Sheikh Hasina did maximum for freedom fighters: Taramon

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By Engr Mamun Islam

RANGPUR, Dec 1, 2020 (BSS) – Gallantry award winning freedom fighter
Taraman Bibi, Bir Pratik, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has done
the maximum for freedom fighters through ensuring their welfare, and
especially for her.

In an exclusive interview with BSS, around month before her death
on December 1, 2018, an ailing Taramon said, Sheikh Hasina showed deep
respect to freedom fighters who fought for independence risking own
lives.

Today (December 1) is the second death anniversary of Taramon Bibi.

Her only son Abu Taher and only daughter Majeda Khatun today
observed the death anniversary of Taramon at her home in Shankar
Madhobpur village of Rajibpur upazila in Kurigram.

“We arranged a milad followed by doa mahfil today,” Taher told BSS
this evening over cell phone, adding that they also fed some 20 poorer
people.

“Our father Abdul Mazid died on August 17 last this year and we
buried him beside my mother’s grave in our village home,” Taher added.

In that exclusive interview, Taramon said, “I always feel warmth of
love, affection and touch of Sheikh Hasina when she embraced me on
several occasions and enquired my whereabouts.”

Despite suffering from chronic diseases a couple of months back, an
ailing Taramon said, “I felt everything pleasant in my heart when
Sheikh Hasina embraced me as an elder sister and daughter of Father of
the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”

“At this last stage of my life, I am very happy and fully satisfied
as the government has employed my only son Abu Taher at Rajibpur
Upazila Heath Complex and only son-in-law Rafikul Islam at Sherpur
Public Works Division,” she added.

Recalling her memories, Taramon, a legendary freedom fighter of the
Great War of Liberation, said, she was living in Shankar Madhobpur
village during the War of Liberation in 1971 with her poor widow
mother as her father died long ago.

She took part in the War of Liberation soon at the call of
Bangabandhu in Sector No-11 under the command of Colonel Abu Taher
after being inspired by Habilder Muhib at Char Rajibpur Muktijoddha
Camp.

“I first started cooking for the freedom fighters at the camp—–
soon began spying to gather information of the occupation forces.
Subsequently, I took part in the battles after getting arms training
from Habilder Muhib,” Taramon said.

“After independence, I returned my village Sankar Madhobpur. I got
married to Abdul Mazid in 1974— subsequently, I gave birth to our
son Abu Taher and daughter Majeda Khatun,” Taramon was recalling
memories.

Taramon had to live amid miseries due to abject poverty and worked
as a farm-labourer or day-labourer for many years with her husband to
feed their two children.

“I did not know that the then government of Bangabandhu awarded me
in 1973 with the gallantry title ‘Bir Pratik’ in recognition of my
courage and heroism during the War of Liberation,” Taramon said.

She expressed gratitude to liberation war researcher Bimal Kanti of
Mymensingh for discovering her in 1995 when she got the ‘Bir Pratik’
award with Taka 25,000 on December 19, 1995 from the then government.

“I still remember the unforgettable moment of meeting Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina for the first time and receiving Taka 15,000
from her fund in 1996,” Taramon said.

“The subsequent governments fixed Taka 2,000 in 2002 and Taka 3,000
in 2007 as monthly allowances for me,” she said.

“After assuming power again in 2009, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
entirely changed my destiny and life by raising my monthly allowance
to Taka 15,000—- arranged free medical treatments for me at the
Combined Military Hospitals,” Taramon narrated.

“Besides, I get 30 kilogram rice, 25 kilogram wheat, four kilogram
sugar, eight kilogram lentil and eight kilogram edible oil at Taka 120
every month under the rationing programme from Kurigram police
administration,” she said.

“Sheikh Hasina built a house for me in Kurigram Township and handed
it over to me in 2009 with one acre of land so that I could easily
avail physician in Kurigram hospital for my treatment,” she said.

Taramon said, “My health condition deteriorates rapidly now. I do
not know when Almighty Allah takes me back,” she said, and thanked
Sheikh Hasina for making all possible arrangements for her medical
treatments.

“If I die, please call upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on my
behalf, to pray for eternal peace of my soul,” she desired only about
a month before she died.

Taramon then said she always prayed for eternal peace for the
departed soul of Bangabandhu and long life and sound health of Sheikh
Hasina to lead the nation and build a ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by
Bangabandhu.