DHAKA, Nov 2, 2020 (BSS) – President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in separate messages, today paid rich tributes to four national leaders on the occasion of the Jail Killing Day recalling their immense contributions to the War of Liberation.
In his message, the President said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s close aides four national leaders — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamaruzzaman — were brutally killed by anti-liberation forces inside the Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.
“I am recalling them with profound respect,” he added.
Abdul Hamid said Bangabandhu, the undisputed leader of the Bangalee Nation and the architect of Independent Bangladesh, proclaimed independence of Bangladesh on March 26 in 1971 after imbuing the nation with the Bangalee nationalism for more than two decades and eventually the Liberation War started at his call.
When Bangabandhu was imprisoned in Pakistan jail during the Liberation War, the President said the four national leaders made an outstanding contribution to form the Mujibnagar Government, devise war strategy and tactics, carry out administrative activities, conduct the Liberation War, carry on diplomatic efforts and keep an eye on refugees to turn the Liberation War into a people’s war.
“The nation will always remember the contributions of four national leaders with respect,” said the President.
Abdul Hamid said the anti-liberation forces brutally killed the four national leaders in continuation to the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members to make the nation leaderless alongside to jeopardize the independence and sovereignty of the country.
He said the aim of the perpetrators of the killings was to give rise to undemocratic autocracy in the country as well as to erase the spirit of Liberation War from the minds of young generation.
“But design of the killers did not come out successful,” he added.
The President said Bangabandhu and his ideology will remain alive till the existence of Bangladesh.
He said Bangabandhu had a dream to build a happy and prosperous “Sonar Bangla”.
“Everybody will make contribution from their respective positions to materialize the dream of Bangabandhu and this would be our pledge on the Jail Killing Day,” he added.
The President also prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls of the four national leaders.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, termed the November 3 (Jail Killing Day) a stigmatized day in the history of independent Bangladesh and said such killings in the safe custody of jail are unprecedented in the world’s history.
Sheikh Hasina said the killing of the four national leaders were the sequel to the assassination of the Father of the Nation.
Through the hateful killings, the defeated forces of Liberation War and anti-state cliques wanted to erase the name of Bangladesh Awami League forever from the soil of Bangladesh and to destroy the spirit of Liberation War, she added.
She said the anti-liberation forces plotted against the country again and again and carried out attacks repeatedly to defeat the country’s democratic and pro-liberation forces.
Sheikh Hasina said in continuation of the conspiracies, a gruesome grenade attack was carried out on an Awami League rally on August 21 in 2004 attempting to kill her.
A total of 22 people, including Ivy Rahman, were killed in the carnage, she added.
The Prime Minister said a Dhaka court has handed over verdict to the August 21 grenade attack cases.
“We are determined to establish the rule of law and justice in the country,” she said.
She said: “We have to remain prepared to resist the anti-liberation forces and all evil efforts against development and democracy.”
The Prime Minister expressed her belief that the countrymen being imbued with spirit of Liberation War will uphold democracy and rule of law to resist all conspiracies.
“We keep continued the trend of the country’s development and progress overcoming all hurdles and disasters,” she said.
She said even during the coronavirus pandemic, 5.24 percent growth rate has been achieved.
“We have issued 31-point directives just after the detection of Covid-19 patients. We announced Taka 1,12,633 crore stimulus under 21 packages after identifying possible problems of the finance sector,” she said.
On behalf of the government and her party, cash aids have been given to people of different classes and professions who face losses due to coronavirus outbreak, she added.
The premier said the country’s progress attained accolades in the entire world. She said the country witnessed an unprecedented development in every socioeconomic sector in the last nearly 12 years.
“We are providing homes to homeless people and reaching urban amenities to villages,” she said.
She urged all to make united efforts to continue the trend of development and democracy imbued with the spirit of Liberation War to build a hunger and poverty free, happy and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangladesh’.