Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Biography, Early Life, Death

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March, 1920 – 15 August, 1975) was the founding president of Bangladesh. He was president until his assassination.

Architect of Independent Bangladesh:

In the midst of political unrest and demonstrations in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina stepped down from her position as Prime Minister and sought refuge in India.

This event echoes a similar situation that occurred nearly 48 years ago when she was forced into exile following the tragic assassination of her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, along with her mother and three brothers on August 15, 1975.

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Name:	Sheikh Mujibur Rahman [শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান]
Born:	17 March, 1920 – Tungipara, Bengal Presidency, British India
Death:	15 August 1975 (aged 55) – Dhanmondi, Dacca Division, Bangladesh
Political Party:	Bangladesh Awami League
Other Political Affiliations:	Bangladesh Awami League (1971–1975)
Wife / Children:	Begum Fazilatunnesa / Hasina, Kamal, Jamal, Rehana, Russel
Parents:	Sheikh Lutfar Rahman (Father) / Sheikh Sayera Khatun (Mother)
Children:	Saima Wazed Hossain, Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed
Alma mater:	Islamia College, Calcutta (BA); University of Dhaka[b]
Occupation:	Insurance Executive, Author, Statesman, Politician
Awards:	Joliot-Curie Medal of Peace Independence Award Gandhi Peace Prize SAARC Literary Award

Early Life:

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born on March 17, 1920 in Tungipara village of Gopalganj District. His father, Sheikh Lutfur Rahman, was a serestadar, an officer responsible for record-keeping at the Gopalganj civil court. He is the third child of his parents.

Death:

On August 15, 1975, Rahman, along with his wife, two daughters-in-law and all of their three sons were shot and killed by mid ranking army officers that launched 1975 Bangladeshi coup d’état at their home that time. 29 others were also killed and injured 48. He is popularly known as “Sheikh Mujib” or “Sheikh Saheb” and by his title “Bangabandhu“.

Who was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman?

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, affectionately known as ‘Bangabandhu’, was the first president of an independent Bangladesh. His life was cut short when a group of Bangladesh Army personnel staged a coup and stormed his residence at Dhanmondi 32. This event marked a significant turning point in Bangladesh’s history, as it was the first time the military directly intervened in the country’s civilian politics.

Throughout his political career, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman held the positions of either president or prime minister of Bangladesh from April 1971 until his untimely death. In the 1970 general election of undivided Pakistan, Sheikh Mujib’s Awami League party secured a landslide victory, winning nearly all the seats in what was then known as East Pakistan, which later became the independent nation of Bangladesh.

He became Bangladesh’s first prime minister before establishing a single-party system and became president in January 1975.

On August 15, less than a year into his presidency, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated by a group of soldiers, along with his wife and three sons.

In the aftermath of the assassination, Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, who was serving as the commerce minister at the time, seized power and declared himself the head of an interim government. He held this position from August 15, 1975, until November 6, 1975.

However, Ahmad’s rule was brief. On November 3, he was deposed in a coup orchestrated by Khaled Mosharraf, the army’s chief of staff. Mosharraf, in turn, fell victim to rival mutineers and was assassinated, AP reported.

Following a succession of additional coups and counter-coups, General Ziaur Rahman ultimately assumed power on November 7.