BSS-03 PM-ARTICLE-NEWSPAPER-REMINISCENCE-3 DHAKA

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ZCZC

BSS-03

PM-ARTICLE-NEWSPAPER-REMINISCENCE-3 DHAKA

After the creation of Pakistan, the ‘Ittefaq’ newspaper was published with the financial assistance of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. Tofazzal Hossain Manik Miah was the editor of the newspaper. My father was also involved with the newspaper and worked for it.

In 1957, after getting the charge of Awami League general secretary, my father resigned from the cabinet. He stepped down from the post of the minister to concentrate on organisational activities to build it as a stronger organization. In 1958, Ayub Khan imposed ‘Martial Law’. My father was arrested. On December 17, 1960, he got release.

After getting release, he started a job at Alfa Insurance Company, as there was a ban on his doing politics at that time. Even, he had to inform the police station and intelligence agency if he needed to go out of Dhaka.

But the period had brought a great chance for us to get my father close to us. Waking up at dawn, we used to go for morning walk with my father. At that time, we lived at a residence at Segunbagicha. Ramna Park was being constructed during that period. We used to go to the park on foot from the 76 number house in Segunbagicha. There was a small zoo. Several deer, peacocks, birds and some animals were there.

After returning home, my father used to sit with newspaper and take a cup of tea. My mother and father used to read newspaper together. They used to discuss different issues.

A children’s page named ‘Kachikachar Asar’ was published in the ‘Ittefaq’ every week. There, one named Jalal Ahmed used to write articles under the title ‘Japaner Chithi’ (Letter from Japan). There was a puzzle section (Dhadhar Asar) too. Sometimes, I used to reply (to questions) in the puzzle section. Sometimes I could reply correctly.

At that time, newspapers had pages for literature. It was our regular task to read newspaper sitting at the veranda and having a cup of tea. My mother used to read newspaper very meticulously. After taking lunch, my mother used to sit with newspapers and letters from post-box.

The ‘Begum’ newspaper was subscribed for our residence regularly. ‘National Geography, ‘Life’ and ‘Readers Digest’ – some are weekly, some monthly and quarterly newspapers – were also kept there. Literary newspaper ‘Samokal’ was also kept at the residence. My mother liked it very much. Write-ups in the ‘Begum’ and the ‘Samakal’ were favourites of my mother.

At that time, my father started publishing a weekly named ‘Banglar Bani’. A machine was set up after taking a place in Segunbagicha. ‘Banglar Bani’ was published from there. Brother Moni was studying at the Dhaka University. He was given the charge of the newspaper.

My father was arrested again in 1962. At that time, we shifted to Dhanmondi residence. When my father was captive in jail, newspapers were the only way to get information of outside. But those newspapers were censored before delivering.

If you read ‘Prison Diaries’ written by my father, then you can realize my father’s interest in reading newspaper during his captivity. It revealed how much important the newspapers were in a prisoner’s life, particularly if he is a political prisoner. However, my father had not to face any hassle in getting information of the outside, because my father easily got information from those who worked inside the jail or stayed captive.

When my mother went to meet him, she apprised my father of the country’s political situation. And she conveyed my father’s directives to the party leaders and workers. Particularly, all the credits of the movement, which was built up following the announcement of the Six-Point (demand), were of my mother. She had a very sharp memory.

I also know how much helpful companion newspapers are during captivity. I used to buy four newspapers with my own money when I was in jail during 2007-08 period. But, it was not possible to take newspapers of my own choice. The then government gave names of four newspapers and I took those. At least, I could get some news.

Three

My father, Bangladesh’s President and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed brutally with the bullets shot by the assailants on August 15, 1975. At the same time, 18 of my family members, including my mother and three brothers, were also killed.

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