DHAKA, Aug 5, 2020 (BSS) – The 71st birth anniversary of Shaheed Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was observed today.
Sheikh Kamal, one of the prominent organizers of the Liberation War and a noted sports and cultural personality, was born at Tungipara village under the then Gopalganj subdivision in 1949.
Awami League (AL) and different sports and social-cultural organizations took elaborate programmes to mark the day.
Awami League and its associate bodies paid tributes to Sheikh Kamal by placing wreaths at his portrait on Dhanmondi Abahani Club premises at 9 am and at his Banani graveyard at 10 am on the day.
AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, AL Presidium Member Begum Matia Chowdhury, Information Minister and AL Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, AL Presidium Members Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmad Hossen, BM Mozammel Haq and Mirza Azam, Cultural Affairs Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, Publicity Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Abdus Sabur, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, Forest and Environment Affairs Secretary Delwar Hossen, Central committee member Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Deputy Office secretary Sayem Khan, among others, were present.
Later, AL and its front organizations of Dhaka North and South city unit arranged recitation from the holy Quran as well as Milad and Doa Mahfil to observe the day.
Awami Jubo League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Awami Swechchhasebak League, Jubo Mohila League, Krishak League, Mohila Awami League, and Jatiya Sramik League paid tributes to Sheikh Kamal by laying wreaths at his graveyard.
Apart from this, Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League and Chhatra League’s Dhaka North and South city units, Dhaka district Mohila Awami League, Directors of the Abahani Krira Complex, Abahani supporters and officials and players of Abahani also paid homage to Sheikh Kamal by placing wreaths separately at his grave and portrait.
“Sheikh Kamal led a very ordinary life, for his virtue, he is immortal to us. He was well behaved, mixed with everyone…Those had spent a little time with him, still recall his memories,” Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said while talking to reporters after paying homage at the grave of martyred Sheikh Kamal at Banani graveyard this morning.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports arranged the virtual discussion and doa mahfil at the Jatiya Krira Parishad Bhaban where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined it as the chief guest through video conferencing from Gonobhaban in the city.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russell presided over the event online.
Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, State Minister for Cultural Affairs K M Khalid and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Kazi Salahuddin also took part in the discussion, among others.
The cover of Shaheed Sheikh Kamal’s memorial book titled ‘Alomukhi Ek Pran’ was unveiled on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Awami League Dhaka South City Unit organized a discussion meeting at the central office of AL on Bangabandhu Avenue in the city on the occasion of the 71st birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal where AL Presidium Member Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak was present as the chief guest.
Awami League Dhaka South City Unit President Abu Ahmed Mannafi presided over the meeting while its General Secretary Humayun Kabir conducted it.
Bangladesh Awami League Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim addressed the meeting.
Besides, Abahani Club drew up a daylong programme on its premises to mark the birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal.
The programmes included paying tributes by placing wreaths at Sheikh Kamal’s portrait at 12:01am, daylong recitation from the holy Quran, virtual discussion and commemoration on his colorful life and doa-mahfil at the club bhaban after the Asar prayers maintaining social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bangladesh Awami Jubo League observed the 71st birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal through various programmes today.
Jubo League leaders paid tributes to Sheikh Kamal by placing wreaths at his portrait on Dhanmondi Abahani Club premises and at his Banani graveyard this morning.
Awami Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil were present, among others, on the occasion.
To mark the day, Jubo League also distributed food to the poor and vulnerable people, held doa-mahfil and arranged the recitation from the holy Quran at the central office of the organization on Bangabandhu Avenue in the city.
To mark the day, Center for Research and Information (CRI) arranged a special webinar.
Valiant freedom fighter and dramatist Nasir Uddin Yousuf Bacchu, cultural personality M Hamid, noted sports organizer and Awami League Sports Secretary Harun-ur Rashid, senior sports journalist Aghor Mondol and senior photo journalist Pavel Rahman attended the function as the discussants.
Subash Singha Roy moderated the programme.
After passing SSC from Shahin School and HSC from Dhaka College, Sheikh Kamal obtained BA (honours) degree from the Social Science Department of Dhaka University.
He was one of the pioneers of modern football in Bangladesh and also founder-president of Abahani Krira Chakra.
Kamal, who was first trained on war course in Bangladesh, got commissioned in the liberation force and also became ADC to General Muhammad Ataul Gani Osmani, Commander-in-Chief of Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Liberation War.
He was a former executive member of the central committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Sheikh Kamal embraced martyrdom on August 15, 1975 at the age of 26.