Awami League (AL) General Secretary ObaidulQuader on Wednesday said Sheikh Rehana, younger daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is the name of a human character comprising a wonderful combination of patience, honesty, courage, determination, diligence, devotion, generosity and self-control.
"She is always uncompromising for the welfare of the country and its people. Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Rehana has set a rare example of living like a commoner despite being at the center of power," he said in a statement, extending his greetings to Sheikh Rehana, also the younger sister of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on her 68th birthday.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said Sheikh Rehana is a true Bangalee by heart and a kind personality with human values.
"As a member of the Bangabandhu family, she has infinite compassion and love for the Bangalees. In her thoughts and spirit, she was an idol of Bangalee women," he said.
Sheikh Rehana is an instance of integrity and a RatnagarvaMaa (mother of talents), the AL general secretary said, adding that she made her three children educated from renowned educational institutions of the world and they are successful and established in their respective fields today.
After losing her father, he said, Sheikh Rehana faced endless suffering but overcame those with patience.
Quader said Sheikh Rehana uses public transports in cities like London.
He said keeping the grief and pain of losing his family members in her own, she is moving ahead following the principles and ideals of Bangabandhu.
Like her elder sister Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she also dreams of Sonar Bangla, a developed and prosperous smart Bangladesh, dreamt by her father, the AL general secretary said.
He said Sheikh Rehana played a similar role in making Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a successful statesman, just as Bangamata Sheikh FazilatunnesaMujib had played in making Sheikh MujibBangabandhu and the Father of the Nation.
In the politics of this country after 1975, Sheikh Rehana was a behind-the-scenes figure in all successful struggles and achievement of the Bangalee nation, Quader said.
He said she is a great woman who is self-sacrificing and patriotic, while she also donated a house of Dhanmondi allotted in her name to the needs of the country.
The road transport minister said after losing most of their family members in the August 15 carnage in 1975, two sisters - Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana - were the last resort to each other, bearing an ocean of sorrow in their hearts.
The two sisters had passed the exiled and terrible expatriate life sharing their pains with each other, he said.
After the killing of Bangabandhu, Quader said, Sheikh Rehana under the instruction of Sheikh Hasina voiced protest first in the international arena against the cruelest carnage in the human history.
He said despite being a member of a political family, Sheikh Rehana never comes to active politics.
But, apart from inspiring AL President Sheikh Hasina and other politicians of the party, Rehana has been providing advice and cooperation on various issues in every crisis, including the movement and struggle, to restore democracy and the spirit of the Liberation War," the AL general secretary said.
