National Mourning day today

Desk Report: The nation is observing the National Mourning Day today (August 15), paying rich tribute to the founding father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his 42nd anniversary of martyrdom.

The killing of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on the night of 15 August, 1975 is the ugliest chapter of the nation’s history.

The self-confessed killers of 15 August did not assassinate Bangabandhu alone, but also killed 16 other members of his family, friends and relatives.

They include his wife Begum Fazilatunnessa 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 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.

Like previous years, the government, Awami League and, different political and socio-cultural organisations, educational institutions and professional groups chalked out elaborate programmes to pay the utmost respect to the greatest son of the soil on the day of his martyrdom.

The nation, however, started observing the month of mourning from 1 August, recalling the killing in its history and renewing the pledge to safeguard perpetually the country’s independence and sovereignty.

The government drew elaborate programmes to observe the day with due respect and solemnity. As part of the programme the national flag will fly half-mast atop the offices of all government, semi-government and autonomous bodies, and educational institutions on the day.


risingbd/Dhaka/August 15, 2017/A K Azad