Maulana Bhasani’s 41st death anniversary observed

The 41st death anniversary of veteran politician Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani was observed on Friday across the country with due respect. Popularly known as Majlum Jananeta (the leader of the downtrodden), Maulana Bhasani passed away on November 17 in 1976. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages, paying rich tributes to Maulana Bhasani. Different socio-cultural organisations organised various programmes, marking the day. The programmes included placing wreaths at Bhasani's grave in Tangail and offering prayers seeking eternal peace of his departed soul. Awami League, BNP, Jatiya Party, National Awami Party (NAP-Bhasani), Maulana Bhasani Science and Technology University, and Bhasani Smrity Sangsad, family members of the great leader also paid deep homage to him by placing wreaths at his grave. A doa mahfil and a discussion were held in the Bhasani Bhaban auditorium at Nayapaltan in Dhaka in the morning. Jatiya Krishak Samity organised a discussion at Engineers' Institute at 3.30 pm. Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP), too, arranged a discussion at Jatiya Press Club. Bhasani was a popular leader in his fight against imperialism and oppression by the then Pakistani rulers. Born in 1880 in Dhangara in Sirajganj, Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani was the son of Haji Sharafat Ali Khan. He gained immense popularity among peasants and is regarded as the proponent of secular and left-leaning politics in Bangladesh. He was the founder president of the Pakistan Awami Muslim League that later became Awami League. He also formed a progressive political organisation called National Awami Party. Bhasani played a very significant role in the 1969 movement against Pakistan, which eventually led to the collapse of the Ayub regime and the release of Bangabandhu and other accused in the so-called Agartala conspiracy case.