Sheikh Jamal’s 68th birthday Wednesday

Wednesday marks the 68th birthday of the freedom fighter Shaheed Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal, the second son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He was born on this day in 1954 in Tungipara village of Gopalganj district. He did his matriculation from Dhaka Residential Model College and intermediate from Dhaka College. He was a culture lover and an athlete.

During the Liberation War in 1971, Sheikh Jamal was under house arrest along with other members of his family. He escaped from there and led the great War of Liberation.

Sheikh Jamal reached Agartala, India after a very perilous journey from Dhanmondi and joined Mujib's forces there. After the training, he participated in the Liberation War in Sector 9.

Sheikh Jamal was a vigilant army officer. He was a commissioned officer of the first batch of the long course of the Bangladesh Army.

In 1974, Sheikh Jamal participated in a training camp as a cadet at the Yugoslavia Military Academy. After training at Sandhurst Academy in Britain, he returned to the country and joined the Second East Bengal Regiment as a second lieutenant in Dhaka Cantonment.

During his short tenure in the Second East Bengal Regiment, he left an impression of extraordinary professionalism and sincerity among the officers and soldiers.

Within a few weeks, Sheikh Jamal became close to the officers and soldiers. He impressed them by taking part in the training grounds, tactics classes, and obstacle crossings. He also trained members of the battalion’s boxing team.

On 14 August, 1975, he served in the cantonment as a battalion duty officer and returned to his father’s house in Dhanmondi 32.

On August 15, 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s architect, with most of his family members including Sheikh Jamal, was assassinated by a group of disgruntled army officers.

On the occasion of celebrating the birthday of Shaheed Sheikh Jamal with due dignity, a special munajat will be held at Banani Graveyard at 9am on Wednesday at the initiative of Awami League to pay homage to him and pray for his departed soul.