PM sketches Bangamata’s key-shadow role in independence struggle

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday revisited the history of country's protracted independence struggle extracting Bangamata Begum Fazilatun Nesa Mujib's key-shadow role particularly in major turning points like the six-point demand, Bangabandhu's conditional release issue and his March 7 speech, reports BSS.

"The decisions of my mother on major political issues helped us a lot in achieving the independence," the premier said as she distributed an annual award named after Begum Fazilatun Nesa.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh's emergence would have been impossible unless Bangamata would have taken a bold step against proposed inclusion of two more points to the Six-Point Demand while Bangabandhu was in Pakistani military captivity during the Agartala conspiracy case.

The premier said several Awami League leaders was willing to accept Bangabandhu's release on parole while the trial of the case was underway, an idea that was strongly opposed by Bangamata who wanted his unconditional release.

Sheikh Hasina said if Bangabandhu would have come out accepting parole conditions, no fierce mass movement would have sparked forcing the then Pakistani junta to abandon the case, freeing the accused.

She feared in that situation all the accused would have been hanged on high treason charges, if not killed in captivity like their co-accused Sergeant Zahirul Haque during the trial.

"If Bangabandhu got released on parole, Bangladesh would have never witnessed its independence," the premier said.

Five distinguished women were conferred with the Bangamata Begum Fazilatun Nesa Mujib Padak-2022 for their outstanding contributions to various fields at the function.

Women and Cultural Affairs Ministry staged the function at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium coinciding with Bangamata's 92nd birth anniversary while the premier joined the event using the virtual platform from her Ganabhaban official residence.

The prime minister said that many leaders had pressured to declare independence during Bangabandhu's March 7 speech in 1971.

But, Bangabandhu told the mammoth gatherings whatever was in his mind during the historic March 7 speech following the advice of Bangamata, she said, adding, "The opinion of my mother in this respect was given importance."

The office of the Deputy Commissioner, Gopalganj also remotely connected to it.