Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib
1st First Lady of Bangladesh
In role
25 January 1975 – 15 August 1975
PresidentSheikh Mujibur Rahman
Preceded byherself
Succeeded byKhaleda Zia
In role
11 April 1971 – 12 January 1972
PresidentSheikh Mujibur Rahman
Preceded byPost created
Succeeded byherself
Personal details
Born
Begum Fazilatunnesa

(1930-08-08)August 8, 1930
Tungipara, Gopalganj, Bengal Presidency, British India (now Bangladesh)
DiedAugust 15, 1975(1975-08-15) (aged 45)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Manner of deathAssassination
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1938)​
Children
RelativesSee Tungipara Sheikh family

Begum Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib[1] (Bengali: শেখ ফজিলাতুন্নেছা মুজিব; 8 August 1930[2][3] – 15 August 1975[3][4]), commonly known as Begum Mujib;[5][6] and also known by her daak naam Renu (Bengali: রেনু),[7] was the wife of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first President of Bangladesh. She was the mother of Sheikh Hasina, who is now Prime Minister of Bangladesh (since 2009). She was assassinated with her husband, brother-in-law, 3 sons and 2 daughters-in-law.[8] Her elder sister was Sheikh Jinnatunnesa.

Early life and marriage

Sheikh Fazilatunnesa was born in 1930, to the Bengali Muslim Sheikh family in the village of Tungipara, Gopalganj in 1930.[9] Her father's name is Sheikh Zahurul Haque and her mother's name is Sheikh Husne Ara Begum.[10] She was of Iraqi Arab ancestry on both sides of family, her paternal grandfather Sheikh Kashem, was grandson of Sheikh Ekramullah, who was in turn descended from Sheikh Abdul Awal Darwish of Baghdad, a dervish who had come to preach Islam in Bengal during the early 18th century.[11][12] Her father, Sheikh Zahurul Haque, and mother, Husne Ara Begum, died when she was three years old.

Sheikh Fazilatunnesa’s elder sister was Sheikh Jinnatunnesa.

She was a paternal cousin of her husband Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. When Begum Fazilatunnesa was only 3 and Sheikh Mujib was 13, their marriage had been fixed by elders in the family.[13] Renu was only 8 years old when she was married to her husband, who himself was just 18, in 1938.[13] The couple later had two daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, as well as three sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel.[13] Fazilatunnesa Mujib was under house arrest during Bangladesh Liberation War until 17 December.[14]

Assassination

On 15 August 1975, a group of junior army officers attacked the presidential residence with tanks and assassinated Mujib, his family and personal staff. Only her daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, who were visiting West Germany, escaped. They were banned from returning to Bangladesh. Others killed included her 10-year-old son Sheikh Russel, two other sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Parveen Jamal Rosy (who is also her cousins daughter), brothers-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat and Sheikh Abu Naser, nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani and his wife Arzoo Moni.[15] The coup was planned by disgruntled Awami League colleagues and military officers, which included Mujib's colleague and former confidant Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, who became his immediate successor. Lawrence Lifschultz has alleged that the CIA was involved in the coup and assassination, basing his assumption on statements by the then US ambassador in Dhaka, Eugene Booster.[16]

Mujib's death plunged the nation into many years of political turmoil. The coup leaders were soon overthrown and a series of counter-coups and political assassinations paralysed the country. Order was largely restored after a coup in 1977 gave control to the army chief Ziaur Rahman. Declaring himself President in 1978, Ziaur Rahman signed the Indemnity Ordinance, giving immunity from prosecution to the men who plotted Mujib's overthrow and assassination.

Legacy

Bangabandhu Memorial Trust in partnership with Malaysian hospital chain KPJ Healthcare built the Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialised Hospital and Nursing College in her memory.[17] The hospital was inaugurated by Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.[18] A dormitory in Eden college is named after her.[19] Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall is a female dorm in Rajshahi University.[20] Govt. Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Mohila College is located in Tangail.[21] Lastly, Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University (BSFMSTU) is situated in Jamalpur.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.tbsnews.net/thoughts/begum-fazilatunnessa-mujib-woman-moral-power-473730
  2. ↑ "Fazilatunnesa Mujib's birthday today". Daily Sun. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Begum Mujib: A tribute". The Daily Star. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib's 81st birth anniversary today". The Daily Star. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  5. ↑ https://www.tbsnews.net/thoughts/begum-fazilatunnessa-mujib-woman-moral-power-473730
  6. ↑ https://www.newagebd.net/article/208935/bup-observes-birth-anniv-of-begum-mujib
  7. ↑ Asamapta Atmajibanee. The University Press Limited, Penguin Books and Oxford University Press. 2012. ISBN 9789845061100.
  8. ↑ "Cabinet Pays Homage to Bangladesh's Founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman". New Age. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  9. ↑ "Begum Mujib: A tribute". The Daily Star. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Renowned personality". Gopalganj District. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
  11. ↑ "Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh". barristersheikhtaposh.info. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  12. ↑ "Sheikh Mujib – My Father". Daily Sun. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  13. 1 2 3 "6 lesser known facts about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  14. ↑ "Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib's 81st birth anniversary today". The Daily Star. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Mahbub, Sumon. "Bangladesh plunges into mourning Bangabandhu on his 40th death anniversary". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "In Mourning, In Rage". The Daily Star. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  17. ↑ "PM to take all treatment at home". Dhaka Tribune. BSS. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "Hasina, Malaysian PM unveil plaque". The Daily Star. UNB. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Eden College dormitory emptied as it develops cracks after earthquake". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  20. ↑ "9th RU convocation held". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  21. ↑ "Schoolgirls get karate training". The Daily Star. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
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