International Bangabandhu Foundation

BANGABANDHU Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the ‘Father of the Nation’ of Bangladesh. Often referred as ‘Bangabandhu’ or ‘Sheikh Mujib’, he was prime architect of the independent nation, Bangladesh. He played a prominent role in countering exploitation and other unjust actions of the power holders of West Pakistan towards people of East Pakistan. As a passionate speaker, he gained popularity for advocating socialism and detesting institutional and ethnic inequality posed by Pakistan. He chalked out an autonomy plan encompassing six points during the factional tensions in 1966. His political views often landed him up in jail which never deterred him from vehemently challenging military dictatorship of Ayub Khan, the then Field Marshal of Pakistan. Although the ‘Awami League’ won the first democratic election of Pakistan under his leadership, the party was not invited for forming the government. Following mass protests against such discrimination and launch of civil disobedience movement by Bangabandhu, ‘Operation Searchlight’ was conducted by the Pakistan Army and Mujib was arrested and moved from East Pakistan to West Pakistan. The ‘Bangladesh Liberation War’ followed and Pakistan had to surrender to the Bangladesh-India Allied Forces. Bangabandhu was freed and became the first Prime Minister of independent Bangladesh. Bangabandhu and most of his family members were assassinated in a military coup initiated by treacherous army men. Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu is the present Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

On 15 August 1975, the darkest night of the history of Bangladesh, a group of junior army officers invaded the presidential residence with tanks and killed our great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family and personal staff. Only his daughters Sheikh Hasina Wajed and Sheikh Rehana, who were visiting West Germany, escaped. They were banned from returning to Bangladesh.