On this day 41 years ago, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated, along with most of his family.
The events of August 15, 1975 can never be forgotten by Bangladesh.
On this day of mourning, we reflect upon Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s vision for Bangladesh, which was a brand new nation at the time of his death. He dreamed of a prosperous Bangladesh, a “Switzerland of Asia.”
Bangabandhu galvanised a people with his statesmanship, his oratory, his courage, his leadership. His idea of Bangladesh provided the bedrock on which our national identity today stands.
Tragically, his life was cut short at age 55, just four years after independence. The nation has since been deprived of his guidance and counsel.
Who knows what Bangabandhu would have thought if he were able to witness today’s Bangladesh. He would, no doubt, be proud of of the resilience of our economy. At the same time, one imagines the great man would have been dismayed by the rise of militancy, and the secular ideas of the nation’s founding being under threat.
Bangabandhu does not belong to a single political party or ideology. He was the Father of the Nation, and will continue to be a guiding light for all Bangladeshis, including future generations.
In Bangabandhu’s spirit, then, let us leave behind petty ideological squabbles and work towards building a peaceful, harmonious, tolerant, and liveable Bangladesh for each and every citizen of this nation.