Mother of Bengal: an epic monologue (Fourth Episode)

Anisur Rahman has written the book ‘Mother of Bengal’ (Our Bangamata), an epic monologue of the exceptionally great woman of human history, with the help of his study-plan, imagination and history

Mother of Bengal: an epic monologue (First Episode)

Mother of Bengal: an epic monologue (Second Episode)

Mother of Bengal: an epic monologue (Third Episode)

Fourth Episode

1971-1975

Today, Jan 8, BBC Radio announced that my husband Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been released.

We got a telephone line at home immediately.

I heard his voice the first time I telephoned.

My time was passing on Jainamaz and Tasbih.

10th January, he has come back; first he went off to the Sohrawardi Uddyan in public.

After that, he came home to the family.

In the big embrace of the man, I got my shelter back.

The family, the house of No. 32, is as damaged as the country.

Now it is time to rebuild the family, as well as the country.

The man has no time or opportunity to pay heed to these matters.

I know and understand that.

In the meantime his birthday, Mar 17, has come.

He put his garland on my neck with affection, which he got on his birthday.

The kindness of the man is as vast as the ocean.

[On the road of Dhanmondi in an evening in a car with son Kamal]

Look Kamal, this man is wearing my towel.

Kamal couldn’t believe it; my mother in law would wipe my body with that towel after bath.

Made in Germany is written on that towel.

Kamal talked to the man and returned with the towel after giving him some money.

Here it is, the writing, made in Germany.

There are many conspiracies and crises in this war torn country.

How many incidents are there?!

Some of these come to me too.

With one brick after another and the help of my friends I have built this house in No. 32.

It was a barren area then.

One day the critics will be answered.

The truth will come into light.

Now I have no time to think about the critics.

I feel very happy to wash his pipes.

I get a sweet feeling when I arrange his pipes in order, one by one – up to ten.

Only I can feel it.

I am sick.

Why do I feel like this?

I didn’t feel like this earlier.

Nilima Apa, come, have a seat.

Apa, I don’t know whether I will live or not.

Apa, please pray for me.

In 1972 my husband had a gallbladder operation.

Then he went to Geneva. I got the opportunity to serve him on the tour.

In 1973 I became sick again.

I went to London for treatment.

In ’74 I went to Moscow with him, to bear my responsibility of course.

I myself hadn’t got the opportunity to study, to say; studied up to class five.

But I have read books; read to the house tutor.

My husband would also encourage me to read.

Fazlul Haque Moni was my nephew, like a son; I sent him to study MA in Bengali.

He will be a journalist after graduating, it was my hope.

Moni has bought a press and is publishing a paper, Banglar Bani; has become an editor.

It makes me very happy.

You Nilima Apa, I am angry with you all.

You have made your brother Bangabandhu, me Bangamata; couldn’t I be Bangafriend?

Have I become so old?

Everybody there had a lot of fun with my comments.

Hasina, Wazed, Joy, Putul have gone abroad. Rehana also went with them.

I would feel a bit happier if the girl was back.

He is busy with his work, twenty four hours a day.

Two daughters in law arrived only a few days ago.

Men of all stages in society – driver, household, villagers from Tungipara always had a gathering.

I get a lot of information from them; I’ll give it to him later; it will help him in his work.

These notebooks are of his autobiography and the diary of the jail.

I keep these hidden in a corner of almirah. He wrote these at my request.

These will be published in books; has he got the time?

I will talk to Moni.

Quader Bepari of Shajahanpur is our well-wisher.

He cultivates many vegetables, like cauliflower, gourd etc.

He must give the first vegetables of his land to us.

He keeps doing so whether Hasu's father is in jail or not..

Quder Bepari couldn’t enter the Ganabhaban with a basket of vegetables.

Then, in anger, he poured the vegetables in front of the Ganabhaban.

He came back, saying you men have tried to kill Bangabandhu.

We have kept him protected.

After hearing the news, I am very upset.

I will call Mojaffar Hossen Poltu Bhai and ask him to bring Quader Bepari to our house earlier.

I will not have breakfast until he comes.

Poltu Bhai had to request that he be brought here.

His anger hadn't cooled until then.

He will return without having food.

I couldn't help my eyes tearing up.

At last he confessed his sorrow to me and said, 'Okay Bhabi, I was wrong’; and after that he ate with me.

Then I could feel free of burdens.

Am I the wife of the Prime Minister or President, or the First Lady?

I’m just Renu from Tungipara, mother of Hasu.

It will bring apocalypse if we don't remember the men of the time of helplessness.

How will my husband manage if I don’t care about all this?

Everyone comes here with various requests; such as lobbying, transfers, promotions, foreign tours etc.

People like Quader Bepari come here without any requests.

By this time my father in law has left us.

We’re all in Tungipara on the occasion of his Chehlam [post funeral ritual].

