Bangladesh News

The nation today observes the 31st death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, amid a long drawn uncertainty over the trial of his killers.
On this day in 1975, Bangabandhu and his family members excepting two daughters — Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana — who were abroad at the time, were brutally killed by a splinter group of the armed forces.

Sheikh Mujib played the pioneering role in the country’s struggle for independence. His fiercest speech and final call for freedom on March 7, 1971 — ‘Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinotar sangram’ — inspired and united the entire nation for the Liberation War.

Two months and 18 days after the assassination of Bangabandhu, the same disgruntled army men gunned down four close associates of the great leader –Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, AHM Quamruzzaman and Captain M Mansur Ali — in Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.

The main opposition Awami League (AL), different political parties, student organisations and socio-cultural bodies have taken up elaborated programmes to mourn the killings and reiterate the demand for capital punishment of the killers.

The AL and its allies enforces a six-hour hartal today from 6:00am to noon across the country protesting the revocation of state mourning on the day and demanding immediate execution of court verdict in the case for the killing of Bangabandhu and his family members.

For 21 years, trial of the killers had been barred by Indemnity Ordinance, which was later legalised through parliament. The infamous ordinance was finally repealed in 1996, allowing trial of the case. A murder case was filed on October 2, 1996.

In November 1998, the trial court awarded death penalty to 15 former army officers in the Bangabandhu Murder Case.

Later, the High Court (HC) upheld the death sentence of 12 killers, four of whom are now in Dhaka Central Jail. The four are Syed Farukur Rahman, Bazlul Huda, Shahriar Rashid Khan and Muhiuddin.

The others are absconding abroad. They include Abdur Rashid, Shariful Haque Dalim, AKM Mahiuddin, Rashed Chowdhury, Nur Chowdhury, Abdul Mazed and Moslemuddin. Of the killers, Aziz Pasha died.

The case is still pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, which requires two more judges to form a three-member division bench to hear the leave to appeal petition.

Bangabandhu and members of his family were assassinated in three separate attacks on August 15, 1975. The victims include his wife Begum Fazilatunnessa, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and nine-year-old Sheikh Russell, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal, Parveen Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, 13-year-old Baby Serniabat, Serniabat’s son Arif, four-year-old grand son Babu, a nephew, three guests, four servants, Bangabandhu’s nephew Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, his wife Begum Arju Moni, and Bangabandhu’s security chief Colonel Jamil Uddin Ahmed.

TODAY’S PROGRAMMES

The national flag and party flag will fly at half-mast at all offices of the AL and its front organisations.

The party will also hoist black flags everywhere in observance of the day, which was officially observed as the national mourning day during the AL rule from 1996 to 2001.

But the BNP-led coalition, after coming to power in October 2001, scrapped the day’s official status.

Besides, the present government has stalled the process of bringing home those killers of Bangabandhu, who are absconding abroad. The taskforce formed during the AL rule in 1999 to have the killers extradited has been dissolved.

AL President Sheikh Hasina, also Leader of the Opposition in parliament, along with her party colleagues will place wreaths at the portrait of her father at 12:15pm at the Bangabandhu Museum in the capital. Similar programmes will be held at Bangabandhu’s grave in Tungipara in Gopalganj. Hasina will lead her party leaders at a programme in Tungipara tomorrow.

The AL will distribute food among the flood-hit people today.

Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Sheikh Russell Shishu Sangsad, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Goshti and various other organisations will hold discussions to mark the day.

Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) will place wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Bhaban in the capital, says a press release.

The DUTA will also hold a discussion at its office on the life and achievements of Bangabandhu at 7:00 pm.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina in a statement on the eve of the day called for united efforts to restore the spirit of Liberation War, rule of law, human rights and secular social beliefs and to institutionalise democracy.