Valiant freedom fighter Lt Col (retd) Kazi Nuruzzaman Bir Uttam, the commander of Sector Seven of the 1971

 DHAKA: Valiant freedom fighter Lt Col (retd) Kazi Nuruzzaman Bir Uttam, the commander of Sector Seven of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, died on Friday morning at the age of 86. 

The octogenarian breathed his last at the Square Hospital in the city. He had been under treatment at the hospital for last two weeks for old-age ailments, ‍said Zayd Almer Khan, his grandson.

He left behind his wife, two daughters and numerous admirers to mourn his eternal absence from amongst them and from the post-liberation struggles carried on by the Sector Commanders’ Forum.

His wife Sultana Sarwat Ara Zaman is a retired psychology teacher of the University of Dhaka. Daughters Professor Nyla Zaman Khan is in Dhaka Shishu Hospital and Lubna Marium is engaged in cultural arena. Son-in-law Shahidullah Khan Badal is the publisher of English daily New Age. Grandson Zayd Almer is the Managing Editor of the New Age and granddaughter Anu Sheh a noted new-generation singer. 

As the news broke, eminent freedom fighters, politicians and the elite rushed to the hospital for a last glimpse of the liberation-war hero. 

  

Nuruzzaman’s body will be kept in the BIRDEM mortuary on Friday night, pending his Saturday funerals and burial, said Zayd Almer. 

His mortal remains will lie in state at the Central Shaheed Minar for two hours from 10:30 am for people from all walks of life to pay their last respects to the departing warrior.

His first Namaz-e-Zanaza will be held at Dhaka University Central Mosque. A second one is scheduled to be held at Dhaka Cantonment mosque.  

He will be laid to eternal rest at Dhaka Cantonment freedom fighters’ graveyard with state honours later in the day.

Colonel Nuruzzaman led the sector seven comprising Rajshahi, Bogra, Pabna and parts of Dinajpur from September to December 1971 during the liberation war. Before him, Major Nazmul Huq and Subedar Major Abdur Rab had acted as commander in this sector.

He was a top leader of the Sector Commanders’ Forum that has been carrying on a campaign for trial of the “war criminals”. “He had been vocal to the last for the trial of the war criminals and for social justice,” said Col Zaman’s grandson, Zayd Almer Khan.

A born fighter, Kazi Nuruzzaman took part in the Second World War as a member of Indian Royal Army. Later, he was taken in the Indian Army and trained at Deradun. After the partition of the subcontinent, Nuruzzaman was with Pakistan army. In 1962 he was promoted to Major. During the Ayub Khan regime, Nuruzzaman retired from army and later he was given the responsibility of Narayanganj dockyard.             

Sector Commander Col Nuruzzaman passes away

ANM Nuruzzaman, commander of the Sector  No 7 of the country’s War of Liberation, passed away Friday morning at a hospital in the city. He was 80. Nuruzzaman, also former chairman of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council, left behind two daughters and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death. Hearing his death news, a large number of freedom fighters, political leaders, relatives and well-wishers rushed to Square Hospital, where he breathed his last at 10:00am. His body was later taken to his city’s DOHS residence from the hospital. The body will be kept at the mortuary of Birdem hospital.

The body of Nuruzzaman would be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar on Saturday and would be kept there for two hours from 10:00am to 12:00 noon to facilitate the freedom fighters and the people from all walks of life to pay their last respect. Different organisations expressed deep shock at the death of Nuruzzaman. Chairman of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Central Command Council Maj Gen (retd) Helal Morshed Khan and Secretary General (admin) Emdad Hossain Matin expressed profound shock at the death of the sector commander.

In a statement, they conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) President ASM Abdur Rab and General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan and Amra Muktijoddhar Santan President Sazzad Hossain and General Secretary Rasheduzzaman Shaheen condoled the death of Nuruzzaman.

War hero Nooruzzaman passes away

Veteran freedom fighter Lt Col (retd) Quazi Nooruzzaman (Bir Uttam), sector-7 commander of the 1971 Liberation War, breathed his last yesterday at the Square Hospital in the capital. He was 86.Nooruzzaman, a veteran of the Second World War, joined the British Indian Navy in 1943 at the age of 18.He left behind his wife, two daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.His body was taken to his DOHS residence and later kept at the mortuary of the Birdem hospital.

