On this day, 43 years ago, the nation witnessed one of the darkest days in its history, when four of its founding leaders were brutally assassinated.
This was a most barbaric act, one which saw, in one swift cruel blow, the destruction of some of the greatest minds and bravest souls Bangladesh has ever seen.
Each of the fallen -- Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Mansur Ali, and AHM Qamruzzaman -- had played significant roles as Bangladesh struggled for independence against the oppressive Pakistani regime, and was amongst the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s most trusted people.
It is hardly surprising that those who responsible for the assassination of Bangabandhu also saw it fit to murder these four most esteemed individuals on that fateful day on November 3, 1975, inside the confines of Dhaka Central Jail, as they remained vulnerable and unprotected -- a most despicable and cowardly act, if there ever was one.
This was nothing short of an attack against our nation, and the values of democracy and freedom upon which Bangladesh was founded.
What is heartening to see, however, are the lengths to which this current government has gone to ensure that the victims and their families of this tragedy find justice, with many tried and convicted for their role in the brutal murders.
But unfortunately, some of the killers still continue to elude the hand of justice, as they remain in exile or in hiding in other parts of the world.
We hope that, one day, every single individual involved in the jail killings are punished for what they have done, and the nation finds solace in the fact that justice has been served.
But, as always, we take this opportunity to mourn the ones who were so harshly taken from us, and remember the contributions they made in making the dream of Bangladesh a reality.
