A grateful nation pays deep homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman today in observance of the National Mourning Day commemorating his 40th anniversary of martyrdom, reports BSS. On the fateful night of August 15 in 1975, some disgruntled and over ambitious army officers assassinated Bangabandhu and most of his family members at his Dhanmondi Road-32 residence in the capital in a military putsch. However, both the daughters of Bangabandhu, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, escaped the carnage as they were abroad. Since the mayhem, Awami League, its associate bodies and other likeminded pro-liberation, democratic and progressive political parties, social, cultural and professional organisations have been observing the day as the National Mourning Day. In separate messages on the eve of the National Mourning Day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recalled with gratitude Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s chequered, long and eventful political career and his immense contributions and dedication to the independent and sovereign Bangladesh.
The day’s programme will start with the hoisting of National Flag at half-mast and raising of black flags atop all public and private buildings including Bangabandhu Bhaban and Bangladesh Missions abroad in the morning as a mark of respect to the martyrs of August 15 carnage. Wearing black badges, hundreds of people from all walks of life will throng Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at the city’s Dhanmondi Road-32 also in the morning to pay profound homage to the Father of the Nation by placing wreaths at his portrait there.
The national dailies will publish special supplements while Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television and other private television channels and radio centres will air special programmes highlighting the simple and selfless life of Bangabandhu, his affection and care for his people and immense contributions to the nation.
Special prayers will also be offered at all the places of worships seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of the souls of the martyrs of August 15 carnage while blood donations camps are the other programmes of the day.
In commemoration of Bangabandhu’s martyrdom, the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies have been organising a 40-day programme starting from August 1.
The National Mourning Day’s programmes of the party include placing of wreaths at his portrait at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in the city at 6-45 am and at his Mausoleum Complex at Tungipara in Gopalganj at 10 in the morning.
Munajat will be offered and milad and doa mahfils will be organised at both the places. On behalf of the state President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lay wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at 6-45 in the morning. Besides, the Prime Minister will lay wreaths at the graves of the August 15 martyrs and family members at Banani graveyard in the city at 7-30 am.
On behalf of the ruling party, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at the Mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj district at 10am when a smartly turned out squad of the armed forces will present guard of honour to the slain first president of the republic. Wreaths will be laid and fateha will be offered at the graves of the martyrs of August 15 massacre at Banani graveyard at 7-30 am.
A team of central leaders of Awami League will attend the milad and doa mahfil at the Mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj district at 11am. Mahila Awami League will organise a milad and doa mahfil at Bangabandhu Bhaban in the city after Asr prayers. Under the banner of Journalists’ Community, an inter-faith prayer session will be organised at the Conference Hall of National Press Club at 10-30 am seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyrs of the August 15 carnage.
Besides, Awami League will organise a discussion at the city’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 4-00 pm on August 16 (Sunday). Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the discussion as the chief guest while party’s senior presidium member and Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury will preide. Other programmes of the day include holding of discussions, poetry recitation session, child-juvenile painting competition, photographic exhibition, hamd and nat competition, tree plantation and distribution of cooked food among destitute people.
Bangladesh missions abroad will also observe the National Mourning Day in a befitting manner tomorrow. In a statement today, Awami League general secretary and Minister for Public Administration Syed Ashraful Islam urged all to observe the 40th anniversary of martyrdom of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to mark the National Mourning Day with due solemnity. Islamic Foundation has chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the National Mourning Day and 40th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The day’s programme will begin with milad mahfil, doa and Quran Khawani at Banani graveyard at 8am. Imam of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mufti Mawlana Muhammad Ehsanul Haque will conduct the Doa Mahfil. Special prayers will be offered at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 10am, a press release said here today. A discussion meeting on the life and works of Bangabandhu will be arranged at 11.30 am at the auditorium of the foundation. Awami League Joint Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, MP, will be present as the chief guest. Director General of Islamic Foundation Shamim Mohammad Afzal will deliver inaugural speech.
Courtesy of BSS via The Independent