S A Hussain

Today is Sheikh Russell’s 60th birthday, on this day Sheikh Russell lit the arms of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib. That day was a fountain of joy in the Sheikh family.
Sheikh Russell was born on October 18, 1964 at Bangabandhu Bhavan number 32 in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, then East Pakistan. Bangabandhu named the new family member ‘Russell’ after his favorite writer, world famous philosopher and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell.
On the day Sheikh Russell was born, Bangabandhu was staying in Chittagong to campaign for Jinnah. While reminiscing that day, Prime Minister Jannetri Sheikh Hasina wrote, “The moments before Russell’s birth were very anxious.
Me, Kamal, Jamal, Rehana and Khoka uncle at home. With Elder aunt & secend aunt.
A doctor and nurse also came. Time does not pass.
Jamal and Rehana sleep for a while and then wake up. We wake up with sleepy eyes waiting to hear the news of the arrival of a new guest. Mezho Fufu came out of the house and informed us that our brother has born. We lose ourselves in happiness. How long will I see? Fufu said, he will call. After a while the call came. Big uncle put Russell in my lap. A head full of thick black hair. Fluffy soft cheeks. Russell grew up quite a lot.”
When the age of Sheikh Russell passed one and a half years, the government of Pakistan again imprisoned Bangabandhu.
Little Sheikh Russel did not get the opportunity to grow up with his father’s closeness, affection and love like other children. Only mother was the repository of all his affection, love and compassion, and she was the apple of his siblings’ eyes. Russell was growing up alone amidst the lifestyle of his imprisoned father, the Agartala conspiracy case, the busyness of everyone at home and his profession. His favorite companions were bicycles, pigeons and favorite foods were soft drinks Coke and cakes.
Bangabandhu’s autobiography reveals his inner suffering. Bangabandhu was in jail as a royal prisoner since the 1966 6-point movement. Russell won’t leave his father behind when they visit him in prison. That’s why he was upset.
‘Bangabandhu wrote about Sheikh Russell in “Karagarer Roznamcha”, the 2-year-old boy came and said, “Dad, go home.” What answer will I give him? I tried to forget him and he does not understand that I am imprisoned. I told him, ‘Go to your mother’s house. I live in my house. Come to see me again. What he wants to understand! How will this little boy, with his weak hands free from this stone wall! I feel sad. Even though I am a man and his birth.
Other children have learned to understand. But Russell has not yet learned to understand. So sometimes he wants to take me home.”
Sheikh Hasina wrote about going to meet Bangabandhu in prison in the book ‘Amader Chhota Russell Sona’, “We used to go to meet my father every 15 days. When Russell was taken, he did not want to come. He used to cry a lot. He was made to understand that Abba’s house is a prison and we have come to visit Abba’s house. We will go back home. He was brought back home with great difficulty.
And we could understand the state of mind of father. At home, when he cried for father, mother would understand him and teach him to call mother as father. Mother was called Abba.”
When Bangabandhu was in prison in 1966, when it was time to meet him, Russell did not want to leave his father behind. Because of this he was upset. Bangabandhu wrote about Russell in his prison diary on June 15, 1966, “Russell, who is 18 months old, does not smile when he comes to the prison office – until he sees me. I saw from a distance shouting ‘Abba Abba’ as before.
A cargo truck entered through the jail gate. So I stood at the window and kissed her. After a while, Russell grabbed my neck and laughed as I walked in. They said they just looked at the window until I came, saying ‘father’s house’.
Now it is thought that it is his father’s house. When it’s time to go, he has to dodge.”
Bangabandhu wrote about Sheikh Russell in Kargar’s Roznamcha on April 14, 1967, “When I arrived at the prison gate, I was surprised to see that the little boy had not come out today.
When I went inside the room and held him in my arms, I called him ‘Abba’ ‘Abba’ several times and started calling him ‘Abba’ ‘Abba’. His mother is called ‘Abba’. I asked, ‘What’s the matter?’ His mother said, “At home ‘Abba’ cries ‘Abba’ so I told him to call me ‘Abba’.” Russell started calling ‘Abba’ ‘Abba’.
Whenever I reply, he grabs his mother’s throat and says, ‘You are my father.’ Now it’s time to say goodbye and don’t want to take me away.”
What a sad story of father and son has emerged in the writings of Bangabandhu. The child Russell had to be deprived of his father’s life because he was imprisoned in a false case by the oppressive Pakistan government in order to realize the rights of the people of the country.
In 1969, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was released from prison and picked up his beloved four-year-old son Sheikh Russell. This is the first time that Russell was placed in his father’s arms full of affection, tenderness and love.
In 1971, Sheikh Russell spent his life as a prisoner in a house on Dhanmondi road number 18 along with his mother Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib and two sisters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana.
Father Bangabandhu was imprisoned in Pakistan prison and two elder brothers Sheikh Kamal and Sheikh Jamal went to the liberation war. Family members including mother and yourself were released on 17th December 1971. Russell came out of the room saying ‘Joy Bangla’ in a deep voice. Victory festival is going on outside.
Sheikh Russel was a child who loved his father very much. After the independence of the country, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned from the prison of Pakistan on January 10, 1972, on that day Russell saw his father with eyes full of wonder, soaked in his heavenly loving kiss.
From then on he did not want to be without his father’s presence. As long as the father (Bangabandhu) was at home, he wanted to be near him, wanted to receive his blessings. His favorite companions were bicycles, pigeons and favorite foods were soft drinks Coke and cake.
