Commemorating Mourning Day

The National Mourning Day will be observed today with due reverence and solemnity, marking the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The day is a public holiday in Bangladesh. National flags will be lowered to half-staff at all government, semi-government and autonomous bodies, educational institutions, private buildings and Bangladesh missions abroad. Black flags will be hoisted at the offices of Awami League and all of its associate organisations in the morning. At 6:30am, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at the portrait of the great leader in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi road No 32 in the capital. After the placing of the wreaths, a contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces will give an honour guard. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Deputy Leader of parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, cabinet members, prime minister’s advisors, parliament members, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, senior leaders of Awami League and senior government officials will pay homage to the Father of Nation. Later, leaders of ruling party Awami League, its associate organisations and other political and cultural organisations will pay their respects. Apart from these, Awami League and its associate’s organisations will bring mourn rally across the country. Besides, Convener of the 14-Party Alliance Health Minister and AL Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim, along with other leaders of the alliance including JSD President and Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Samyabadi Dal President and former industries minister Dilip Barua will also place wreaths at the portrait of the Father of the Nation. At Banani Graveyard later in the day, the leaders of the ruling Awami League will pay homage to the martyrs. A dua mahfil and munajat will be arranged to seek eternal peace of the martyrs of August 15. A delegation of the central working committee of Awami League will pay homage at the grave of Bangabandhu in Gopalganj around 10am. Presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim MP, Kazi Zafar Ullah, Lt Col (retd.) Muhammad Faruq Khan MP, executive member Abul Hasnat Abdullah MP, Joint General Secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanok MP, Abdur Rahman MP, Information and Research Secretary Afzal Hossain, Office Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Organising Secretaries AFM Bahauddin Nasim MP, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim and Barrister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury (Nowfel) and others will pay homage at the grave of the Father of Nation. Leaders of other affiliated organisations of the ruling party will also pay homage to Bangabandhu. Special prayers seeking internal peace of the August 15 martyrs will be organised at the YMCA Chapel and the Mirpur church around 9am, International Buddhist Bihar at Badda around 10am and at Dhakeshwari Temple at 11am and Doa and milad mahfils will be held at all mosques after Zohr prayers. Awami League and its affiliates across the country will offer lunch for the poor and orphans. Different socio-political organisations will also organise various programmes including discussions, children’s events and photography exhibitions. People from all walks of life and ruling party leaders and activists will wear black badges and will pay homage to the Father of the Nation by placing wreaths at his portrait there. On August 16, Awami League will organise a discussion meeting at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 4pm. The prime minister will preside over the meeting, where prominent intellectuals and politicians will speak.