Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Rich tributes were paid to the memory of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the nation celebrated his 94th birth anniversary on Monday.
The National Children's Day was also observed on the occasion.
In observance of the day, different socio-political and cultural organizations including the ruling Awami League and its associated bodies organized 'doa mahfil, discussion, cultural functions and many other programmes.
The day was a public holiday.
National dailies published special supplements while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.
The day's programme began with hoisting of national and party flags at 6.30 am.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the city's Dhanmondi area at 7 am. Later, leaders of Bangladesh Awami League and its associated bodies placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu on the occasion. Besides, special prayers were offered at mosques and all the places of worships across the country seeking divine blessings for the departed souls of the country's founding father and most of his family members who embraced martyrdom on the fateful night of August 15, 1975 and peace, progress and prosperity of the country.
President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day yesterday paying glowing tribute to Bangabandhu, the architect of independent Bangladesh.
As part of the national programme, Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina along with party leaders and members of the cabinet laid floral wreaths at the mazar of the great leader in the Mausoleum Complex at Tungipara at 10 am where she was given a "Guard of Honour".
Sheikh Hasina also attended a children's rally, discussion, book fair and a cultural function at Tungipara on the occasion.
Apart from national programmes, children's gatherings,rallies, discussions and cultural functions were organized at district and upazila levels while documentary films based on our great war of independence were screened at district and upazila headquarters. Bangladesh missions abroad also organized various programmes to observe the day.
On this day in 1920, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman affectionately called as "Khoka" was born in a respectable Muslim family at the remote Tungipara village in Gopalganj district. He was the third among four daughters and two sons of his parents, Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Saira Khatun.
At the age of seven, Sheikh Mujib was admitted to nearby Gimadanga Government Primary School and later he studied in Madaripur Islamia High School, Gopalganj Government Pilot School and Gopalganj Mission School.
After passing the Matriculation examinations in 1942, Sheikh Mujib was admitted to Islamia College in Calcutta having residential accommodation in famous Baker Hostel. He passed the BA examinations in 1946.
He was elected general secretary of Islamia College Students' Union. During his Baker Hostel days, when the 'quit India' movement was gaining momentum against the British domination, he came in touch with the legendary politicians like Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy and Abul Hashim. That was also a turning point in his long political career to pursue politics of secularism and patriotism.
After partition of the sub-continent, Sheikh Mujib chose Dhaka as the centre of his political activities and took admission in the Law Department of Dhaka University.
He led all the national movements and played a dominant role in raising the demand for Bangla as the state language of Pakistan in front of its founder Mohammad Ali Zinnah at a function in Dhaka.
The Pakistani rulers imprisoned Sheikh Mujib 18 times and he had to remain in jail for over a decade for leading various national movements since the historic language movement of 1952.
When the Pakistani authority released him from the Agartala Conspiracy Case unconditionally, he turned out to be the absolute leader of East Pakistan. People bestowed him with the honour title "Bangabandhu" (friend of Bengal).
As the champion of the nation's long arduous freedom struggle, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib declared independence of Bangladesh soon after the Pakistani military junta cracked down on the sleeping Bangalees on the fateful night of March 25 in 1971.
The Pakistan military junta took him to Dhaka Cantonment and later imprisoned him in a jail in West Pakistan. Bangabandhu returned to his liberated home (Bangladesh) from Pakistani captivity on January 10, 1972, and he administered the country for three and a half years.
With farsightedness, capability and boldness Bangabandhu administered Bangladesh and presented it as a sovereign and independent country before the international community. But the greatest tragedy is that he was killed along with most of his family members in a military coup on August 15 in 1975.
BBN/SSR/AD-17Mar14-10:29 pm (BST)
