Home ›› 16 Dec 2021 ›› Front
When the patriots were cheering the victory with the red-green national flag after a nine-month war against the brutal Pakistani army, the families of the Birshresthas were overwhelmed with challenges ahead as they lost their loved ones who were the breadwinners.
But later things went well, and virtually the family members of the war heroes got a sound monetary footing.
The Business Post looked back on the present status of the heroes’ families at the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s Victory Day.
Since December 16, 1971, the families of seven national heroes are contributing to social work, sports and some are working for local government.
Educational institutions like schools, colleges and libraries, and memorial centres, clinics, roads and bridges have been built after the names of the seven national heroes in their villages and also elsewhere.
Now the families look to the achievement of the country.
Birsreshtho Shaheed Sepoy Hamidur Rahman’s nephew Mostafizur Rahman told The Business Post that the construction of a community clinic after the name of Hamidur Rahman has been completed at a cost of Tk 27 lakh at Khurda Khalishpur under Jhenaidah district. Its launching will be held very soon.
Birshrestha Hamidur Rahman Stadium is the district stadium in Jhenaidah.
A fourth-floor residential building is under construction in the birthplace of Hamidur Rahman. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs is carrying out the task at a cost of Tk 2.75 crore.
The district commissioner has recently visited the proposed Birsreshtho Hamidur Rahman eco-park project site to be built on a 37-bigha land.
Hamidur Rahman was single who fought in the liberation war under sector 4 and sacrificed his life in the battle at Dhalai Border Outpost.
Nephew Mostafizur Rahman said he is doing a job as a librarian at Birsreshtho Hamidur Rahman Library and Memorial Centre.
The government has set up seven libraries and memorial centres after the national heroes’ names in their villages on March 6, 2008.
Mostafizur added that their family is well-off. They want the local administration celebrate the death anniversary of all Birsreshthos every year.
The family of Birsreshtho Mohammad Ruhul Amin has three sons-in-law. One is working for Bangladesh Navy, another is the private secretary of a former commerce minister, and the third one is involved in politics in Noakhali.
“We are financially solvent with the state support. My husband was a public servant. Now my son- and daughter-in-law are working for state-owned banks,” said Birsreshtho Mohammad Ruhul Amin’s daughter Nurjahan Begum.
Bangladesh Navy has built a one storey building in Ruhul Amin’s ancestral home last year.
On December 10, 1971, just six days before the victory, Ruhul Amin, Engine Room Artificer of Bangladesh Naval Ship (BNS) Palash,
was killed by the collaborators of the Pakistan army, after his warship came under Indian Air Force attack mistakenly in Rupsha River of Khulna.
Shaheed Lance Nayek Nur Mohammad Sheikh left one son and three daughters at Nur Mohammad Nagar of Narail district.
His son SM Golam Mostafa Kamal is a government contractor.
“We are fine both in terms of economic and social standard,” said Mostafa Kamal.
Birsreshtho Nur Mohammad College has come under MPO on September 21.
Within a few days after Birsreshtho Sepoy Mostofa Kamal died in Daruin village of Comilla, his only daughter died by a fire accident.
His son got a job in the army, but he also died of cancer.
Mostafa Kamal’s mother Maleka Khatun passed away on September 8, 2020 because of old age complications.
The family members of the valiant hero lost their ancestral land and house to the erosion of Meghna river years ago. They are now living at Alinagar in Bhola Sadar upazila.
Birsreshtho Sepoy Mostofa Kamal College and bus terminal are very popular in the island district. Besides, the stadium after the hero’s name is one of the main venues of Bangladesh Championship League and Dhaka League. The stadium is situated at Kamalapur in the capital.
The hero’s brother Mostafizur Rhaman is a social worker. His son Mohammad Selim is working as a lecturer in the college founded after the war hero’s name.
“We have no more financial demand from the country, but we want Birsreshtho Sepoy Mostofa Kamal College be one of the best colleges in the district,” said Mohammad Selim.
Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir’s homestead is on the verge of erosion caused by Sandha River under Babuganj upazila in Barishal.
His brother Manjur Rahman Bacchu said: “We don’t want any financial support from the government. We want the authorities conserve the river bank to prevent erosion.”
Mohiuddin Jahangir died at 22. His brother Manjur is a businessman.
Shaheed Lance Nayek Birsreshtho Munshi Abdur Rouf was single when he became martyred and his mother died about five years back. He has two sisters.
“I have two self-educated sons. That is why they do not get a job. They are doing business in Faridpur on a small scale requiring financial support to expand their business,” said Johra Begum, elder sister of Munshi Abdur Rouf.
Birsreshtho Motiur Rahman left his wife Mili Rahman and two daughters. The daughters are currently residing in the United States with their husbands.
The Business Post has not been able to contact them.
