Awami League pays homage to Bangabandhu and four national leaders

Awami League (AL), its associate bodies and different social and cultural organizations today paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders on the Jail Killing Day.

The AL leaders and workers paid homage by laying wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of the Bangabandhu Bhaban on Dhanmondi Road No. 32 and at the graves of the three national leaders at the Banani cemetery here following the health guidelines due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

As the grave of AHM Kamaruzzaman among the four national leaders is in Kadirganj of Rajshahi, so, ruling AL also paid homage there.

At 8 am, a wreath on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was laid at the portrait of the Father of the Nation.

Later, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader along with party central leaders paid tributes to Bangabandhu’s portrait.

Awami League presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Dr Abdur Razzaque, Abdul Matin Khasru and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, joint general secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organizing secretaries Ahmed Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, advocate Afzal Hossain and Mirza Azam, Office Secretary Biplob Barua, Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Labor Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, Health Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana, Women’s Affairs Secretary Meher Afroz Chumki and Central Committee Member Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin were present.

Later, the AL leaders and workers placed wreaths at the graves of August 15 martyrs and national leaders at Banani Cemetery in the capital.

Holy Fateha recitation, Milad mahfil and special prayers, seeking the eternal peace of the departed souls of martyred Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members killed in August 15, 1975 and the four national leaders, were held there.

A similar program was also arranged at the grave of AHM Kamruzzaman in Kadirganj of Rajshahi.

Dhaka north and south city unit Awami League, Mohila Awami League, Awami Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, Krishak League, Chhatra League, Jatiya Sramik League, Jubo League north and south city unit, Swechchhasebak League north and south city unit, Chhatra League north and south city unit, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, Bangabandhu Parishad, Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance and various political parties and social organizations paid homage to the graves of four national leaders by placing wreaths.

AL will arrange a discussion at its central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city at 3.30pm today.

AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will join the programme through a video conference from her official Ganabhaban residence.

On November 3, 1975, heroes of the country’s Liberation War four national leaders— Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain Mansur Ali, and AHM Kamaruzzaman — were assassinated inside the Dhaka Central Jail.

The four national leaders played a key role in forming Bangladesh Provisional Government in exile that led the Liberation War in 1971, with Syed Nazrul Islam as the acting president, Tajuddin Ahmad as the prime minister, Captain Mansur Ali as the finance minister, and AHM Kamaruzzaman as the home, relief and rehabilitation minister.

After the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the anti-liberation forces killed the national four leaders as a part of conspiracy to make the newly independent country leaderless.

Khondoker Mushtaque Ahmed and two killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—Colonel (sacked) Syed Faruque Rahman and Lieutenant Colonel (sacked) Khondoker Abdur Rashid- had designed the blue print of heinous killing of the four national leaders inside the jail.

A five-member killing squad was also formed led by Resalder Musleh Uddin who was close aide to Colonel (sacked) Faruque Rahman.

A probe commission was formed on September 18 in 1980 in London over the killings of August 15 in 1975 and subsequently the jail killing on November 3 in the same year.

“The probe commission was formed following an appeal of Bangabandhu’s two daughters incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, Mohammad Selim, son of Monsur Ali and Syed Ashraful Islam, son of Syed Nazrul Islam,” said Prof. Abu Sayeed in his book ‘Bangabandhu murder facts and documents’.

But at that time, the probe commission became ineffective due to non-cooperation by the then Bangladesh government led by President Ziaur Rahman. Even Ziaur Rahman government had declined to provide visa to a probe commission member.