On this day in 1975, India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief RN Kao visited Bangabandhu’s Dhanmondi residence to alert the Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to a potential plot to assassinate him.
However, as Bangabandhu was not at home, the former Indian intelligence chief informed Bangamata Begum Fajilatunnesa Mujib, the wife of Bangabandhu, about the possible attack, according to Bangabandhu Obhidhan by Sheikh Sadi.
When Kao arrived at the house on Dhanmondi Road 32 on August 6, 1975, he advised Fazilatunnesa Mujib that the family leave their Dhanmondi residence and suggested that they should shift to Bangabhaban, the official residence of the president, for safety.
However, Begum Mujib rejected the offer saying: “He [Bangabandhu] can stay at Bangabhaban, but I will never leave this house. I had to shift my family a lot when he [Bangabandhu] was in jail. We had no permanent place to live. Now we have built this house after so much struggle, I am not going to leave this place.”
Bangabandhu was a valiant leader and loved by the common people, which is why he and his family remained unfazed by the threat to his life.
However, the next day, following the warning from Kao, then Indian High Commissioner Samar Sen met Bangabandhu.
Sen also informed Sheikh Mujib about the conspiracy, according to Sheikh Sadi.
Later Samar Sen was shot and wounded in an ambush at the Chancery Building in Dhaka on November 26, 1975.
On November 27, 1975, the New York Times reported: “The High Commissioner, Samar Sen, whose role is that of an ambassador, suffered a broken shoulder bone. After surgery to remove the bullet his condition was described as satisfactory.”
Bangabandhu and his family were busy with their lives in the early days of August while the conspirators hatched the plot to assassinate them brutally.
In August 1975, Bangabandhu’s two daughters – Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana – were visiting Germany.
On August 5, 1975, Sheikh Rehana sent a letter from Karlsruhe of Germany on her elder brother Sheikh Kamal’s birthday.
In her letter, the younger daughter of Sheikh Mujib described the warm weather of Karlsruhe and shared her experience of visiting the Black Forest in Germany.
During this period, Bangabandhu was very busy working out the details of the newly formed Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (Baksal). On August 4, 1975, Mujib declared the names of Baksal secretaries and assistant secretaries for the 61 districts of the country.
