in-law late Abdur Rahim (former IG of Police) was his Private Secretary. I went to him to seek his assistance in getting a file cleared so that a team of five rice scientists could go to Manila, the capital of the Philippines the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), to attend a meeting of rice scientists. Since he was busy with the then Chiefs of our three forces who were waiting to call on Bangabandhu, I, too, had to wait. Shortly the Chiefs took leave of Bangabandhu and departed. Almost all too suddenly, a tall man, clad in a baggy white pajama and kurta, appeared. He had a pipe in his hand and had a black waist coat on. I was for a while awe struck and could not believe my eyes that I had been looking at the man himself. I was suddenly jolted by a husky but strong and sharp voice asking Mr. Rahim if any one else was waiting to see him. No sooner had Mr. Rahim pointed to me and was about to narrate the purpose of my visit than
Bangabandhu looked at me and said, "Wait Rahim, you do not have to introduce him to me. I know him too well, he is none other than Munier's brother". Such was the photogenic memory of Bangabandhu. Thereafter, Bangabandhu himself caught me by the hand and led me to his chamber and asked me to locate the file lying amongst a pile of flies. I presented it to him and without going into the details of notes in the file he affixed his signature of approval. He then came out and asked Mr. Rahim to arrange issuance of the relevant government order forthwith.
Epilogue
I find it absurd that with only the passing of a few decades we have badly tarnished the image of such a man the kind of which we may never see again. I have no insight into his political wisdom but one thing for sure, come heaven or hell, he was the founder of Bangladesh and the undisputed leader of the country. Admittedly he too had made mistakes just like any other human being. He was no angel but he was no ordinary man either. We, as a nation, are an ungrateful one. A section of our political leadership is guilty in this debilitating act of mauling the image of the great man. Some day I hope they do realise as to what blunders they have committed.
The writer can be reached at e-mail: chowdhury.shamsher@yahoo.com