Nation observing National Mourning Day commemorating the 35th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina urges all to extend support for fulfilling dreams of Bangabandhu

August 15,2010

President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrayed in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at road 32 Dhanmondi here marking the National Mourning Day commemorating the 35th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu. President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina walked together towards the portrayed of Bangabandhu and the President was first to place wreaths at the portrayed at 6.35 am and was just followed by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After placing the wreaths, they stood in solemn silence for some time when bugle played the last post. A contingent drawn from the three services presented an armed salute on the occasion. After the salute, Fateha and special Munajat seeking eternal peace of the departed souls as well as wellbeing of the country were offered. Later, the Prime Minister also placed a wreath on behalf of Bangladesh Awami League at the portrayed. After that, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum where her father Bangabandhu and other family members were brutally killed. Younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Rehana, Speaker, Ministers, MPs, presidium members and leaders of Awami League, chiefs of the three services and high civil and military officials were present. After departing the Prime Minster, people of all walks of life including different front organizations of Awami League paid their rich tributes by placing wreaths to the portrayed of Bangabandhu. From Dhanmondi road 32, Prime Minister went to Banani Graveyard where her mother, brothers and other family members and relatives were buried after brutally killed on August 15. Sheikh Hasina paid her profound tributes to her family members by placing wreaths at their mazars at the graveyard. Fateha and special Munajat seeking eternal peace of the departed souls were also offered at the graveyard. Younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Rehana, Cabinet members, Awami League Presidium members and central leaders were present.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed a wreath at the grave of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara of Gopalganj Sunday morning, paying homage to the architect of Bangladesh’s independence A smartly turned out contingent of the three services gave an armed salute as the prime minister placed the wreath at the Bangabandhu’s grave. The PM stood for a while with a pale face amid solemn silence as the last post was played on the bugle. She offered fateha beside the Bangabandhu’s grave while a special munajat was also offered seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of the departed soul of the Father of the Nation as well as welfare of the countrymen and world humanity. The prime minister then distributed sewing machines and certificates among trained destitute women. Gopalganj District Association had initiated the training programme. Sheikh Hasina, addressing the women present there, saying, "The father of the national wanted to change the people's lot. We are working for that. "He gave away his life for the economic emancipation of poor and destitute. Bangabandhu wanted the women to be self-dependent," she added.

August 14,2010

The nation will observe the National Mourning Day tomorrow recalling the August 15, 1975 carnage, when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed along with most of his family members. On the fateful night of August 15, the killers brutally murdered not only Bangabandhu, the greatest Bangalee of all time, but also his wife Fazilatunnessa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell and daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal. Seventeen more dear and near ones of Bangabandhu, including his brother Sheikh Naser, brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Baby Serniabat, Sukanta Babu, Arif, Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu and Military Secretary Colonel Jamil were also not spared during the world's most heinous brutality. Bangabandhu's daughters, incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, survived the carnage as they were in Germany at that time. The whole nation as well as the global communities became speechless at such a dastardly act of killings which had in fact been identified as the most barbarous and blackest chapter in the history of Bangladesh. The global leaders strongly condemned this brutal assassination of such a great leader who sacrificed his whole life only for the freedom of his people and country from the clutches of Pakistani centrists. The hyenas did not even spare the life of Bangabandhu's nine- year-old minor son Sheikh Russel who was awarded a swarm of bullets on his soft chest when he cried out in fear of the horror and requested the killers to take him to his mother. From that day, the Bangalees have been holding the shock in their hearts as a source of strength to take revenge of this barbaric assassination by fulfilling the dream of Bangabandhu who wanted to turn Bangladesh into Sonar Bangla, a peaceful abode of teeming millions in this part of the world. The nation this year is observing the day in a different atmosphere as the five death row convicts of the murder trial of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were hanged in the early hours of January 28 putting an end to the darkest chapter of the nation's history.