The body will be taken to the central Shaheed Minar at 10:30am today for his fellow members of sector-7, well-wishers and people from of all walks of life to pay respect to the valiant freedom fighter.

His namaz-e-janaza will be held after Zohr prayers at the Dhaka University mosque followed by another namaz-e-janaza at the Army mosque at the Dhaka Cantonment after Asr prayers.

He will be laid to rest at the Banani Army Graveyard alongside his fellow freedom fighters, his son-in-law Shahidulla Khan Badal told The Daily Star.Nooruzzaman joined the Liberation War on March 28, 1971 and was made sector-7 commander on September 26. During his stint as the chairman of the Muktijoddha Sangsad in the early 1980s, he demanded a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and trial of war criminals. He was jailed by the then military dictator HM Ershad for pressing for the demand. He was one of the architects of the Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee. Born to Quazi Sadrul Ola and Ratubannessa on March 24, 1925 in Jessore, Nooruzzaman studied chemistry at St Xavier's College in Calcutta before joining the British Indian Navy in 1943. He fought for the allies in the Second World War off the coasts of Burma and Sumatra.

When his family decided to settle in Pakistan during the partition, Nooruzzaman joined the Pakistan Army but went to voluntary retirement following the imposition of martial law by General Ayyub Khan. He returned briefly to military service during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965. He was also a noted writer and thinker. He was the editor of weekly Noya Padoddhani and one of the editors of the book, Ekattorer Ghatak o Dalalra Ke Kothay. His books include Muktijuddho o Rajniti, Bangladesher Samaj o Rajniti, Swadesh Chinta, and A Sector Commander Remembers Bangladesh Liberation War. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock at the death of the veteran freedom fighter and said he made outstanding contribution to the Liberation War, reports BSS. "The nation will remember his contribution forever with deep gratitude," Hasina said.Different socio-cultural organisations also condoled his death.

আর কতজন কমান্ডারের মৃত্যু হলে যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার করা হবে?

যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচারের প্রধান রূপকার ছিলেন সেক্টর কমান্ডার লে. কর্নেল কাজী নূরুজ্জামান। কিন্তু তিনি এ বিচার দেখে যেতে পারেননি। এভাবে আর কতজন সেক্টর কমান্ডারের মৃত্যু হলে যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার করা হবে?

কাজী নূরুজ্জামান স্মরণে আয়োজিত সভায় সেক্টর কমান্ডার, মুক্তিযোদ্ধা ও রাজনৈতিক নেতারা এ আক্ষেপ করেন। গতকাল বুধবার রাজধানীর মুক্তিযুদ্ধ জাদুঘর মিলনায়তনে এ সভার আয়োজন করে সেক্টর কমান্ডারস ফোরাম।

সভায় ফোরামের চেয়ারম্যান ও পরিকল্পনামন্ত্রী এ কে খন্দকার বলেন, ‘যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার সবার প্রাণের দাবি। একজন লোক মানুষ হত্যা করবে, নারীদের নির্যাতন করবে, কিন্তু তার বিচার হবে না; কোনো সভ্য দেশে এটা হতে পারে না। যেদিন যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার হবে, সেদিনই আমরা এ কলঙ্ক থেকে মুক্তি পাব।’ ফোরামের সহসভাপতি আবু ওসমান চৌধুরী বলেন, ‘যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচারের আনুষ্ঠানিকতা শেষ করতেই সরকার অনেক দেরি করে ফেলেছে। এতে যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচারের ক্ষেত্রে এ সরকারের ওপর মানুষের আস্থা কমে গেছে. ফোরামের আরেক সহসভাপতি কে এম সফিউল্লাহ বলেন, ‘আমরা মুক্তিযোদ্ধারা যখন শেষ নিঃশ্বাস ত্যাগ করি, তখন আমাদের অনেক সম্মান দেখানো হয়। কিন্তু জীবিত থাকার সময় খোঁজও নেওয়া হয় না।...যদিও সবাই আমাদের ব্যবহার করে। দুজন সেক্টর কমান্ডার আমাদের ছেড়ে চলে গেছেন কিন্তু তাঁদের মৃত্যুতে জাতীয়ভাবে কোনো শোক প্রস্তাব করা হয়নি।’

