The ruling Awami League is observing the 49th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s youngest son Sheikh Russell through daylong programs.
Senior party leaders placed wreaths at Russel’s grave and those of other members of Bangabandhu’s family, all of whom were killed in a coup on Aug 15, 1975.
Awami League Presidium Member Textile Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Local Government Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, the party’s Deputy Publication Secretary Asim Kumer Ukil and Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das paid tribute to Russell and others at the Banani graveyard in the morning.
They also offered prayer for the departed souls.
Verses will be recited from the Quran followed by Milad at the party’s Bangabandhu Avenue headquarters in the afternoon.
Russell was born on Oct 18 in 1964, and was killed along with most of his family members by a group of disgruntled army men.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina survived the assassination attempt as she was abroad at the time of the attack.
Russell was a four-grader at the time he was killed in his father’s Dhanmondi residence.
As sounds of gun fire rocked the building on the night of Aug 15, some army men separated a scared and bewildered Russell from the other members of the family, promising to take him to his mother.
He was led to the building’s first floor and shot dead.
A press note issued by AL said the party’s General Secretary had requested party leaders, activists and the public to observe the day.
Source: Bd news24