Words of Bangabandhu: A Letter Collection

"Upholding pride without grieving is your duty"

East Pakistan Awami Muslim League
9, Nawabpur Road, Dacca
Dated: 06.07.52

Dear Mother,
Accept my heartfelt greetings. You may not know me, yet today I am compelled to write. Your son, Khalek Nawaaz, is currently in jail. There is no need to grieve over this. I too have spent a long two and a half years in prison. It is to alleviate the sorrow and adversity of the country and its people that he is in jail today. Upholding pride without grieving is your duty. If there is ever a need for anything, please do not forget to inform me. I am like your son. Khalek Nawaaz is doing well. He is taking his exams from jail. He is with Maulana Bhashani Sahib.

Your affectionate
(s/d) Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

[Copy of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's letter dated 06-07-1952 from the East Pakistan Awami League office to the mother of student leader Khalek Nawaz at the address of Achargaon, P. Nandail, Mymensingh. Source: Government of East Bangal, Home Poll, F/N, 606-48pf, Part-4. Translated by Sarah Bintay Shakhawat]

"We are fighting against a thousand odds"

150, Mughaltully, Dacca
21/8/49

Janab,
Hope you have received my letter sent along with Manik Bhai letter. We are all anxiously awaiting for reply to the points raised therein on our behalf. You certainly realise the attitude if the present regime which is mean. All sorts of oppression has been let loose. Promulgation of Sec. 144, arrest and harassment of our workers have become every day affairs. In spite of all these our organisational work is proceeding unexpectedly fast. But for an 'Organ' all our activities cannot be published. The other day we organized a public meeting at the Armanitola Maidan on the occasion of the Independence Day celebration but the Ministerial party wanted and in fact employed all vile tactics to break our meeting but all their attempts failed and the meeting was a tremendous success and there was a gathering of nearly fifty thousand. But for want of publicity we are fighting against thousand odds and you also know where other difficulties be. Our workers in mufassil are harassed like anything. I am leaving for Barisal and Gopalganj tonight, our workers have been assaulted and arrested in those places.

The conference of the East Pakistan Muslim Students' League have been fixed on the 16th and 17th Sept. 1949 would you kindly see that Mian Manzoral Alam, Mr. Abdus Sattar Khan, Niyajmi and Mr. Gholam Nabi of West Punjab are available to address the same? On hearing from you we shall issue invitation cards to those gentlemen.

When are you coming to Dacca? We are all anxious to have you in our midst for various talks.
Manik Bhai is indisposed. Yet we have requested him to take up charge of the central office of the Awami Muslim League.

With best regards.
Yours affectionately,
S/- Mojibur Rahman
        

[A letter written by Bangabandhu dated 21-08-1949 to Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy in English. The letter was intercepted on 25-08-1949 by the Detective Police, Dhaka, and a copy was kept on record. Source: "Bangabandhu'r Oprokashito Chithipotro" (Bangabandhu's Unpublished Letters) by Dr. Sunil Kanti De.]