National Mourning Day today
The nation today recalls with all due respect the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, with a fresh vow to build Bangladesh in line with the spirit of libration war.
Today commemorates the 40th martyrdom anniversary of the best son of the soil as the National Mourning Day.
At the fateful dawn of August 15, 1975, a group of disgruntled army personnel staged a bloody massacre and assassinated Bangabandhu and most of his family members, toppling his three-and-a-half-year rule.
Bangabandhu’s wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, farmers’ leader Abdur Rab Serniabat, his daughter Baby Serniabat, youth leader Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Sukanta Babu, Arif and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu, among others, were also killed.
Bangabandhu’s two daughters —Sheikh Hasina, now the country’s Prime Minister and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana — escaped the carnage as they were in Germany at that time.
The killers were able to kill Bangabandhu but they could not kill his dreams and ideals. His ideals of long struggle and sacrifice are implanted in people’s hearts.
The August 15th is considered a black chapter in human history over capturing of state power and bludgeoning the people’s long-cherished desire for economic emancipation.
With the assassination of Bangabandhu, the country had been under the military and quasi-military rule for 15 years when the spirit and objective of independence got jeopardised.The saga of the Bangalee nation’s long-drawn struggle for independence under the uncrowned leadership of Bangabandhu was nakedly twisted by stratocracy.
People of this territory snatched the glowing sun of independence, breaking shackles of subjugation of years, under this charismatic leader.
Elaborate programmes have been chalked up at the state level, including the hoisting of the national flag at half-mast atop all government and non-government offices and Bangladesh missions abroad.
The day is a public holiday.
The ruling Awami League and different socio-cultural organisations have also taken daylong programme to mark the day.
To mark the day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages.
In his message, the President said, “August 15 is our National Mourning Day. Today is the 40th death anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On this fateful night in 1975, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bangalee of all time, embraced martyrdom along with his wife, sons, daughters-in-law and close relatives.”
“I pay my profound homage with a heavy heart to them and pray to Almighty Allah on this Mourning Day for the salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs,” he said.
The President said the 15th August 1975 is regarded as a heart-rending and disgraceful chapter in the democratic advancement and history of the Bangali nation.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon all to engage in materialising Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s dream of building a Golden Bangladesh, turning into strength the grief of the great loss of the Father of the Nation.
“We must win the struggle to establish a non-communal, peaceful and prosperous Bangladesh which will be free from hunger, poverty and illiteracy,” she said.
On this day in 1975, the greatest Bangali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, fell victim to one of the most barbaric carnages in human history, she added.
“On the day of National Mourning, I pray to Almighty Allah for the salvation of the souls of the martyrs of the 15th August,” she said.
The Prime Minister said Bangabandhu was killed by the anti-liberation clique when he had undertaken the task of building a Golden Bangla reconstructing the war-ravaged country and unifying the whole nation. They attempted to ruin the tradition, culture and advancement of the Bangali nation. Their target was to destroy the non-communal democratic fabric of Bangladesh,” she said.
The anti-liberation forces started the politics of killing after August 15 in 1975, the Prime Minister said, adding that the trial of Bangabandhu’s brutal assassination was blocked by promulgation of the indemnity ordinance.
“Ziaur Rahman usurped the state power and killed democracy by promulgating martial law. The killers of the Father of the Nation were rewarded and given jobs at the Bangladesh missions abroad. The anti-liberation elements were given nationality. They were made partners of the state power and rehabilitated politically and socially. The subsequent governments of BNP-Jamaat alliance had followed the same path,” she continued.
Sheikh Hasina said the people of the country made Bangladesh Awami League victorious in the 29th December general election in 2008 to end the era of BNP-Jamaat regime’s killing and corruption and misrule of caretaker government.
“Our goal is to turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country before 2021 and a developed country by 2041,” she added.
The Prime Minister said her government executed the verdict of the Bangabandhu killing case. The trial of the killers of four national leaders was complete.
“The trials of the war criminals and the 21st August grenade attack cases are also progressing. We are committed to upholding democracy, constitution and rule of law. No conspiracy will be able to distract us from establishing the truth and justice,” the Prime Minister said.
The killers were able to kill Bangabandhu, but they could not kill his dreams and ideals, she said, adding that the ideals of long struggle of sacrifice of Bangabandhu are implanted in the heart of Bangali nation.
To mark the day, both the president and the prime minister will place wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at 32 Dhanmondi in the capital at 6:45am today.
The PM will also place a wreath at the graveyard of the architect of country’s independence at Tungipara at 10:00am and offer fateha there.
Members of the cabinet, parliament members, central Awami League leaders and high civil and military officials will also be present on the occasion.
The premier will also place wreaths at the graves of all other martyrs at Banani Graveyard at 7:30am.
Later in the day, special prayers and milad mahfils will be held at all religious institutions and Bangabhaban after Asr prayers.
The ruling party will organise a discussion at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 4:00pm tomorrow (Sunday).
Hasina is scheduled to attend the programme as the chief guest.
AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam in a statement has urged the people and party men and sympathisers to observe the day with due respect.
State-run Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and other private television stations will air special programmes while newspapers bring out special supplements on the occasion.