 সাংসদ সুরঞ্জিত সেনগুপ্ত বলেন, জাতীয় বীর হওয়ার পরও মানুষ হিসেবে নূরুজ্জামান ছিলেন অতুলনীয়। নিজের কথায়, চিন্তায় তিনি ছিলেন অটল। তিনি বলেন, সেক্টর কমান্ডারস ফোরাম যদি চায়, তাহলে সংবিধান সংশোধনে গঠিত বিশেষ কমিটি তাদের সঙ্গে আলোচনায় বসবে। সাংসদ রাশেদ খান মেনন বলেন, যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচারের সঙ্গে রাজনৈতিক বিষয়টিও জড়িত। রাজনৈতিক কৌশল নিতে গিয়ে যদি সংবিধানের সঙ্গে আপস করা হয়, ধর্মনিরপেক্ষতার সঙ্গে আপস করা হয়, তবে যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচার মুখ থুবড়ে পড়তে পারে; যেমনভাবে একাত্তরের ঘাতক দালাল নির্মূল কমিটির কার্যক্রম একসময় মুখ থুবড়ে পড়েছিল। সাংসদ হাসানুল হক ইনু বলেন, গত ৪০ বছরে যাঁরা রাষ্ট্র পরিচালনা করেছেন, তাঁরা কাজী নূরুজ্জামানকে ভুল বুঝেছেন। কারণ তিনি সব সময় শাসকদের ভুলগুলোর সমালোচনা করতেন। একাত্তরের ঘাতক দালাল নির্মূল কমিটির নির্বাহী সভাপতি শাহরিয়ার কবির বলেন, কাজী নূরুজ্জামান অনেক আগেই যুদ্ধাপরাধীদের বিচারের কাজ শুরু করেছিলেন। জিয়াউর রহমানের জীবদ্দশায় মুক্তিযোদ্ধা সংসদের চেয়ারম্যান থাকাকালে তিনি বাংলাদেশে জামায়াতে ইসলামীকে নিষিদ্ধ ঘোষণা করেছিলেন এবং দেশের কোথাও জামায়াতকে সভা করতে দেননি। 

সভায় বক্তব্য দেন সেক্টর কমান্ডারস ফোরামের সহসভাপতি সি আর দত্ত, সাধারণ সম্পাদক হারুন-অর-রশিদ, সম্মিলিত সাংস্কৃতিক জোটের সভাপতি নাসির উদ্দীন ইউসুফ, সম্মিলিত পেশাজীবী সমন্বয় পরিষদের সভাপতি ইকবাল সোবহান চৌধুরী, বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযোদ্ধা সংসদের সাবেক চেয়ারম্যান আবদুল আহাদ চৌধুরী, মুক্তিযোদ্ধা আমিন আহমেদ চৌধুরী, কাজী নূরুজ্জামানের মেয়ে নায়লা জামান প্রমুখ। সভা সঞ্চালনা করেন সাংস্কৃতিক ব্যক্তিত্ব ম হামিদ।

Freedom and the Fighters

দূরের এবং কাছের, দেশে এবং দেশের বাইরের সকল বাংলা ভাষাভাষী ভাই বোনদের জানাই মুজিবীয় সুভেচ্ছা এবং  সকল শহীদদের প্রতি জ্ঞাপন করছি গভীর শ্রদ্ধা । স্বরন করছি অকুন্ঠ শ্রদ্ধাভরে জাতিরজনক বঙ্গবন্ধু ও তাঁর পরিবারের সকল শহীদদের । যে একবার যায় সে আর ফিরে না, এইতো বিধির অমোঘ নিয়ম। বাঙ্গালী জাতি যে সোনার মানুষটিকে হারিয়েছে এবং ১৯৭৫ সালের ১৫ই অগাস্ট গুটিকয়েক বন্দুকধারী বিপথগামী কুজন্মা কুলাঙ্গার এই বিশ্বকাপানো বিশ্বনেতাকে রাতের অন্ধকারে কাপুরুষের মত স্বপরিবারে হত্যার মাধ্যমে স্বাধীনতার লাল সবুজের পতাকায় আবার চন্দ্রবিন্দু (চাঁদ তারা) বসানোর হীন চক্রান্তে লিপ্ত হয়েছিলো। ওরা এখনো গোটা দেশের অভ্যন্তরে গ্রামে গঞ্জে আস্তানা গেড়ে আছে ধর্মের নামে, ইসলামের নামে, ধর্মীয় শিক্ষার নামে এবং ওদেরকে যারা প্রত্যক্ষ এবং পরোক্ষভাবে আর্থিক সহায়তাসহ সার্বিক পরিচালনা করছে, তাদের কেউ না কেউ, কোনো না কোনোভাবে আওয়ামী লীগের ভিতরেও প্রবেশ করতে পেরেছে।

