Deep homage was paid to the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the National Mourning Day was observed across the country with befitting manner on Saturday marking 40th anniversary of his assassination recalling his struggle for achieving the independence of Bangladesh.
Mujib was assassinated along with all but two of his family members by a group of army officers at his Dhaanmondi house on August 15, 1975.
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 and paid homage 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 6:45am followed by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina, also the president of Awami League, placed another wreath on behalf of her party at the portrait of Mujib.
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.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, 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.
A special prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls as well as progress of the country was offered there.
After departure of the president and prime minister, people from all walks of life and different 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, who were killed on August 15, 1975, at Banani Graveyard in the morning.
Thereafter, the prime minister accompanied by the speaker, cabinet members and party leaders visited Tungipara in Gopalganj, the birthplace of Mujib, to place wreaths on her father’s grave and take part in a special prayer there. The Armed Forces formed a guard of honour.
Talking to reporters at Banani graveyard, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam termed the August 15 a ‘Black Day’ for the nation and urged people to remain alert against any recurrence of such incident in Bangladesh.
He said that efforts were on to bring back all the fugitive condemned convicts of the assassination, now hiding abroad, for their execution.
Special prayers were said in mosques after Zuhr prayers, and at temples, churches and other places of worship and foods were served amongst the destitute.
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 at all major intersections, thoroughfares and different residential areas to play the historic March 7 address and songs dedicated to him.
Members of the journalist community arranged an interfaith prayer at National Press Club seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Mujib.
A portrait of Mujib was unveiled at the National Press Club in the morning to recall his contribution in building the National Press Club. Members of journalist community placed wreaths at the newly set up portrait.
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 aired special programmes highlighting the life, struggle and achievements of Mujib. Newspapers also carried special supplements.
New Age correspondents from the districts reported that the National Mourning Day was observed with due solemnity in all district and upazila headquarters.
The Awami League will hold a discussion at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 4:00pm today. Party president Sheikh Hasina will address it as the chief guest.
Mujib was assassinated along with all but two of his family members by a group of army officers at his Dhaanmondi house on August 15, 1975.
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 and paid homage 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 6:45am followed by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina, also the president of Awami League, placed another wreath on behalf of her party at the portrait of Mujib.
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.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, 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.
A special prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls as well as progress of the country was offered there.
After departure of the president and prime minister, people from all walks of life and different 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, who were killed on August 15, 1975, at Banani Graveyard in the morning.
Thereafter, the prime minister accompanied by the speaker, cabinet members and party leaders visited Tungipara in Gopalganj, the birthplace of Mujib, to place wreaths on her father’s grave and take part in a special prayer there. The Armed Forces formed a guard of honour.
Talking to reporters at Banani graveyard, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam termed the August 15 a ‘Black Day’ for the nation and urged people to remain alert against any recurrence of such incident in Bangladesh.
He said that efforts were on to bring back all the fugitive condemned convicts of the assassination, now hiding abroad, for their execution.
Special prayers were said in mosques after Zuhr prayers, and at temples, churches and other places of worship and foods were served amongst the destitute.
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 at all major intersections, thoroughfares and different residential areas to play the historic March 7 address and songs dedicated to him.
Members of the journalist community arranged an interfaith prayer at National Press Club seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Mujib.
A portrait of Mujib was unveiled at the National Press Club in the morning to recall his contribution in building the National Press Club. Members of journalist community placed wreaths at the newly set up portrait.
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 aired special programmes highlighting the life, struggle and achievements of Mujib. Newspapers also carried special supplements.
New Age correspondents from the districts reported that the National Mourning Day was observed with due solemnity in all district and upazila headquarters.
The Awami League will hold a discussion at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 4:00pm today. Party president Sheikh Hasina will address it as the chief guest.
Source: New Age
