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Published : 15 Aug 2017, 03:10 AM
Both of them have called upon the Bangladeshis to turn the grief into strength to complete Bangabandhu’s unfinished work - building a 'Sonar Bangla'.
Bangladesh will pay tribute to the nation’s founding father on his 42nd death anniversary on the day.
The then president of the country and the nation’s independence hero was assassinated on Aug 15, 1975, at his Dhanmondi house along with most of his family members by some rogue army men who broke ranks in carrying out one of the bloodiest political assassinations in recorded history.
File Photo
Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, the now prime minister who heads the Awami League, and her sister Sheikh Rehana survived the carnage as they were in Europe.
The day is observed in Bangladesh as the National Mourning Day.
The Bangabandhu Memorial Museum has been set up in the house where the bloodshed took place.
The day will start with the hoisting of the national flag at half-mast at dawn at government, semi-government, autonomous organisations, educational institutions, private establishments, Bangladesh missions abroad along with all Awami League offices.
Black flags will also be flown while the people will wear black badges. Discussions and rallies will also be held.
Hasina will head to Gopalganj at 10am on Tuesday to pay respect to Bangabandhu at his grave in Tungiparha. The armed forces will give a guard of honour, and special prayers will be held.
Before that, the premier will visit Banani Graveyard in Dhaka where the rest of her slain relatives are laid to rest.
President Hamid will host a special prayer at his official residence Bangabhaban; Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha will head a discussion at the Supreme Court on the occasion.
Besides the government, ruling Awami League, several other political parties, and scores of social and cultural organisations have taken up programmes to observe the day nationwide.
"Though the assassins killed the Father of the Nation, they could not wipe out the principles and ideals of the greatman. I am confident that the name and fame of Father of the Nation will remain ever shining in the mind of millions of Bengalis so long as the country and its people will stay alive," The president said in a message on Monday.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Hainsa in her message said: "Let us come and turn the grief of the loss of Bangabandhu into strength. Let us engage ourselves holding Bangabandhu's philosophy in building a non-communal, hunger-free, poverty-free and happy-prosperous Bangladesh and establish the Golden Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation. That is our solemn pledge on the National Mourning Day."
She cited her government’s strong stance against terrorism and militancy.
Bangabandhu was killed along with his wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, younger brother Sheikh Abu Naser, nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni and brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniyabat, Moni’s wife Begum Arju Moni and Serniabat’s daughter ‘Baby’, son ‘Arif’ and grandson Sukanto Babu.
His security chief Col Jamiluddin Ahmed, police’s Special Branch Sub-Inspector Siddiqur Rahman, three guests and four domestic helpers were the others to fall.
On Tuesday, special prayers will be organised at mosques, temples, pagodas, churches and other places of worship across the country.
Discussions will also be held at several places highlighting the significance of the day.
The Mahila Awami League will organise special prayers at Bangabandhu Bhaban after the Asr prayers.
Five of the 12 condemned-to-death killers have so far been hanged in 34 years of wait for justice. It took 21 years to start the case - only when after the Awami League came to power in 1996.
The trial could not be held earlier because the killers were given indemnity by Bangladesh’s first military ruler Gen Ziaur Rahman who went on to found the BNP.
Six of the convicted killers are reportedly hiding abroad, with no visible breakthrough in government efforts to bring them back.
Sheikh Mujib was born on Mar 17, 1920 at Tungiparha.
He burst on the scne with the formation of Purba Pakistan Chhatra League following the end of the British rule in the Indian sub-continent.
Mujib continued to rise in national politics because of his active involvement in the Language Movement in 1952; 1954 general elections, and Six-Point declaration in1966.
His arrest in the Agartala conspiracy case catapulted him onto the national stage, making him the undisputed leader of the Bengalis' freedom struggle against Pakistani exploitation.
He was given the title 'Bangabandhu' after he was freed from jail in 1969.
On Mar 7, 1971, he delivered the historical speech at Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan), which inspired the Bengalis to wage an armed struggle to win independence from Pakistan.
