Senator Sheikh Rahman celebrates Eid at his birthplace after 45 years

Georgia State Senator Sheikh Rahman celebrated Eid-ul-Azha at his birthplace in Sararchar village under Bajitpur upazila of Kishoreganj after 45 years. The US-based senator offered Eid prayers at a local mosque in Sararchar Old Bazar and spent the day reconnecting with his heritage and community.

The 97-year-old mother of the senator was overjoyed to have her son home during the festival. Family members and locals joined in the celebration, sharing special Eid dishes and distributing sacrificial meat to villagers in the spirit of Eid-ul-Azha.

Accompanied by his family, the senator arrived in Dhaka on 27 May on a month-long visit to Bangladesh.

Senator Rahman was seen warmly welcoming neighbours, friends, and relatives at his ancestral home, a scenic farm house adorned with exotic fruit trees, well-maintained ponds, and traditional ghats.

While speaking to this correspondent, Senator Rahman got lost in nostalgia. “I am deeply pleased to perform Eid prayers at Sararchar where my journey began. Visiting my father’s home in presence of my elderly mother has been a deeply emotional experience,” he said.

The senator’s father was a freedom fighter and served as a camp supervisor at the Joy Bangla Juba Shibir in Agartala during the 1971 Liberation War. Reflecting on the past, he reminisced about the Bajitpur-Sararchar road, constructed during the Pakistan era and the historical significance of the Sararchar Railway Station, once a vital transportation hub for the area.

Born in Bajitpur, Senator Rahman survived the 1971 war before migrating to the United States in 1981. He studied Economics and Global Studies at the University of Georgia. His rise to become the first Muslim elected to the Georgia State Senate stands as a testament to his perseverance and dedication.

During his visit, Senator Rahman is also scheduled to tour various areas of Kishoreganj district to reconnect with the land and people who shaped his early life.

In April, the Georgia State Senate adopted a resolution acknowledging the 2024 student-led movement in Bangladesh, which demanded civil service quota reform and rallied the working class in a call for greater democracy.

This resolution, initiated by him extended best wishes to Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, for its commitment to state reforms.