Fazilatunnesa was source of inspiration, says PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa was the source of all encouragement, power and courage for father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to work for the welfare of the people of this country.
‘My mother always encouraged him (Bangabandhu) to do politics for the people of this country... she never pulled him back ...she never cared about her own interests...even she never thought what she would get in life,’ she said.
The prime minister said this while addressing a function marking the 87th birth anniversary of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa at Osmani Memorial Hall.
She said Bangamata helped Bangabandhu from behind the curtain and Bangabandhu could become the great leader as she was beside him.
Sheikh Hasina said before taking any major political decision Bangabandhu used to talk to Bangamata.
While talking about the influence of Bangabandhu’s wife in his political life, Hasina, the eldest child of Bangabandhu’s family, said Bangamata helped Bangabandhu to take various important political decisions.
She mentioned that the suggestions of her mother before going to deliver the historic 7th Match address at Suhrawardy Udyan in 1971.
She said Bangabandhu used to learn about the leaders and workers of the party through his wife while she met him in jail during the Pakistan period. The prime minister said her mother sent her with a message to Bangabandhu not to accept the proposal of coming out of jail through parole in Agartala Conspiracy case and Bangabandhu rejected the parole proposal. Later, the Pakistan government was forced to release Bangabandhu unconditionally.
She mentioned that the father of the nation was frequently imprisoned on political grounds, but during that time she played an important role in administering the Awami League. The PM recalled that during the liberation war in 1971, Bangamata had faced the situation with patience, courage and wisdom while her husband remained imprisoned in Pakistan.
‘Bangabandhu wrote in details about his better half in his Unfinished Memoir from which many unknown aspects of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, including her mental strength, sacrifice, courage, wisdom and sufferings came out,’ she said. 
She also said that Bangamata, standing beside Bangabandhu, established rehabilitation centers for the suppressed women who lost their innocence during the liberation war while Bangabandhu was rebuilding the war-ravaged country after the country’s independence. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net