Striving to Realize the Ideals of My Father

father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the man people fondly called Bangabandhu, or Friend of Bangladesh—a title bestowed in the 1960s that reflected how much they loved him. It was not meant to be a lofty title but, rather, a simple reflection of people’s love. I learned from my father how to empathize with the deprived, the disadvantaged, and how to dream about building a prosperous future for them. He dreamt about creating, once again, a Sonar Bangla, or Golden Bengal, as our land was known in ancient times. He envisioned a prosperous country based on the ideals of democracy, religious tolerance, and social justice. It ultimately became his political philosophy and lodestar all through his life. I have always tried to follow his advice and example. During the previous two centuries, our people had been colonized, impoverished, and ruthlessly exploited by rulers who came from outside. This exploitation continued even after 1947, when the British colonial rulers partitioned the Indian subcontinent and established an independent Pakistan. While the word “Bangladesh” had been used by the people of our country for centuries, our land officially became known as East Bengal only in 1905. With the 1947 independence of Pakistan, East Bengal became known as East Pakistan—an arrangement that brought no joy to our nation. Geographically separated from the western wing of Pakistan by a thousand miles, the erstwhile East Pakistan was ethnically, culturally, and socially different from West Pakistan. While our people sought greater autonomy in managing their own STRIVING TO REALIZE THE IDEALS OF MY FATHER