FATHER OF NATION

You must have heard the name Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman many a time.But, how much do you know about him? Do you know that he has three names-Khoka to his closest ones, Bangabandhu to the people of Bangladesh, and the great leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the world?

March 17, 1920. The day was Wednesday. A baby was born in that family. Father Sheikh Lutfar Rahman affectionately named the baby Khoka. Khoka is a very affectionate name. In almost all homes in Bengal, the first son is named Khoka.

The boy grows up day by day. He goes to school on foot. He sees the fields, ghats, roadsides, and golden rice fields of Bengal with his eyes open. His eyes fill with tears.As the boy grows up, the number of his friends increases. His contact with many boys in the village becomes closer. He often brings his friends home. He says, "Mom, give them food." The mother happily gives food to her son's friends. The mother fulfills her son's request with a smile.

Bangabandhu was the dreamer of an independent Bangladesh. He sacrificed every bit of himself and led Bangladesh to achieve its independence. His love for the people and sacrifice for the country made him 'The Father of the Nation'.

He was a born leader. His love and care for the people made him speak for all of us. He never accepted any injustice done to anyone. From his very childhood, he always stood by his friends in times of need. If he saw anybody in his class who could not afford to buy an umbrella, he gave away his own so that the boy did not have to suffer in the heat or rain. Sometimes, he even gave away his textbooks. Do you help your friends?

During the rainy season, the father buys the boy an umbrella for him to go to school. The boy goes to school with an umbrella. One day, the boy returns home wet and without an umbrella.The mother asks, "Where is your umbrella, father? Why are you so wet?"The boy says with a smile, "Mother, a poor friend of mine, doesn't have an umbrella. I gave him mine."The mother, happy with her son's generosity, hugs him. She says, "You did well, father. I will ask your father to buy you another umbrella."Mother, kiss your son on the forehead.

During the winter, the father bought the boy a sheet. One day, the boy came home without a sheet. The mother said, "Where is your sheet, father?" The boy said with a sigh, "Father, there was an old woman under a tree on the side of the road shivering in the cold. I wrapped the sheet around her." The mother looked at her son in surprise. She thought the boy had so much compassion for the poor and would surely do a lot for people when he grew up.

He was always confident and courageous. He was not afraid to speak up against injustice. Once when he was a student of Gopalganj Missionary School, the Chief Minister of undivided Bengal, Sher-e-Bangla Ak Fazlul Haque visited the school.

Then, Mujib along with his friends came forward with their demands to repair the school hostel's roof. Afterwards, the chief minister sanctioned the money. Do you ever speak for your friends or community?

Bangabandh was a football lover. He loved to play football, volleyball, and hockey. He had a reputation as a team player. Do you play any of these sports?

He was a knowledgeable person. He was a great speaker too. In those days, there was no internet or smartphone. He gathered knowledge by reading newspapers. Do you read any newspaper?

He loved people and was always surrounded by them. He could mix with people easily. He was liberal. he wanted people from all communities to live together in harmony. His only dream was to see Bangladesh as a free, peaceful, and prosperous nation.

The boy grew up thinking about the country. After passing school, he entered college. The people of Bengal and the country made him think about it constantly. He crossed the threshold of college. He grew up even more. He joined politics. He campaigned to alleviate the suffering of the poor. He called for independence in 1791 for the liberation of the country. This boy is our Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He is the Father of our Nation.