Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this morning paid profound homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of the National Mourning Day.
They paid the homage by placing floral wreaths at the portrait of the great leader in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 in the capital Dhaka.
As part of the state programme, the President and the Prime Minister laid the wreaths separately at the portrait of Bangabandhu at 6.35 am.
After placing the wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood in solemn silence there for some time as a mark of profound respect to Bangabandhu, the architect of independence.
A smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces gave an honour guard, while bugle played the last post during the time.
A munajat was offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of the August 15 carnage.
Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Bangabandhu's younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, cabinet members, Prime Minister's advisors, parliament members, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, senior leaders of Awami League and central 14-Party Combine and senior government officials were present on the occasion.
Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu.
Earlier, the Prime Minister received the President when he arrived at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 at 6.30 am.
Later, Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha separately placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu.
The 14-Party Combine, led by Health Minister and AL Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim, Information Minister and JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Samyabadi Dal President and former minister Dilip Barua also placed wreaths at the portrait of the Father of the Nation.
Later, the Prime Minister went to Banani Graveyard in the capital and paid homage to her mother Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib, her brothers Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell and other martyrs of August 15 by placing wreaths and spreading flower petals at their graves.
She also offered Fateha and doa seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs of the August 15 massacre.
Meanwhile, on behalf of the Prime Minister, her Military Secretary Major General Mian Mohammad Zainul Aabedin placed a wreath at the grave of Brigadier General Shaheed Jamil Uddin Ahmed, Bir Uttam, at Banani in Dhaka.
Shaheed Jamil, the then colonel and military secretary to President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was killed by the disgruntled army soldiers near Sobhanbagh Mosque on the fateful morning of August 15 on his way to Dhanmondi Road No. 32 to save the life of the Father of the Nation.
BBN/SSR/AD