Bangladesh pays tributes to four slain national leaders

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DHAKA, Nov 3, 2020 (BSS) – Bangladesh today paid glowing tributes to four national leaders and 1971 Liberation War forerunners — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Quamaruzzaman — recalling their gruesome killing inside high security Dhaka Central Jail on this day in 1975.

The assailants of the August 15, 1975 carnage with supports of their political patron Khondker Mostaq Ahmed gunned the four captive leaders and four top associates of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Their goal was visibly to expose Bangladesh to extreme wilderness after killing Bangabandhu along with most of his family members and toppling his post-independence government.

History suggests two units of Bangladesh Army’s tank and artillery regiments staged the August 15 carnage and the subsequent jail killing while the later episode which came as a counter coup was waged to discipline the culprit leaders of these units.

In face of the global pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19), the Jail Killing Day this year was observed across the country through various programmes in a limited scale maintaining the health guidelines.

Ruling Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies as well as different organizations observed the day in a befitting manner through daylong programmes.

AL’s daylong programmes started with lowering the national and party flags at half mast and hoisting black flag at Bangabandhu Bhaban and Awami League offices across the country, including its central office, at the dawn today as a mark of respect to the martyrs of November 3, 1975.

Around 8am, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by placing a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi- 32 in the city.

Later, flanked by central leaders of the party, Quader placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu.

Awami League Presidium Members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Advocate Abdul Matin Khasru and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, Advocate Afzal Hossain and Mirza Azam, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Relief and Social Welfare Affairs Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Labor and Manpower Affairs Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Md Abdus Sabur, Health and Population Affairs Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana, central working committee member Dr Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin and other central leaders of the party were present on the occasion.

Later, the leaders and workers of Awami League’s associate bodies, including Dhaka city south and north units of AL, Awami Jubo League, Chhatra League, Mohila Awami League, Sramik League, Krishak League, Jubo Mohila League and Swechchasebok League as well as other socio-cultural organisations paid homage to Bangabandhu and four national leaders by placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu.

The AL leaders also placed wreaths at the graves of the three national leaders at Banani graveyard and offered fateha. A milad mahfil and special munajat were also held there.

Similar programmes were observed at Kadirganj in Rajshahi where AHM Kamaruzzaman was laid to rest.

Besides, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal paid homage to Bangabandhu and the four national leaders in the morning by placing wreaths at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and the Four National Leaders Memorial Museum at the old Central Jail in the city.

AHM Ehsanuzzaman, son of AHM Quamaruzzaman, Rezaul Karim, son of Captain M Mamnsur Ali, Dr Syeda Zakia Nur Lipi, daughter of Syed Nazrul Islam, AL central working committee member Dr Mostofa Jalal Mohiuddin and lawmaker from Dhaka-7 constituency Haji Selim were present on the occasion, among others.

To mark the day, a discussion was held at AL central office in the city’s Bangabandhu Avenue area around 3.30pm. Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina addressed the discussion through video conference.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader delivered welcome speech in the discussion conducted by Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap.

Besides, a doa and special munajat was offered at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Zohr prayers seeking divine blessings and praying for the eternal peace of the departed souls of the national four leaders.

Pesh Imam of the national mosque Mawlana Mohiuddin Kashem conducted the munajat.