বড় বড় জাঁদরেল নেতানেত্রীগণ প্রায়শই মধ্যশ্রেণীর নেতাক্রমীদের উদ্দেশ্য করে ঔক্যমতের কথা বলে থাকেন। ধৈর্য ও শান্তির কথা বলে থাকেন। খুবই ভালো, মিষ্টি কথার বৃষ্টি গুলো ভাসিয়ে নিলো কষ্টগুলো। সৌন্দর্যময় শান্তির বাণী ।  শুনতেও ভালো লাগে যে, আমাদের নেতানেত্রীগণ অন্ততঃ নিজেরা পালন না করলেও দেশের উদ্দেশ্যে, দেশের শিক্ষিত অর্ধ শিক্ষিত মূর্খ বোকা হয়তো বা গণ্ডমূর্খ নিরীহ মানুষের উদ্দেশ্যে নেতাগণ অনলবর্ষী বক্তব্য রেখে জাতিকে সামগ্রিক উন্নয়নের দিকে নিয়ে যাবার চেষ্টা করছেন। গণ্ডমূর্খ এই জাতি পেটে ভাত নেই অথচ বাহ বাহ দিচ্ছে আর বলছেঃ ওহ নেতা যা বললেন। একেবারে আমিনী নিজামী সাকা চৌ রা কুপোকাত।  আসলেই কী আমিনী সাকা নিজামীরা ঐ অনলবর্ষণে কুপোকাত হচ্ছেন? ধরে নেয়া যাক, ওরা কিছুটা হলেও ঘায়েল হয়েছে। আওয়ামী লীগের জনগণের উপর যে অন্ধ একটি ভালোবাসার দাবী বা বিশ্বাস সেটা কি আওয়ামী লীগ ধরে রাখতে চেষ্টা করেছে অথবা এখনো সে অবস্থা বিরাজমান রয়েছে বলে আওয়ামী নীতি নিরধারকগণ মনে করেন? আমি জাতিরজনকের স্বপ্ন ও আদর্শ বাস্তবায়ণের ক্ষেত্রে ঠিক বঙ্গবন্ধুর মতো একই উদার নীতির বিপক্ষে কিছু কথা বলার জন্যই এ লেখা শুরু করেছি। হয়তো বুঝিনা, অথবা না বুঝেই পোদ্দারপট্টির অথর্ব প্রফুল্ল পোদ্দারের মতো দোকানে কোনো কাষ্টমার না থাকলে যেমন বিড় বিড় করত, ঠিক তেমনি কিছুক্ষণ বিড় বিড় করে ঘুমিয়ে পরবো । আমরা হচ্ছি ছাগলের তিন নম্বর। বাচ্ছা শব্দটি আর লিখলাম না। কারণ নেতানেত্রীগণ আমাদের যতোই বাচ্ছা বলে এড়িয়ে যাকনা কেনো আমরা আর বাচ্ছা নই, শুধু তাই নয়, আমাদের বাচ্ছারাও এখন মূখ ফুটে তাদের মনের কথা বলতে শিখেছে। আমাদের আগামী প্রজন্ম আমাদের পূর্বসূরিদের চেয়ে অনেক সতর্ক ও স্বচেতন ।জাতিরজনকের ঔদার্য মহানুভবতা এবং অতি কোমল সহজ সরল মন মানসিকতাই তাঁর জীবনের এবং পরিবারের কাল হয়ে পৃথিবী থেকে তাঁকে অকালে সরিয়ে দিয়েছে। বঙ্গবন্ধুর সবুজ বিপ্লব বাস্তবায়ণ হলে আজ এ দেশ এবং এ দেশের অর্থনৈতিক অবকাঠকামো হতো দখিন এশিয়ার মধ্যে সব চেয়ে উন্নত । বঙ্গবন্ধু দেশ জাতি এবং শোষিত জনগোষ্ঠীর কথা ভাববার অবসরে কখনো নিজের জীবনের নিরাপত্তার কথা, সন্তান সন্ততির ভবিষ্যতের কথা ভাববার অবকাশ পাননি অথবা ভাবেননি। ভেবেছেন এইতো জীবন যেমন চলছে সাদা মাটা নিত্য নৈমিত্তিক অন্য আর দশজনের মতোই।  

