Bangabandhu decided not to stay at Ganobhaban to remain in touch with people

DHAKA, Aug 3, 2014 (BSS) - Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had decided to stay at his personal residence at Dhanmandi (Road) 32 instead of the official Prime Minister's bungalow, "Ganobhaban", to keep in touch with the people, said his private secretary, Dr Mohammad Farash Uddin.

"Bangabandhu, the leader of the masses, took the final
decision not to live at Ganobhaban on his last birthday on March
17, 1975 for keeping close association with the people," he told
BSS in an interview marking the 95th birthday of the Great
Leader.

Farash Uddin, who was also the governor of Bangladesh Bank,
said Bangabandhu took the decision at a time when the law and
order situation of the country had deteriorated as the "Sarbahara
Party" was very active and speculations of international
conspiracy was rife.

Many people thought that the bloody incident of August 15
could have been avoided, apparently, if Bangabandhu had stayed at
the Ganobhaban. In this context, Farash Uddin said Bangabandhu
might have survived the military coup.

He said, Bangabandhu took such an important decision
following the advice of Begum Fajilatunnessa Mujib as once Begum
Mujib told him, "I don't want to keep Bangabandhu imprisoned at
Ganobhaban by creating a wall between him and the people."

Farash Uddin quoted Begum Mujib as saying, Bangabandhu, as a
statesman, could not run the state by alienating himself from the
people as the common people came in close contact with him if he
stayed at Dhanmondi 32 residence instead of Ganobhaban.

Bangabandhu followed Begum Mujib's decisions considering it
to be logical, Farash Uddin said, and also quoted her as saying,
"I send people to the market and Bangabandhu himself see the
commodities bought from the market. If Bangabandhu stays at the
Dhanmandi 32 residence, he could understand the prices of
commodities in the market".

"If you take him (Bangabandhu) to Ganobhaban, he will be
alienated from all things, so please don't do this," the former
personal staff to Bangabandhu quoted Begum Mujib as saying.

Considering these things, he said, Bangabandhu had taken the
decision to live at the Dhanmondi residence where the Great
Leader could have the opportunity to know the problems including
economic condition, day-to-day situation and everyday market
prices from the common people which helped Bangabandhu to
understand the country's current situation.

Following some major political changes during the time,
Farash Uddin said, a situation was created as only one-and-a-half
month back meaning on January 25, 1975, the country returned to
presidential rule and Bangabandhu took over as the country's
president. Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSHAL) was
formed with all political parties of the country.

To ensure the nation's economic emancipation and reduce
dependence on foreign aid, he said, Bangabandhu had decided to
recast his economic policy.

Bangabandhu had two political objectives: one for political
freedom and the other for economic freedom, Farash Uddin said,
and added that the first one was achieved with the victory in the
War of Liberation in 1971 but Bangabandhu adopted this plan to
achieve the second one.

On his last birthday the great leader despite being jovial
seemed concerned, said the former BB governor.

He said Bangabandhu always thought about people's wellbeing
and never thought about his personal security or that of his
family during the period when the country's law and order had
deteriorated, international conspiracy was on and Chittagong Hill
Tracts' problem was acute.