Today is the 18th death anniversary of the Independence award winning veteran freedom fighter, lawmaker and eminent labour leader Ahsan Ullah Master.
On this occasion, elaborate programmes have been taken by Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master Foundation and Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master, MP, Smriti Parishad in different areas, including Dhaka and Gazipur maintaining the health rules, reports BSS.
The programmes include milad and doa mahfil, distribution of food, condolence meeting and publications on his life and works.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate statements on the occasion, paying rich tribute to Ahsanullah Master, a pure soldier of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In his message, the President recalled his contribution to the country's democratic movement and politics in different times as a labor leader as well as a devoted and dedicated leader of Bangladesh Awami League.
He termed Ahsanullah as the selfless leader of democracy, who was always vocal in realizing the just rights of the workers and never wavered in realizing the rights of hardworking people.
President Hamid said sacrificial and compassionate leadership like Shahid Ahsan Ullah Master will show the way of light to the new generation in the development of democracy including realization of the rights of hardworking people.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message said a lifelong devotee to humanitarian service Ahsanullah Master was involved in various national and international social organizations including teachers association.
The premier said after the dissolution of the Upazila Parishad in 1992, he filed a case on behalf of the Upazila Parishad Chairmen as the convener of the association and formed a nationwide movement and subsequently he was arrested and imprisoned.
She said Ahsan Ullah Master's dream was to build a drug-terror-free Tongi-Gazipur, but he had to embrace death as part of the BNP-Jamaat government's blueprint conspiracy to wipe out popular Awami League leaders designed by the then "Hawa Bhaban".
Some of his students, like Omar Farooq Ratan, had also to face martyrdom to save their beloved teacher Ahsanullah Master, Sheikh Hasina noted.
"Not only that, after the assassination of Ahsan Ullah Master, the police of the coalition government killed two more innocent people by firing on the agitation programme and protesting crowds and arrested thousands of leaders and workers of Awami League, Juba League and Chhatra League," she added.
Sheikh Hasina prayed for eternal peace of his departed soul.
Marking the day, wreaths were placed at the grave of Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master at Hyderabad village of Ward 39 of Gazipur City Corporation today morning while distribution of food, milad and doa-mahfil will be held in the afternoon.
On this occasion, Ahsanullah Master, MP, Smriti Parishad organized a discussion meeting on "Role of Politicians and People's Representatives in Building a Terrorism-Free Society" at the Jatiya Press Club auditorium yesterday at 10:30 am.
Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master was elected Member of Parliament from Gazipur-2 constituency (Gazipur Sadar-Tongi) twice in 1996 and 2001, Chairman of Gazipur Sadar Upazila Parishad in 1990 and Chairman of Pubail Union Parishad twice in 1983 and 1988. He was a member of the National Committee of the Awami League.
He was the executive president and general secretary of the Jatiya Sramik League. He was also the chairman of Bangladesh Institute of Labor Studies (BILS).
On May 7, 2004, during the then BNP-Jamaat regime, a group of terrorists gunned down him at a public rally on the Noagaon MA Majid Mia High School ground.
Shahid Ahsan Ullah Master's eldest son and State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russell, MP, urged all including Awami League and Sramik League in different areas of Hyderabad, Tongi and Gazipur to observe the Ahsan Ullah Master's Martyrdom Anniversary program maintaining the health rules.