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Feature

Martyr's Mother Still Crying

After 41 years of independence, Firoza Bewa, a mother of martyr freedom fighter, is yet to get any government recognition as the mother of a martyr of our liberation war. Her elder son, Abdul Baten Shamim, joined the freedom fighters at the age of 21 during liberation war. On 15 December in 1971 he received bullet injuries in his body in the battle against Pakistani soldiers. He died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on 14th January, 1972, from those gun wounds.
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S Dilip Roy

Firoza Bewa, a mother of martyr freedom fighter is still crying for her son at home at Fire Service road in Lalmonirhat town. She doesn't know when her crying will be stopped. After 41 years of independence, she is yet to get any government recognition as the mother of a martyr of our liberation war.

Nobody knows about Firoza Bewa and her family in the village. She has lost her husband, Abdul Aziz, 20 years ago and she is living with her two younger sons, Harunur Rashid and Abul Kalam, in Lalmonirhat town. Before the country's liberation war, Firoza Bewa's family lived in Kalipur village of Daudkandi upazila in Comilla district. After the liberation, she settled in Lalmonirhat town.

Firoza Bewa's elder son, Abdul Baten Shamim, joined the freedom fighters at the age of 21 during liberation war. He was a fighter of Langolbon Camp in Narayanganj district under Sector no. 2. His body number was 036. His maternal uncle, Motiur Rahman Bir Uttom (the second highest award for individual bravery in Bangladesh), encouraged him to join as freedom fighter in the liberation war.

In the morning of 15 December in 1971Abdul Baten Shamim received bullet injuries in his body in the battle against Pakistani soldiers at Narayanganj Mill Area. Some of his co-fighters admitted Shamim in Dhaka Medical College Hospital on that day. After one month of treatment, freedom fighter Abdul Baten Shamim died at 9 No bed of 7 No ward in the hospital in the evening of 14th January, 1972.

The liberation war martyr, Abdul Baten Shamin, was buried at Azimpur Graveyard in Dhaka the next day in the morning. The martyr's mother, Firoza Bewa, said, “I and my late husband went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after hearing about our son's condition on 14th January. Our son told us he will free our country from Pakistan even if it costs him his life. Our son told us that he fought for our country's independence and killed many Pakistani soldiers and Rajakar,” she said.

“I have no photograph of our martyred son but his face is always floating in my eyes. I only have the death certificate that was given by Ramna police station and a slip from Azimpur graveyard. I touch these and feel him,” Feroza Bewa told with tearful eyes.

Martyr Abdul Baten Shamim's younger brother Harunur Rashid said, he communicated with the concerned ministry for getting recognition of his martyr brother, Abdul Baten Shamim, for several times in the last few years but no result yet. Lalmonirhat Deputy Commissioner, Mokhlesur Rahman Sarker, sent a letter with the memo No-1-162/2011/449 to the concerned ministry for this purpose on 11th May in 2011, but the martyr's family didn't get any response till now, he said. Firoza Bewa and her family members are still waiting for getting government reorganization of martyr Abdul Baten Shamim.