With Kalkini Thana FF Commander Mojibur Rahman

জননেত্রী শেখ হাসিনা জানেন যে তাঁর শত্রু জাতিরজনক বঙ্গবন্ধুর চেয়েও ভয়ানক, হিংস্র এবং শক্তিশালী। যেমন ২১ অগাস্টই তার জলন্ত প্রমান । একথা নেত্রী তাঁর বক্তব্যে অনেক মঞ্চেই উল্লেখ্য করেছেন। তারপরেও কোনো একটি আশঙ্কা আমাদের নাড়া দেয়। কি জানি কি হয়, যদি নিরাপত্তার ক্ষেত্রে ঢিল পড়ে যায়?  

The Pakistani ruling clique and their vested interest froup began to treat Bangladesh which was then East Pakistan as a colony of west Pakistan. Therefore, under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman a violent mass movement was launched which resulted in a landslide victory of the Awami League at the election of the National Assembly of Pakistan in December 1970. 

Thus Bangbandhu acquired the right to from the Government of Pakistan with his absolute majority in the Parliament. But under cover of negotiation with the Awami league leader President Yahia Khan hatched a conspiracy. On the fateful night of March 25, 1971, Bangabondhu was taken a prisoner to west Pakistan. They also attacked the Police force, The EPR and the Bengal Regiment who resisted them tooth and nail. The Pak army continued to kill people. Torture women, burn houses loot property and damage crops. One crore of people fled away and took shelter in neighbouring India. Meanwhile East Pakistam Was declared independent Bangladesh. A new government was formed at Mujibnagar. The Mukti Bahini was organized and trained. They began to hit back the Pakistani hordes. In fact, everyone in Bangladesh was a freeom-foghter and did his best to help the Mukti Bahini. While the Mukti Bahini gained in strength and efficency and kept the occupation army in utter embarrassment, the Pakistani forces attacked India because of her support on the Bangladesh issue. 

Eventually the Mukti Bahini and the Indian forces formed a Joint command and inflicted crushing blows on the enemy in every sector compelling them to surrender. On the 16th of December, 1971 the Pakistani soldiers surrendered their arms to the Joint Command at a ceremony in Dhaka. Thus after long nine months of massacre the war of Liberation came to an end Bangladesh won freedom. Now the 16th of December is observed as the Victory Day.

Freedom Fighters:

Sector Commander No.7 Kazi Nuruzzaman No MORE!

Freedom is the birthright of man, but sometimes this right is denied to a nation by foreign rulers. As a result, armed conflict takes places between and if freedom-loving people and the occupation forces. Sometimes the war continues for years and if the people are united and determined then the freedom fighters win and the country achieves independence. The people of Bangladesh fought a glorious war of independence against the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971. 

In this Great War the Bangali members of the armed forces the students and the people from all walks of life took part. They fought for long nine months and defeated the well-trained Pakistani forces. Bangladesh became a free country. The people who fought against the Pakistani army and the people who took part in the war effort are called the freedom fighters. Many of the freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for the cause of the motherland. We owe our freedom of these noble freedom sacrificed their lives for the cause of the motherland. We owe our freedom of these noble freedom fighters. The freedom fighters will remain immortal in the history of Bangladesh.

