A 17-year story of sacrifice, torture and a family has been written by his son Farmanul Islam. The 17 years of the Awami League era were a difficult time for our family. Since my father was a person associated with BNP politics, there was no torture he did not have to endure. False cases, attacks, extortion, political harassment – these seemed to have become a part of our lives. The business establishment built by my father with many years of hard work was also not safe.
Our family had to get through the day amidst repeated looting, extortion and pressure. At that time, there was no national day on which no one came to collect donations. Not only that, but many times, donations were collected even on personal pretexts. If they did not pay, they would extort money by threatening to sue and attack. I still remember the day my heart bleeds when I remember the day my father was brought to his home in Chittagong in a seriously injured condition.
His legs were broken, his arms were broken and hanging from his skin, his whole body was soaked in blood. The news of that incident was also published in many dailies of the country the next day. But even today we do not know exactly why some people from the ruling party at that time carried out this barbaric attack. However, the day before that, some people from the then ruling party had come to our Brickfields to collect donations to celebrate the death anniversary of a national leader. The money was less than that because there was little cash on hand that day, so maybe that was my father’s “crime”. They beat an elderly man over 60 and left him next to a dilapidated house about 400-500 yards away. Maybe they thought he was no longer alive. He was later rescued in a serious condition.
Later, on the advice of doctors in the country, he had to be taken to Singapore for treatment. He had to walk for many years with steel rods on his hands and feet. While paying for that treatment, we were saddled with a debt of lakhs of taka.
And what about the lawsuit? Such a ridiculous and harassing lawsuit was also filed that despite having 4/5 ponds of our own, it was alleged that we had eaten the fish from other people’s ponds.
There was a time when my father was seen more in the court building than at home. Otherwise, he had to go to other people’s houses and hide for days for fear of arrest. As a family, we not only faced financial and physical losses, but also endured mental suffering for a long time. Yet my father never backed down from his political ideals and beliefs. He made many sacrifices for the party and for the ideals. Despite all this, he never thought of leaving his area, workplace or political activities.
Nowadays, many people become banana trees after 1/2 years of politics. Leaving the village for the city, leaving the city for the country, building houses and residences, but for them, the ideal existence of the party and the party was first and foremost. So, the city is far away from the country, the village house is now also tin. Today, when I think of those times, it seems that the sacrifice and struggle of a political worker should be properly evaluated.
Those who stood by the party in difficult times, risking their own lives, their families, and relatives for the party and standing with the party flag, their contributions and sacrifices need to be remembered and respected. People learn from the past that if sacrifice is not valued, no self-sacrificing leader will be born in the country. This story of my father is not just the story of one person; it is the story of those people who have endured a lot of hardship and torture for the ideal and have maintained their faith. Our hope is that one day a society and political culture will be developed where sacrifice is valued, injustice is judged, and the rights and security of the common people are ensured.