President M Abdul Hamid has urged people to devote themselves in building "Sonar Bangla" as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the nation mourns the 44th anniversary of his martyrdom.
“On the National Mourning Day, let us translate our grief into strength and devote ourselves to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by the Father of the Nation,” the President said in a message on the eve of the National Mourning Day.
“With heavy heart, I pay my deep homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife, sons, and daughters-in-law and near and dear ones who embraced martyrdom on August 15, 1975," he added.
President Hamid prayed to Almighty Allah for the salvation of the departed souls.
Bangabandhu, he said, throughout his life, struggled for independence along with people’s economic emancipation and dreamt of building Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty.
The president said the August 15, 1975 is regarded as a reprehensible chapter in the history of the nation as such occurrences were rare in the world history.
He said the assailants in collusion with anti-liberation forces killed the nation’s undisputed leader and country’s founder along with his wife Fazilatunnessa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russel, and some near and dear ones.
He said Bangabandhu was a visionary leader and the prime mover of independence through a series of movements while all those were directed towards attaining the right to self-determination.
Bangabandhu, he said, led the nation in all its struggles including the 1952 Language Movement, Juktafront Election in 1954, anti-Martial Law campaign in 1958, six-point movement in 1966, 1969 mass upsurge and the 1970 national election.
He said that for his outstanding contributions, Bangabandhu and Bangladesh thus emerged as a unique symbol to the people of Bangladesh.
“Though the assassins killed Bangabandhu, they could not wipe out the principle and ideals of this great man.
"I am confident that the name and fame of Father of the Nation will remain ever shining in the mind of millions of Bengalis so long as the country and its people will stay alive,” the president added.
He said the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and the Golden Jubilee celebration of independence will be held on 2020 and 2021 respectively.
He urged the countrymen to observe these two important occasions in a colourful and a befitting manner.
“I hope our new generation will be able to know about the contributions of Bangabandhu and the true history of our independence and they will devote themselves for the sake of country and nation,” said the president.
