RANGPUR, Dec 1: 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 the news agency, 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.
On 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 said 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. -BSS