President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh in separate messages on the occasion paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Programs on 15 August:

August 14,2010

The Dhaka University (DU) Syndicate at an emergency meeting today withdrew of the expulsion order against one of its best-known student, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, by the then university authorities for spearheading a strike by the Class IV employees of the DU 61 years ago. DU Vice-chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique told reporters that they were aware of the demand for rectifying the wrong done six decade ago. "We took the decision for withdrawal of the expulsion order to respect the due rights of Bangabandhu, as we all want to respectfully restore his rights," Prof Arefin said. The VC maintained, "By lending his support to the agitation of the Class IV employees, he helped groom up himself as the future leader of the Independence. His standing up against injustice even during his student days finally saw emergence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who fought all his life for the political rights of the Bengalis and dared to achieve independence". "Starting at an early age, Bangabandhu finally triumphed over the Pakistani colonialists," Dr Arefin said, "His historic declaration at a meeting in Dhaka on March 7, 1971 at the then Race Course Maidan that "Our struggle this time is for freedom, our struggle this time is for independence' galvanized an oppressed nation, finding light at the end of the tunnel." The DU authorities, at the behest of the autocratic Pakistani government, had executed the expulsion order against Bangabandhu, who was then a student in the Law faculty, for organizing a strike by the Class IV employees of the university to press home the demand for better pay and services in 1948. The DU authorities' move followed a demand by Bangladesh Unnayan Sangbadik Forum (BUSF). Forum convener Ali Neyamat placed the demand recently in a fax message sent to the office of President Mohammad Zillur Rahman, who is also the Chancellor of universities. Neyamat said a copy of the written demand also handed over to the vice-chancellor of the DU. 

 The verdict of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's murder case will be fully executed: Awami League

August 14,2010

The central Awami League leaders placed a wreath at the mazar of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara of Gopalganj on Saturday, a day ahead of the 35th anniversary of his assassination. Led by Syed Ashraful Islam , Awami League's central working committee, advisory council, members of the cabinet earlier paid tribute to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman around 1pm ahead of the National Mourning Day, Aug 15. They reached Tungipara around 12:45pm. Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, foreign minister Dipu Moni, home minister Shahara Khatun, food minister Abdur Razzaque, telecommunications minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, shipping minister Shajahan Khan and state minister for information Yeafesh Osman also paid tribute to the shrine. Amir Hossain Amu, Suranjit Sengupta, Tofail Ahmed, Abdul Jalil, among the advisory council members were present at Tungipara. Leaders of Awami League also offered Fatiha. After Awami League central leaders and cabinet members, MPs and other leaders paid their respects A central team, comprising presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Qazi Zafarullah and members from the other committees, have already finished preparations to mark the day. Massive programmes have been taken to mark the day on Sunday with strict security measures.

The verdict of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's murder case will be fully executed when the rest of the death row convicts are brought home and punished, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam has said. "The verdict of the case has only been partially executed," he told reporters after laying a wreath on the grave of the founding president of Bangladesh at Tungipara in Gopalganj on Saturday. "It was assumed once that the trial of the Bangabandhu killing case would not be held. But the government has completed the trial under prevailing laws and as such rule of law has been established."

August 13,2010

Bangladesh Awami League, its associate and friendly organisations and various sociocultural bodies are observing elaborate programmes throughout the month marking the National Mourning Day on the 15th of the fateful August. With due respect and solemnity, the people are remembering Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and members of his family who were brutally killed on August 15 in 1975. People from all walks of life, including women, children and the elderly persons are taking part in those programmes in thousands as the mourning day is being observed in a new perspective this year. After waiting for a long time, the people have got justice, as the trial of the killers of the greatest Bangalee of thousand years has already been completed.

As part of its month-long activities, Awami League has announced elaborate programmes for August 14, 15 and 16.

The August 14 program includes placing of wreath at the mazar of Bangabandhu at Tungipara by members of AL central working committee, advisory council and members of the cabinet at 12 noon. A delegation of the AL would stay at Tungipara to observe the mourning day there on August 15.