DHAKA, July 31, 2018 (BSS) – The month of mourning begins tomorrow for the nation to recall once again the most brutal killing in its history and renew the pledge to safeguard perpetually the country’s independence and sovereignty.
The killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on the fateful night of August 15, 1975 is the ugliest chapter of the nation’s history.
The self-confessed killers of August 15 did not assassinate Bangabandhu alone, but also killed 16 other members of his family, friends and relatives. They include his wife Begum Fazilanunnessa Mujib, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, nephew and eminent journalist Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, his pregnant wife Arzoo Moni and Colonel Jamil.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, escaped the planned assassination along with her sister Sheikh Rehana as they were staying overseas then.
The killing of Bangabandhu, the greatest son of the soil in thousand years, descended a pall of gloom and spread a sense of deep sadness among the people in the country and across the globe. The world protested and condemned the killing saying it is an irreparable loss to millions of people of Bangladesh.
The August is also black marked with another planned conspiracy of assassination that the nation cannot ever forget the heinous attempt of killing of Sheikh Hasina.
The vested quarter, who assassinated Bangabandhu in 1975, also tried to destroy Awami League by killing its president Sheikh Hasina with grenades at an anti-terrorism rally at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on August 21 in 2004.
Sheikh Hasina narrowly escaped the grenade attack suffering splinter injuries when 24 of her party men including Awami League’s women’s affairs secretary Ivy Rahman were killed and 500 others injured.
Like the previous years, different political and socio-cultural and likeminded organisations, including ruling Awami League and its associate bodies have chalked out month-long programmes beginning tomorrow.
This year, the nation will observe the National Mourning Day and the 43rd anniversary of martyrdom of Father of the Nation.
On the first day of the mourning month, Bangabandhu Somaj Kollyan Parishad is organizing a discussion at TSC of Dhaka University at 4.30 am. AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader will address the meeting as the chief guest.
At dawn on August 15, the national flag and party flag will be kept at half mast while black flag will be hoisted at the Bangabandhu Bhaban, Awami League (AL) headquarters in the capital city and all other offices of the party across the country.
In the morning, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Museum in the capital city at 6.30 am.
A smartly turned out contingent of the armed forces will give a guard of honour to the portrait of the Bangabandhu. A special munajat and fateha will also be offered there.
Later in the morning, Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths and offer fateha at the Banani graveyard for all family members of the Father of the Nation and others, who embraced martyrdom with Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975.
In the morning, the Prime Minister will also place wreath at the Mazar of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara in Gopalganj. Fateha will be offered and the armed forces will again give a guard of honour there. A special milad mahfil and dua will be held there on the day.
In line with the national programme, different ministries and departments, directorates and agencies will organise various programmes at their respective institutions.
Similarly, all city corporations, district councils, municipalities and union councils will organise different programmes to observe the day with due respect and solemnity.
Special munajats will be held at all mosques in the country and special prayers will also be held at all pagodas, churches, temples and other places of worship.
Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, private TV channels and radio stations will take special programmes in observance of the National Mourning day. National and regional newspapers will bring out special supplements on the occasion.
Besides, specially designed posters will be displayed at educational institutions and other public places, reminding the black chapter of the country’s history.
Shishu Academy, Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and many other educational institutions and organisations will organize discussions on Bangabandhu’s life and works.
The district and upazila administrations will observe the day through doa mahfil and discussions in line with the national programmes.
Different institutions, socio-cultural organizations and people from all walks of life will place wreaths at Tungipara and at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Road no 32, Dhanmondi in the city and will hold doa mahfil and discussions there.
Different organizations and directorates under the Information Ministry will also hold different programmes including exhibition, and publish special supplements of Nirikkha, Sachithra Bangladesh and Bangladesh Quarterly.
Bangladesh Television will take initiatives of reading out Bangabandhu’s books “Osomapto Atmajibani” and “Karagarer Rojnamcha”.
AL will distribute special foods among the poor, destitute and orphanages while it will hold milad-mahfil and offer doa at Bangabandhu Bhaban after Asr prayers on August 15.
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Bangabandhu Gobeshona Parishad have also chalked elaborate programmes to mark the National Mourning Day and the 42nd martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.