Hundreds of people from all walks of life, particularly leaders and workers of the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies, yesterday paid glowing tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait on the premises of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in the capital in observance of his 44th Homecoming Day.
On this day in 1972, Bangabandhu, the architect of independent Bangladesh, returned to the sacred soil of independent and sovereign Bangladesh via London and New Delhi after remaining imprisoned in jails in Pakistan during the entire nine-month-long Liberation War.
With his return, the long arduous struggle for independence of the country’s people culminated into a totality.
The hopes and aspirations of the people would not have fulfilled without the presence of the supreme commander of the war in a new-born nation.
People from all strata thronged the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road 32 from different localities since early morning for placing wreaths on the portrait of Bangabandhu. The eastern and western crossings of the road on the banks of Dhanmondi Lake turned into a sea of people.
At 7am, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the head of the government placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu there. She stood there in solemn silence for sometime as a mark of respect to the chief architect of the country’s independence. Later, Hasina, as the president of ruling Awami League, along with party stalwarts placed wreaths.
Awami League Advisory Council members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta, Presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury and Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, joint general secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif and Dr Dipu Moni and organising secretaries AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury were present.
After the departure of the premier, leaders of the Dhaka city unit Awami League and its front organisations, and other socio-cultural-professional bodies placed wreaths.
The other programmes of the day included discussions, milad and doa mahfils and special prayers for the eternal peace of the soul of Sheikh Mujib.
Bangabandhu Parishad organised a discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity marking the day with its General Secretary Dr SA Malek in the chair.
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote held a discussion at Bir Uttam Kwaza Nizamuddin auditorium at Segunbagicha with its Vice-President Mobarak Ali Shikdar in the chair while Bangamata Parishad organised a discussion at the National Press Club with its President Mozaffar Hossain Paltu in the chair.
On behalf of the Awami League, it’s Presidium member Obaidul Quader placed wreaths at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara, Gopalganj.
The leaders and activists of the Awami League in Rajshahi, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal, Pabna, Laxmipur, Barguna, Khagrachchari, Dinajpur, Natore, Jamalpur, Rangpur, Panchagarh and other district headquarters and upazilas also celebrated the day with elaborate programmes.
