Lesson 1: Bangabandhu's family in 1971.

 

A.

(1) Who can you see in the pictures?

Answer: I can see the family of Bangabandhu in both the pictures. In the picture 1 Bangabandhu is sitting along with his parents, wife and children. In the picture 2 Bangabandhu is taking a photograph with his wife and children.

(2) What do you know about them?

Answer: Bangabandhu is one of the greatest leaders of  Bangladesh. Being family members they played a great role to raise him as the father of the nation.

(3) Where were those people during the Liberation War?

Answer: Those people had to suffer a lot during the liberation war. They had to move from one place to another regularly to be safe.

(B) Lesson 1: Bangabandhu's family in 1971. 

It was the night of 25th March, 1971. There was a full of quictness at Bangabandhu's home at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 throughout the day. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members could apprehend that something tragic was going to happen. Gunshots were heard around the city. Bangabandhu's eldest son Sheikh Kamal was out of home for forming barricades against the Pakistan Army who had been killing people indiscriminately that night. Bangabandhu decided to send the girls of the family to a safer place for the might and he gave their responsibility to his son in law Mr. Wazed Mish. Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, who was expecting a baby soon along with her sister Sheikh Rehana and her cousin Farida were sent to a house at Road no. 15, Dhanmondi for that night. Bangabandhu's wife Begur Fazilatunnesa Mujib, stayed with him.

Just before midnight, Bangabandhu sent the declaration of Independence to Mr. Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury at Chattogram via wireless. At the darkest part of that night, the Pakistan Army surrounded his home and started firing at random. The situation agitated Bangabandhu much and he asked them to stop. But, soon he was instructed to get ready to go with them. Begum Mujib packed his necessary belongings. After Bangabandhu left, she was at a loss what to do and where to go with her children. However, being a supportive wife of the great leader all through her life, she soon pulled up her mental strength. But, her anxiety continued till the end of the war.

The next day Begum Mujib had to leave House No. 32 with her children and other members of her home. During the next couple of months, they moved from one shelter to another in search of a safer place. During their stay in those places, some people came forward to helping them while some refused to give them shelter for fear of their own safety. When their provision ran short, Sheikh Kamal, who had already joined the Liberation War, came to them in disguise and delivered some money. Some very close people also supported the family with money and food stuff.

So far the family members were ignorant about Bangabandhu's condition. Suddenly they came to know that he was alive and had been taken to Pakistan. Begum Mujib started to keep contact with Awami League leaders. But soon the family was taken to Dhanmondi, House No. 18 by the Pakistan Army and kept under house arrest. However, people would come to their home with valuable information in disguise of vendors; also some would throw pieces of waste paper with important information written on them.

In the month of May, the same year, Pakistan Army set fire to Bangabandhu's Tungipara home in front of his parents. A young man from the village protested the evil deed and was shot dead. Both the parents of Bangabandhu fell ill in October and were admitted to the then PG Hospital. Begum Mujib and her family were allowed to visit them two or three times a week for one hour. However, that created the opportunity for them to establish a better communication with the freedom fighters.

Finally the Victory day arrived! There was joy everywhere! But, Bangabandhu's family was yet to be freed from captivity. The Pakistani occupational forces were still cordoning Bangabandhu's house and firing at people rushing over there chanting Joy Bangla', the invigorating slogan of the Bangalees. But they fled the next morning when the Indian Army came to rescue the family. Sheikh Jamal returned home in the afternoon while Sheikh Kamal returned home the next day. Nevertheless, the biggest anxiety of the family persisted- Bangabandhu was yet to be released from Pakistani prison and they didn't know when that great moment would arrive and how.

(Source: Sheikh Rehanar sathe ekanto alapocarita: Antaranga Aloy Bangabandhur Poribar by Sanchita)

(C) List the five ways how the Pakistan army tortured Bangabandhu’s family.

Answer: (i) The Pakistani army threatened the family members of Bangabandhu.

(ii) They arrested Bangabandhu and his family members.

(iii) They made Bangabandhu’s family homeless. The family had to  move from one place to another for safer place.

(iv) They set fire to Bangabandhu’s Tungipara home in front of his parents.

(v) Begum Mujib was not allowed by the Pakistani army to be with her daughter Sheikh Hasina, when she was admitted to hospital.

(D) Divide into pairs and tell the sufferings of Bangabandhu’s family during liberation war in your own words (Do not look at book)

Answer: The Pakistani army surrounded Bangabandhu’s home and started firing randomly.
They arrested Bangabandhu and put the other family members under house arrest. The family moved one place to another for safer place. The Pakistani army set fire to Bangabandhu’s Tungipara home where his parents used to live. Begum Mujib was not allowed to be with her daughter Sheikh Hasima, when she was admitted to hospital.

(E) Answer the following questions:

(1) Why was the family anxious?

Answer: The family was anxious as they realized that something horrific might occur as the Pakistani Army started firing randomly around the city and killing people indiscriminately on the night of 25th March in 1971.

(2) Where did Bangabandhu send the girls on that night?

Answer: Bangabandhu sent the girls of the family to a safer place for the night at Road No. 15, Dhanmondi and he gave their responsibility to his son- in- law Dr. Wazed Miah.

(3) How would the family communicate with people or freedom fighters while they were under house arrest?

Answer: The family would communicate with people
or freedom fighters in the disguise of vendors or by throwing pieces of waste paper with valuable information.

(4) How did the Pakistan army scare Sheikh Jamal? How did Sheikh Jamal manage to flee from captivity?

Answer: Pakistani army scared Sheikh Jamal that
they would hang him upside down. Later he found an opportunity, fled from the captivity and joined the
freedom fighters.

(5) How do you explain Bangabandhu’s family’s contribution to liberation war?

Answer: Bangabandhu’s family contributed a lot to the liberation war. The family communicated by throwing pieces of waste paper with important information written on them. Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Kamal joined the liberation war as freedom fighters and fought against the Pakistani army from the front line.

(F) Discuss if the sentences are True/False. Give correct information if a statement is false.

(1) Begum Mujib went to a safer place at Dhanmandi at the night on 25 March, 1971. (False)

Correct Information: Begum Mujib stayed with her husband  Bongabandhu at the night on 25 March, 1971.

(2) Bangabandhu has declared the independence of Bangladesh before he was arrested by
Pakistan army.(True)

(3) Nobody stood beside the family of Bangabandhu during liberation war.(False)

Correct Information: Some close friends stood beside the family of Bongabondhu during Liberation war.

(4) Bangabandhu’s parents became very sick soon after the Pakistan army had set fire to their home at Tungipara.(True)

(5) After liberation war was over, Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Jamal both returned home on the same day.(False)

Correct Information: After Liberation War was over, Sheikh Jamal returned home in the afternoon while Sheikh Kamal returned home the next day.