Today marks the 106th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The architect of the Bengali nation was born on this day in 1920 at Tungipara in Gopalganj. He was the son of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and Saira Khatun.
Born during the British colonial era, Sheikh Mujib became active in politics during his adolescence. He was imprisoned for the first time while a student at Gopalganj mission school for participating in the anti-British movement.
Later, while studying at Islamia College in Kolkata, Sheikh Mujib became active in student politics under the mentorship of prominent leaders Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy and Abul Hashim.
His formal political career began in 1940 when he joined the All India Muslim Students Federation. On 4 January 1948, he founded the East Pakistan Muslim Chhatra League.
He subsequently emerged as the undisputed leader of the Bangalees by leading the Six-Point Movement in 1966, the Mass uprising of 1969, and the 1970 elections.
The historic speech delivered by Bangabandhu on 7 March 1971 at the then Racecourse Maidan gave new momentum to the Bengali struggle for independence. On the night of 25 March 1971, he was arrested by Pakistani forces. Following a nine-month-long liberation war, independent Bangladesh was established on 16 December.
He was released from a Pakistani prison on 8 January 1972 and returned to his homeland on 10 January via London and Delhi. Upon his return, he focused his efforts on the reconstruction of the war-torn country.
However, on 15 August 1975, he was assassinated along with his family at his residence on Dhanmondi Road 32. His two daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, survived as they were abroad at the time.
