Remembering martyrs of Peelkhana: An open letter to Shaheed Col Mojib

Dear Colonel Mojib, Family and friends have gathered today to honour your memories, your courage and your selfless service to your country. As we think about all the joy that you brought into our lives, we are always able to smile and to laugh through the tears and the pain. One thing we all know is that you are somewhere safe and at peace with your beloved colleagues who embraced martyrdom for the motherland on February 25 and 26, 2009. We indeed feel proud about the sacrifice and courage of all your comrades, 57 bright army officers, one jawan and a BDR official, but sadly you all had to prove your worth to the nation at the cost of your supreme sacrifice. The nation will always miss you and at the same time, this will haunt us forever. We are proud of you for the way you all upheld your morals. I hope your morals would be reverberated in the heart of our youth. Dear Col. Mojib (my dear Dada), though I have never told you, but perhaps you know that I always take pride in introducing myself to others as your younger brother. You were a great role model to me and still are. You had such a strong personality and always led by example everywhere you went. I often hear good things about you from people who do not know that we are brothers. You were a man of quality with the characteristics of a Good Soldier. Amma mother used to share a traditional wisdom with us, which says that the back plough always follows the front plough. I hope this will be true in our life. We, your surviving three siblings, are trying to follow you and hold the patriotism in our hearts. It's not only us; your colleagues also know how you gave your heart to being a soldier to this country. Many of our relatives say you have set an example for your siblings and I feel that you are still doing the same. Dear Dada, you had a way of doing things that would brighten up anyone's day. I often try to imitate your voice and call myself especially when I am alone just to get some energy from your voice. Do you know that your photograph which I have at the entrance of my house gives me immense strength to look forward and face all difficulties and challenges of life? This is the photo of your last command, raising your sword up towards the sky to tell us all how much love you had for your country. Your colleagues say that you were a great soldier and a commander. Whoever you worked with, you won the hearts and minds of your superiors, colleagues and those under your command. The photo album discovered from your burnt down house after your painful death, contains remarks by your UN mission colleagues from different countries, sheds a beautiful light on your character and personality as well as the quality of your leadership. Major Hamdi Jafar of Jordan, who served under your command writes about you ".not just a man of arms, but also a man of tolerance, understanding heart, intellect and one who can pick up officers from all sorts of emotional ditches, one who makes big problems look so small and easy to solve, change the atmosphere of isolation into one family and home... a brother figure as well as an achieving commander." James T Armstrong of the Royal Air Force of UK says, "It has been my pleasure to work with Col. Mojib in the pursuit of peace in Georgia/Abkhazia. He has created a 'Paradise' under his leadership in Gali. He has helped foster good relationships between the military observers from many different nations and diverse cultures and moulded them into a strong team that is loyal to Gali sector and the United Nation's observer Mission in Georgia." You were such a gem of a person among your friends - they wrote in your memory, "Mojib had an extra-ordinary character, who knew the song in friend's hearts and sang that to them when their memory failed. Mojib was a true friend, who always assisted us readily, took everything patiently, defended heroically, and continued friendship unchangeably." I had no idea that in your life time you have met so many people and touched so many hearts. You will always be remembered by everyone who had the pleasure of being around you. I have not forgotten how you felt about our youth; you had immense faith in the young generation of this country. You had a strong feeling that the young could do miracles for this country. We have a specific plan to work with the youth and will soon launch a scheme to encourage youths of the country to uphold patriotism. I am sure you would be happy to know that our leading painters of the country banded together last Friday for paying tributes to all of you who embraced martyrdom for the country. All their art work will be on display for seven days at the Dhaka Art Center from today (February 25, 2011). Our artists felt shame as human being watching the brutality unleashed by the murderers when they mutilated the martyred bodies. They have expressed their deep respect for all of you. Just know your family members are proud; the nation is proud; just know the Army is proud. I know our government will respect the demand of the people and announce the day (February 25) as 'Shaheed Sena Dibosh.' The general mass joins all your friends and colleagues to demand for a monument, acknowledging all of your supreme sacrifices. I hope the monument will be built at a suitable public place which will keep energising our youths and inspire patriotism. We have so much to learn from you all, our martyred brothers. Dear Dada, you will be missed along with all your martyred comrades, but you will never be forgotten. We will do all that is possible for us through Colonel Mojib Trust, the foundation that we have set up in your name. We are proud of you, our martyred brothers. M Emamul Haque