On September 5′ 1971, we lost one of the brave sons of our mighty soil, Birshrestha Nur Mohammad Sheikh. An important battle took place on this day at Sutipur in Jessore where Nur Mohammad attained martyrdom. Five freedom fighters were patrolling in the village of Goalhati in the front area of the Sutipur camp to repel a possible attack by Pakistani forces. Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh led the guard. He and four of his comrades were on duty with utmost devotion and prudence. The news reached the ears of the Pakistan army. Pak army surrounded Nur Mohammad’s small group on three sides with weapons and launched an attack. Nur Mohammad with his force also launched a counter-attack. Just then, a bullet from the Pak army hit the body of Nannu Mia, one of Nur Mohammad’s comrades. At once Nannu Mia fell to the ground. Nur Mohammad knew that the Pak army had modern weapons and ammunition. Even then, Nur Mohammad took Nannu Mia by the shoulder with one hand and started firing the enemy with the other hand. Nur Mohammad, an expert in war strategies, was constantly changing his position to confuse the enemy. His intention was to make the enemy think that there were many freedom fighters with him. He told his comrades to retreat a little and move to relatively safe place. Suddenly a mortar shell of the Pak army hit his right knee. Although he was severely wounded, he continued firing at the enemy as long as possible, instructing his comrades to return to their original defensive position. His fellow fighters, however, wanted to take him away, but he refused. Nur Mohammad was martyred for the liberation of the country while making a try to save the lives of his comrades sacrificing his own life. His fellow soldiers later recovered his body and buried at Kashipur in the border.
In recognition of heroism and bravery in the war of liberation, the government of Bangladesh conferred the title of Bir Shrestha (highest) on a total of seven war heroes including Nur Mohammad. There were three more titles also for bravery and sacrifice of the war heroes and heroines named ‘Bir Uttam’, ‘Bir Bikram’ and ‘Bir Pratik’.
Nur Mohammad was born on 26 February in 1936 in the village of Mahishkhola in Narail. He had a deep passion for drama and theatre. Nur Mohammad Sheikh was the only child of poor parents. He had to sell his ancestral lands due to financial crisis in his very childhood. At an early age he joined the local Ansar force for the purpose of serving the country. The boy, who lost his parents, studied up to seventh grade and then joined the East Pakistan Rifles on March 14, 1959. After initial training, he joined Dinajpur sector. Later in 1970 he was transferred to Jessore sector. During the war of liberation he was fighting in Sector 8 of Jessore. In March of 1971, he was on leave in his village.
Freedom-loving people from all walks of life responded to the call of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s speech at the historic Race Course ground (now Suhrawardy Udyan) on March 7 in 1971 to liberate us from brutal oppression, exploitation and deprivation of Pakistani rulers. Lance Naik Nur Mohammad Sheikh (later awarded the title of Bir Shrestha) also joined the war of independence like other heroes and liberated the country at the cost of his life. There are different tragic stories in the life of everyone who took part in the liberation war, whether he or she was awarded the above mentioned titles or not. It is time to inspire the new generation with the spirit of liberation war. Therefore, it is important for us to have a clear idea about the spirit of the liberation war. I think the name of our country ‘Bangladesh’ itself is the spirit of our liberation war. The spirit of the liberation war is the conviction to move our independent country forward by holding the essence and principle of the liberation war and the power of liberating Bangladesh from the exploitation and oppression of West Pakistan.
Sadly, today, even after 49 years of independence, this post-liberation war generation is not able to hold on the spirit of liberation war to their chests in true sense like the great and valiant fighters of our War of Independence. Corruption, injustice, oppression, murder, injury, coercion and usurpation have not yet been removed from our society. It is not possible for human beings to commit corruption, injustice or oppression if the spirit of the Liberation War of Bangladesh can nurture properly in hearts. For this, it is necessary to know the exact history of the liberation war or the freedom fighters during the war. We are still failing to convey the message and the history of the liberation war properly to the new generation.
It is true, no doubt, that today’s independent Bangladesh is borrowed from its freedom fighters. This very freedom has been achieved at the cost of many fresh lives in a long and bloody struggle of nine months, not in mutual understanding or negotiations. However, in order to commemorate the heroism of the seven best heroes for their special contribution to the war of liberation, I think it is necessary to seriously consider the observance of ‘Bir Shrestha Day’ or a day with a similar name. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and the concerned department can play their roles in this regard.
(Mr. Badrul is Assistant Professor, Department of English, Ishakha International University. E-mail: [email protected])
