Remembrance
A daughter remembers . . .
A life in the army appeals to many because it lets someone praise merit, ideas and action. It is the collective force --- one for all, all for one --- that makes the army a distinguished force in a country. My father, the late Major General Matiur Rahman Bir Protik, joined the army because he believed there could be nothing better than serving one's motherland as a soldier. "There are things in our life", he often said, "that we can feel but are difficult to be explained. For instance, being a soldier. If we ask what leads one to a life of sacrifice without any rewards except the fulfillment of a mission well accomplished, what makes one jump, operate in the jungle, cross swamps, rivers and high hills, going to where the country asks him to, without complaining. It is impossible to answer. After all, being a soldier is a state of mind."
My father took part in our glorious War of Liberation leaving behind his young wife and me, a child a mere few months old. I never knew about his valour and sacrifice in liberating Narsingdi until I saw the citation for his gallantry award. Being the daughter of a freedom fighter, I feel it necessary to let our next generation know about the sacrifices our heroes made to liberate Bangladesh. The precise account of the gallant action shown by my father as written in the citation is appended below:
When he was close to being fifty-five and due to retire in a couple of months, my mother revealed that he had been having a temperature in the evening for the past few days. We insisted that he see a doctor immediately. He was visibly losing weight but no one had thought much of it since he had never complained of any health problems. That day in November 1998, our worst fears were confirmed. He had pancreatic cancer and the size of the tumor indicated the cancer was in an advanced stage. The prognosis was grim but as doctors kept recommending treatment options, we were hopeful.
My father was a very private person. He was an accepting man; accepting of his fate and circumstance, but with faith in Allah. He was content with his life; there was nothing he felt unfulfilled about. He was at peace. My mother had the toughest time during that period. She was physically worn out from managing my father's meals and cleaning him up as he no longer had control over his bodily functions and needed her help. Worst of all, she was emotionally drained as she helplessly watched her husband of twenty-nine years slip away. Finally, on 27 November, my father lapsed into a coma. I lay by his side holding his hand tight, wanting to say many things to him just like I used to do as a child, but could not say anything at the end! I noticed that his fingers had turned grey and his feet were now cold and had curved into a hardened arch. The cold seemed to be spreading all over his body. At 5:15 in the morning on November 28, 1998 my father died quietly and died content. Looking back, I realize that the family of the dying needs as much support as the patient. I am grateful for all the support that was given to our family.
As my husband is in the army and we reside just next to the Cantonment Graveyard, Banani, I observe funerals for all defence personnel. Just as my father had, they died mostly in the line of duty. They had given their lives so that we could all be safer, freer and at peace. Today we are better off because of their dedication. Their funerals are arranged with great solemnity, pomp and circumstance to honour their sacrifices. It is the gesture that speaks of the need to say to the deceased; "We love you, We care for you and we pray for you. You are in our hearts." Their indomitable sprit is the hallmark of their existence in Bangladesh. Freedom fighters are the best chidren of the nation. We will always remember that they answered the call to serve when their nation needed them most. We will always remember that they did their duty with honour and dignity. And we will always remember the debt of gratitude that each of us who lives in Bangladesh owes to each of them who has protected this country.
My father was loved by his men. He had a high sense of patriotism. He was an honest and hard working man. Throughout his service career he was a unique example of individual courage and valour. Fighting against enormous odds entailing the peril of death was his nature. He taught us that the only real happiness comes from giving. He was generous and he had gift of confidence. He always preached these values in our family. If there is a way to appreciate him, it is in giving, deeper and deeper. May he be in peace in the haven!
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