Professional Documents
Culture Documents
“They say you are nobody, but two hundred and a half rivers say,
They say you are nobody, but the hilshas start dancing on the sound of
your feet’s movement,
You are nobody-they say, but the songs of Rabindranth and ‘Rebel’ the
poem of Nazrul say,
On this historic day (10 January 2020) when the countdown for his birth
centenary will begin, let me take you through a journey of his life-long
commitment for the disadvantaged and the downtrodden. His daughter
Sheikh Hasina wrote about him in these words:
‘I do not aspire to be the Prime Minister. Prime Ministers come and go. I
shall remember the love and respect my countrymen have shown for me
all my life. I do not fear the torture, oppression and the solitary cell of the
jail. But the love of the people seems to have made me emotionally
weak.’ (Bangabandhu: At the Swearing-in ceremony of the MNAs and
MPAs, Race Course Grounds, Dhaka, January 3, 1971)
However, his interest in improving the fate of the peasants was deep-
rooted. He came out with various input supports for them in a substantial
way so that they could produce enough food for their own survival. He was
visibly annoyed with the state of governance of the country as the
corruption was showing its ugly head in many parts of the society of his
beloved independent Bangladesh. He blamed the educated people for this
evil practice. He said,
“The peasants of Bengal are not involved in any corruption. The workers
of Bengal are not involved in any corruption. … We, those who are
studying with their money, are involved in corruption.” (Bangabandhu:
National Parliament, January 25, 1975)
dratiur@gmail.com