Bangladesh missions in Thailand, Sri Lanka observe National Mourning Day

The Bangladesh missions in Thailand and Sri Lanka have observed the National Mourning Day on Monday in a sombre mood.

On this day in 1975, Bangladesh’s architect Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were assassinated at his Dhanmondi 32 home by some rogue soldiers in one of the bloodiest political assassinations in known history.

The Bangkok and Colombo missions in statements said the observance of the day included the hoisting of the national flag at half-mast, the observance of one-minute silence, the placing of wreath at the portrait of the Bangabandhu and recitation from the holy books.

Messages from the president, prime minister, foreign minister and state minister for foreign affairs were also read out before the discussion on the life and work of Bangladesh’s architect.

The Bangkok mission also screened a documentary on “Life and Work of Bangbandhu”. The mission’s officials and expatriate Bangladeshis took part in the discussion.

Ambassador in Bangkok Saida Muna Tasneem called upon all to honour the “Bangabandhu’s indomitable secular spirit by standing boldly against terrorism, radicalization, extremism and sectarianism”.

She highlighted the independence hero’s achievements within three years of liberation from Pakistan and termed the killing the “most shameful” event of the Bengali history.

Bangladesh High Commissioner-designate in Sri Lanka Riaz Hamidullah paid rich tributes to the memory of Bangabandhu and underlined his contribution in the “formation of Bangalee nationhood.”

He said the true history of his long political struggle for independence needs to be properly passed on to the present generation so that they prepare themselves to realise his vision of a prosperous Bangladesh.

The high commission served free meals among 70 orphans at the local Fathima Welfare Centre (orphanage) in Colombo.