Sheikh Russell was very humane and brave even at that young age, Sheikh Russell’s heart was very big and generous even though he was young. He had immense love especially for common people. Like his father, he developed the mentality of protesting against injustice at an early age.
Simplicity, idealism and philosophy flourished in all his childlike behavior and activities.
His tutor Gitali Chakraborty (Dasgupta) shed light on Sheikh Russell, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He was Sheikh Russell’s tutor from August 1972 to August 14, 1975.
Geethali Chakraborty (Dasgupta) was then a second-year post-graduate student of the Bengali Department of Dhaka University. Currently he lives in Sydney, Australia with other family members. He retired in 2005 after teaching in different colleges of Bangladesh.
During his conversation with Basser, he said that his relationship with Sheikh Russell was tied in a strange tone. There was no conventional melody or rhythm. There was a resonating passion of ever-new joy and deep love. ‘It is not as easy to write about him as it is to say it with my mouth. If the feeling is deep, the language is helpless there’, added this teacher of Sheikh Russell.
In the description of Geethali Chakraborty (Dasgupta): I presented to the readers a case of Sheikh Russell’s love and sense of responsibility towards the common people.
He said, ‘It was a winter day. There was another child named Russell in the house next to number 32 in Dhanmondi. Russell often played with him. One day an old woman (elderly woman) came to the neighboring house to beg. At this time it is said from home, not alms, if you do something at home, you will be given 1 taka. The old woman agreed. But only 25 paise was paid to the old woman after the work was done. He came out of that house crying.
This incident leaves a fatal mark on the mind of Kishore Russell and causes pain. Russell picked up the old lady as much as possible and made her sit in front of the gate. He said, Abba (Bangabandhu) will actually talk. Justice should be sought. He will judge. He was also given food at noon. On this side, the old woman’s condition is severe in winter. What happens when, can not be said. But one word of Russell, father will actually be judged.
Then the old woman will go. Russell is then offered, if the old woman is given dinner and more money, whether or not he can be released. Sheik Russell agreed to release him on the offer that he would probably be paid more. However, the father actually said that the old woman will seek justice for this irregularity.’
In Aziz Rahman’s poem called Eman Russell, the image of Sheikh Russell’s humanity emerges.
Russell Russell Russell, where is the noise in the field?
The companion was the bicycle alone with his bird.
Holding hands with his father, his mind was full of joy, his mind was just human.
I can remember him in the middle of another poem,
“Today is a very happy day.
Little Russell Sona was born on such a day
Father’s love, mother’s kiss, mother’s love
Russell was a dreamer and the hope of everyone.
Pigeons spent morning and afternoon playing ball
In the afternoon, he used to ride a bicycle
With love and affection to all
The house of Dhanmondi 32 was full of excitement.
Suddenly one day at midnight everything stopped
The little bird of 32 no longer does Rob.
Every day in the field of Bengal at the school
Even today, Hasu Bubu is looking for Russell gold with two eyes
May Russell be with Bubu even from heaven
A young child dreams of becoming an army officer
In the rush to write songs and poems on Sheikh Russell’s birthday
May Russell remain immortal in the bottomless nest of our hearts.”
Russell was very intelligent and rational even at this young age, these qualities were known from his teacher Geethali, one day Geethali was teaching Russell in Sheikh Rehana’s room. Rama or Farid would give tea and snacks between readings. They 2 used to give tea and breakfast most of the time. Geetali used to eat only tea on the day when there was sweets with tea. He used to eat sweets sometimes.
Suddenly, Russell asked, ‘Sister, why don’t you eat sweets for a day?’ Geethali said, ‘Why, would eat’ In response, Russell says, ‘Eat occasionally. Why don’t you eat sweets every day?’ Geethali said, ‘I don’t like sweets, so I don’t eat them.’ Russell also immediately said, ‘I don’t like to read either, but can you teach me every day?’ Intelligence and rationality can be found from his conversation.
On the night of August 15, 1975, the father of the nation Bangabandhu, along with other family members, took the life of Sheikh Russell, the great child of history, humanitarian and philosopher, at the age of 11. At that time Russell was a fourth grade student of Dhaka University Laboratory School. The small body of the ever-active, exuberant Sheikh Russell was consumed by the assassin’s brush fire.
Sheikh Russell pleaded with the killers not to kill for the sake of Allah before his death. On that day, Russell’s scream may have shaken the throne of Almighty God, but the heart of the murderous, merciless stones was not shaken at all. By killing baby Russell, the killers committed the most inhumane, heinous, atrocious crime in the history of human civilization. Such a cruel, painless killing not only took away Sheikh Russell’s life, but also killed all his undeveloped potential, dreams and achievements.
If Sheikh Russell was alive, he would have made an important contribution to building a modern prosperous Bangla by working shoulder to shoulder with his elder sister Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in building the ‘Sonar Bangla’ of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu’s dream.
The people of the country were enlivened with patriotism by his humanity and ideals. Martyr Sheikh Russel is dead but his ideal is not dead. Sheikh Russell’s humanity and self-sacrifice will be the source of our national motivation and will inspire us to love our country from generation to generation. I pray for the forgiveness of the souls of martyr Sheikh Russel and all his family in the court of Almighty Allah.
Author:
Editor
Daily English Times

Sharing is caring!