http://thefounderofbangladesh.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/ekatturer.shenanee

http://jathirpitha.wordpress.com

http://skmujiburrahman.blogspot.com

http://thefounderofbangladesh.wordpress.com

http://razakarnizami.blogspot.com

http://warcriminalnizami.blogspot.com/

http://warcriminalssakachoudhury.blogpsot.com

http://warcriminalsinbangladesh.blogspot.com

http://ziaandrazakars.blogspot.com

http://khaledaziaandrazakars.wordpress.com

"LIVE STYLE OF MY FATHER":SHEIKH HASINA

"LIVE STYLE OF MY FATHER" 

by Sheikh Hasina

BANGABANDHU SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN DEDICATED his life to establishing a democratic, peaceful and exploitation-free society called "Sonar Bangla" - Golden Bengal. He sacrificed his life to liberate the Bangalee nation, which had been groaning under the colonial and imperialist yoke for nearly 1,000 years. He is the founding father of the Bangalee nation, generator of Bangalee nationalism and creator of the sovereign state of Bangladesh.

My father spent nearly half his life behind bars and yet with extraordinary courage and conviction he withstood numerous trials and tribulations during the long period of his political struggle. During his imprisonment, he stood face to face with death on at least two occasions, but never for a moment did he waver.

As a daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I heard many tales about him from my grandfather and grandmother. He was born on Mar. 17, 1920 in Tungipara, in what was then the British Raj. During the naming ceremony my great-grandfather predicted that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would be a world-famous name.

My father grew up rural - amid rivers, trees, birdsong. He flourished in the free atmosphere inspired by his grandparents. He swam in the river, played in the fields, bathed in the rains, caught fish and watched out for birds' nests. He was lanky, yet played football. He liked to eat plain rice, fish, vegetables, milk, bananas and sweets. His care and concern for classmates, friends and others was well-known. He gave away his tiffin to the hungry, clothes to the naked, books to the needy and other personal belongings to the poor. One day, my grandfather told me, he gave his clothes to a poor boy and came home in his shawl.

At the age of 7, he began his schooling, though an eye ailment forced a four-year break from his studies. He married at the age of 11 when my mother was 3. He demonstrated leadership from the beginning. Once in 1939, he led classmates to demand repair of the school's roof - just when the premier of then undivided Bengal happened to be in town. Despite a deep involvement in politics, in 1946 he obtained a BA.

Bangabandhu was blessed from boyhood with leadership, indomitable courage and great political acumen. He played an active role in controlling communal riots during the India-Pakistan partition. He risked his life for the cause of truth and justice. He rose in protest in 1948 against the declaration of Urdu as the state language of Pakistan and was arrested the following year. He pioneered the movement to establish Bangla as the state language. In 1966, he launched a six-point program for the emancipation of Bangalees. In 1969, my father was acclaimed Bangabandhu, Friend of Bengal. His greatest strength (and weakness) was his "love for the people." He is an essential part of the emotional existence of all Bangalees.

The appearance of Bangladesh on the world map in 1971 was the culmination of a long-suppressed national urge. On Mar. 7, 1971, my father addressed a mammoth public meeting in Dhaka and declared: "The struggle now is the struggle for our emancipation; the struggle now is the struggle for Independence." He sent a wireless message, moments after a crackdown by the Pakistani army, declaring the Independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of Mar. 26. The world knows he courted arrest - and yet Bangabandhu emerged as the unquestioned leader of a newborn country.

Once in power, my father pursued a non-aligned, independent foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence. Its basic tenet: "Friendship to all, malice to none." He advocated world peace and declared his support for all freedom struggles. He supported the concept of a "Zone of Peace" in the Indian Ocean. In 1974, he was awarded the Julio Curie Prize for his devotion to the cause of peace.

But at a time when Bangladesh was emerging as an advocate for oppressed nations, his foes assassinated him on Aug. 15, 1975. My mother and three brothers were also killed. Even my younger brother Sheikh Russel, who was then nine, was not spared. The only survivors were my younger sister Sheikh Rehana and myself; we were on a trip to Germany.

Consequently, the political ideals for which Bangladesh sacrificed three million of her finest sons and daughters were trampled, and Bangladesh became a puppet in the hands of imperialism and autocracy. By assassinating Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the conspirators wanted to stop the country's march to freedom, democracy, peace and development. The process of law and justice were not permitted to take their course; human rights were violated. It is, therefore, the solemn responsibility of freedom- and peace-loving people to help ensure the trial of the plotters and killers of this great leader, my father.

Sheikh Hasina, daughter of the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is the prime minister of Bangladesh.