C T Online Desk: The 93rd birth anniversary of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, wife of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is being observed across the country today, reports BSS.
Bangamata, also known by her nick name Renu, was born on August 8 in 1930 at Tungipara village in Gopalganj. She was a paternal cousin of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Renu was only eight years old when she was married to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1938.
In his autobiography “The Unfinished Memoirs,” Bangabandhu wrote, “Renu’s mother died when she was five. Only her grandfather remained, but he also died when she was just seven years old”. Then, she grew up with Bangabandhu’s siblings.
When Bangabandhu was just 13, he was betrothed to her. After Renu’s father died, her grandfather called Bangabandhu’s father and said, “I have to marry off one of my granddaughters to your eldest son because I will leave all my property to them.” Renu’s grandfather was Bangabandhu’s paternal uncle.
Bangabandhu wrote, when their marriage was fixed, he was a teenager. “I heard I got married. I did not understand anything then. ”
Their wedding took place in 1938. Their family life started after Bangabandhu passed the entrance exam in 1942. That year he got admitted to Islamia College, Kolkata. His political career began there.
Bangamata was killed brutally along with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members at the fateful night of August 15 in 1975.
Fazilatunnesa Mujib was under house arrest during Bangladesh Liberation War until December 17, 1971.
She was born to the Bengali Muslim Sheikh family in the village of Tungipara, Gopalganj.
Her father’s name was Sheikh Zahurul Haque and her mother’s name was Sheikh Husne Ara Begum.
She was of Iraqi Arab ancestry on both sides of family, her paternal grandfather Kashem Sheikh, was grandson of Sheikh Ekramullah, who was in turn descended from Sheikh Awwal Darwish of Baghdad, a dervish who had come to preach Islam in Bengal during the time of the later Mughal era of Bengal.
Her father, Sheikh Zahurul Haque, and mother, Husne Ara Begum, died when she was three years old.
Marking the birth anniversary of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa, Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies have taken programmes to pay respect to her memory. Wreaths will be placed at her grave in city’s Banani area today.
