Prime minister Sheikh Hasina with her sister Sheikh Rehana offers prayer after placing a wreath at the grave of the country’s founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at Tungiparain in Gopalganj on Monday.
Deep homage was paid to the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman recalling his struggle for the independence of Bangladesh as the National Mourning Day was observed across the country on Monday marking the 41st anniversary of his assassination.
Mujib was assassinated along with all but two of his family members by a group of army officers at his Dhanmondi house in the early hours on August 15, 1975. His daughters – Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, and Sheikh Rehana – survived the massacre as they were abroad.
As the day broke, people wearing black badges started streaming to the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 and his grave at his ancestral home at Tungipara in Gopalganj in silent to pay tributes to the independence hero.
The president, Abdul Hamid, was the first to place wreaths at the portrait of Mujib at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at 6:30am followed by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
1. Freedom fighters, 2. Dhaka University, 3. Jahangirnagar University, 4. Jagannath University, 5, National University, 6. Open University, 7. Eden Women’s College, 8. Dhaka Medical College, 9. Titumir College, 10. attorney general, 11. Bar Council, 12. Supreme Court Lawyers’ Association, 13. Bangladesh Police, 14. Dhaka north city mayor, 15. Jatiyatabadi Samajtantrik Dal, 16. Workers’ Party.
After placing the wreaths, they stood in solemn silence for a minute when bugles played the last post.
A smartly turned out contingent drawn from the three services presented salute on the occasion.
Hasina, also the president of Awami League, along with senior party leaders placed another wreath on behalf of her party at the portrait of Mujib. Her daughter Saima Wazed Putul was also present.
After placing wreaths at the portrait of her father, the prime minister went to their historic Dhanmondi 32 house and placed some petals on the stair where Mujib was assassinated. She also offered prayers seeking eternal peace of the souls of her father and other family members.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, Supreme Court Bar Association president Yusuf Hossain Humanyun on behalf of chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, cabinet members, advisers to prime minister, parliament members, cabinet secretary, chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force, central leaders of Awami League and its alliance partners and associate bodies and senior government officials also placed flowers at Mujib’s portrait.
17. Ganajagaran Mancha, 18. Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, 19. Shishu Academy, 20. Kendriya Khelaghar, 21. Chhatra Union, 22. Sonargaon Hotel, 23. Awami Juba League, 24. Awami Krishak League, 25. Institution of Engineers’ Bangladesh, 26. National Museum, 27. 24th BCS Cadres’ Association, 28. Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad, 29. Bangla Academy, 30. Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh, 31. Bangladesh Shanti Parishad, and 32. Bangladesh Public Service Commission, place wreaths at the portrait of the country’s founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital on Monday, marking National Mourning Day.
A special prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls as well as the progress of the country was offered there.
After departure of the president and prime minister, people from all walks of life and different socio-cultural and political organisations, vice-chancellors of different public universities in Dhaka, freedom fighters, government officials and employees placed wreaths at the portrait.
Hasina along with her cabinet members and senior party leaders placed wreaths at the graves of her mother, brothers and other family members and relatives, killed on August 15, 1975, at Banani graveyard in the morning.
Thereafter, the prime minister accompanied by her cabinet colleagues and party leaders went to Tungipara by a helicopter to place wreaths on her father’s grave and take part in a special prayer there.
Special prayers were said in mosques after Zuhr prayers, and at temples, churches and other places of worship across the country and foods were served amongst the destitute.
Bangladesh Mahila Awami League held a prayer session at Bangabandhu Bhaban after Asr prayers. Hasina joined the prayer session along with her family members and close relatives.
The Awami League, its associate organisations and different socio-cultural organisations held various programmes to mark the day. All ward, upazila and district units of the Awami League held special prayer sessions and played the historic March 7 address of Mujib and patriotic songs through public address system.
In the capital, the Awami League set up PA system in all major intersections, thoroughfares and different residential areas to play the historic March 7 address and songs dedicated to Mujib.
The day was a public holiday.
The national flag flew at half-mast while black flags were hoisted atop the government and private buildings to mourn Mujib and his slain family members.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar, and private television channels and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting the life, struggle and achievements of Mujib. Newspapers also carried special supplements.
New Age correspondents in the districts reported that the day was observed with due solemnity in all district and upazila headquarters.
The Awami League will hold a discussion marking the day at Krishibid Institute auditorium at Khamarbari in Dhaka today with party president Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Source: New Age