The party workers who have come to Tungipara will return after Chehlam.

Hasu’s father has seen the off.

But I could not pay attention to them.

Hello brothers, no one of you can go today.

Tomorrow, I myself will cook for you, after that you will eat and then leave.

I, my husband and his doctor Nurul Islam were in Geneva.

My husband was still not fully sound.

Oh! The gang of flatterers was also in the land of foreign countries.

The doctor's advice was complete rest.

On the other side the yes men were in a picnic and fun mood.

`Your accomplices have arranged these for their amusement.

`You don’t need to join there.

`Flock of flatterers like this are around everywhere, looking after their own interests.

`Keep the doctor’s advice in mind.’

Indira Gandhi of India came.

I asked Indiraji to remind him to eat timely and to take care of his health.

She remembered what I asked her to do.

Indiraji said to the man, 'You work all the time, don’t eat timely, don’t take care of your health – it is very bad!’

He became president, became prime minister; this is for the country men.

I never believed that I would be the state guest together with him.

He didn’t believe it either.

Our bond is of mind and of life.

He is the man of my heart.

I am the person of his heart.

And that is all.

We have no room for showing state culture.

He came home to 32 at the end of the day, after completing all of his duties in Ganabhaban or Bangabhaban all day and night.

He could do Bakshal; or whatever he wanted!

I will never change.

One day was in Ganabhaban, the next day was in Bangabhaban.

I didn’t have dreams like that.

I know how difficult it is to move.

My address was Tungipara and No. 32.

I needed nothing more than that.

May the country be well; my children have their own lives; my husband be well – this was my wish.

Let him be free from the grip of opportunists – was this what I expected?

'Hi Musa Bhai, please come, take Paan [betel leaf].’

My husband raised his head from the newspaper and said, 'Get a jar full of Paan, eat as much as you like.’

[Brass made jars of betel leaf will be set neatly containing Paan, nut, jorda, dokta, and tobacco-leaf]

I am a person of my environment.

A person does not step forward unless they are in danger.

I fought for cases, various needs, needs of the party, went door to door to get him and his party members out of jail, walked behind the lawyers.

It was the struggle of existence; struggle of living.

But on the stage, in front of lakhs of people!

No, I never thought I wanted any of this.

My mother in law didn’t make me like that, neither did my husband.

I didn’t want it either, never wanted it.

My husband requested so much that I had to go along with it.

That was for Indira Gandhi.

She tried her very best in lobbying all over the world, keeping her life at stake, keeping her country at stake to save my husband’s life; for the freedom of the people of our country.

I had to go along with it in honour of her.

I came into the public eye; stood on the stage.

Though I didn’t know this truth, my husband knows, Hasina knows – I know.

Various people from all parts were conspiring.

There were conflicts among relatives, among party workers.

They would bring the apocalypse!

There are many people who engage in conflicts; they don’t think about the country or the welfare of the people of the country.

How would he handle all of this?

I couldn’t bear it any more.

I couldn’t understand why and upon whose advice did he make Bakshal.

I couldn’t understand it.

I told him, `You should be in Ganabhaban with your accomplices, not here.’

This is a war-torn country; there were marks of destruction in the society, family, village and town –everywhere.

There was lamentation everywhere; the problems of the people were as big as mountains.

The man had to handle every nook and corner.

Among them was a group of people who just wanted things for themselves.

I see everything, hear everything; I don't tell anyone anything.

I could only talk to my husband at the dining table; after that, the crisis talks with him were never-ending.

People would come until midnight.

No one would be denied.

People would come from early in the morning; to the front of the gate, to the drawing room, the road outside the house, or the bank of the lake.

Of course, not everyone came just to get something out of self-interest or greed

Some would come only for the sake of love.

They always knew what we were up to – regardless of good or bad times.

I would recognize them.

They had my attention.

Their hearts would never be hurt..

I would be hurt if they were hurt.

I knew that the country would be free someday.

And freedom would come under the leadership of my husband Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The liberation would come under his leadership.

It was time for the change of fate.

That was more difficult.

I had taken an oath that I would serve the distressed mothers and sisters of the liberation war;

I would see to that they got treatment.

I would stand by their side; would give consolation to them.

I know how much the Pakistan army tortured our mothers and sisters; I kept their information in any way I could.

I want the tortured mothers and sisters to go back to their normal lives with honour.

I would give my heart and soul to them.

Who would come for them if I didn’t go?

Everybody should stand by their side from individual standpoints.

If this nation could hear their sighs and curses, it wouldn’t stand up straight with its head raised.

Their pain and misery hurt me immensely.

I can’t sleep when I remember their situation.

They are the mothers of our liberation, the symbol of the motherland of 1971.

To be continued …

[Translation: Debashish Deb; edited by Frank Bergsten]