The Awami League and its associated bodies have arranged Milad Mahfil and special Doa at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque and all other mosques in the country to celebrate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 67th birthday on Saturday. The Islami Foundation has organised a Doa Mahfil after Zohr prayers. Prayers have also been arranged at the places of worship, including temples, churches and pagodas.
In Dhaka city, members of the Hindu community will offer special prayers at 12 noon at Dhakeswari Temple. Food will be distributed among the inmates of orphanages and destitute people.
In a message on Friday, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam urged all party workers to celebrate the day.
Earlier, on Thursday, a meeting was held at Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi to discuss preparations for celebrating the party chief’s birthday.
The meeting was presided over by Syeda Sajeda Choudhury, deputy leader of the House.
The Dhaka city Awami League will distribute clothes among the poor at the party central office at Bangabandhu Avenue at 4 pm.
Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj on September 28, 1947.
She was elected as the AL president in February 1981 while she was in exile. She and her sister Sheikh Rehana were abroad when Bangabandhu and most of his family members were assassinated on August 15, 1975, at his Dhanmondi residence. She returned home on May 17, 1981.
Hasina led the AL twice to power in 1996 and 2008.
The Awami League and its associate bodies have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the birthday of the Prime Minister, now away in New York to attend the UNGA session.
Hasina, who led her 14-party alliance, won the elections on December 29, 2008 with an overwhelming majority. She was also the Prime Minister from 1996 to 2001.
After the assassination of Mujib, Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, who were in Germany and Britain at the time, went into exile.
Hasina was elected as the president of the Awami League in her absence in the national council of the party on February 14-16 in 1981. Hasina and her party, along with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Khaleda Zia, spearheaded the movement against military ruler HM Ershad in the 1980s.
Hasina was elected as the leader of the opposition in Parliament in 1986, 1991 and 2001.
Hasina was detained in July 2007 and was released on parole for medical treatment in June 2008. She was also put under house arrest in 1984 and 1985.
Hasina was married to MA Wazed Mia in 1968. She has two children— son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is also an IT adviser to the PM and daughter Saima Wazed Putul.
Hasina has written a number of books, including Ora Tokai Keno? Daridra Bimochan, Kichhu Bhabna, Amra Janaganer Katha Balte Eshechhi, Bipanna Ganatantra Lanchhita Manabata and Sahena Manabatar Abamanana.
-With The Independent input
