Today is National Mourning Day, the 40th anniversary of death of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The architect of the 1971 Liberation War and independent Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujib was assassinated by a group of disgruntled army officials at his Dhanmondi 32 residence on this day in 1975.
His wife Fazilatunnesa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, and sixteen more people, the near and dear ones of Bangabandhu, were also killed in the bloodbath – considered as one of the most heinous in the world’s history.
Bangabandhu’s two daughters – Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister and Awami League president, and Sheikh Rehana, mother of British Parliamentarian Tulip Siddiq – survived as they were in Germany at that time.
The coup set the stage for decades of military rule.
The trial of Mujib’s killers had been stalled since November 1975 until 1996 through an indemnity ordinance. Many of the killers were given diplomatic assignments for many years.
Five of the 12 convicted killers were hanged on January 28, 2010 while six are on the run. Another fugitive died in Zimbabwe. The government has been working to bring the absconders back home for executing the apex court order given in 2009.
In separate messages, President Abdul Hamid and the premier recalled with gratitude Bangabandhu’s chequered, long and eventful political career, and his immense contributions and dedication to the independent and sovereign Bangladesh.
Ruling Awami League, its students’ wing Chhatra League, all associate bodies and other pro-liberation, democratic and progressive political parties, social, cultural and professional organisations including Gonojagoron Moncho have arranged various programmes alongside paying homage to Bangabandhu.
On August 1, the party began observing a 40-day programme to pay respect to the great leader.
The day’s programmes will start with the hoisting of the national flag at half-mast and raising of black flags atop all public and private buildings including Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi 32 and all Bangladesh Missions abroad.
Special prayers will also be offered at all the places of worships seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of the souls of the martyrs of August 15 carnage while blood donations camps are the other programmes of the day.
The president and the prime minister will lay wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Memorial at 6:45am. At 7:30am, Hasina will visit Banani Graveyard where the other martyrs were buried.
Later, the premier will place wreaths as party chief on behalf of the party at the Mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj at 10am.
Milad and doa mahfils will be organised at both the places.
Awami League central leaders will attend the milad and doa mahfil at the Mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara at 11am.
Addressing an event on Thursday, the prime minister said that through the assassination of Bangabandhu, the nation not only lost its founding father but the spirit of the Liberation War was suppressed as well. The ongoing war crimes trials were stopped while convicts and detained collaborators released and established politically.
“Bangabandhu’s blood is still there in Bangladesh soil. Though Bangabandhu was assassinated, but no one could kill his ideology and neither will be able to do so in the future,” she said while addressing the inaugural function of a three-day photo exhibition at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad.