Shawdesh Desk:

Homage was paid to the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman recalling his struggle for the independence of Bangladesh while observing National Mourning Day across the nation on Thursday to mark the 44th anniversary of his assassination with most of his family members.

The government, political parties and  socio-political and cultural organisations observed the day with due respect.

Mujib, the undisputed leader of the country’s struggle for liberation, was assassinated along with all but two of his family by a group of army officers at his Dhanmondi house on early August 15, 1975.

His daughters – Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, and Sheikh Rehana – survived as they were abroad.

At day beak,  people wearing black badges silently streamed into the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 and his grave at his ancestral home at Tungipara,  Gopalganj to pay tributes to the independence hero.

The nation was led by president Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina  in paying homage to Sheikh Mujib.

The president and the prime minister  laid  wreaths at Sheikh Mujib’s portrait at  Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital in the morning.

Hasina, also the ruling Awami League president, along with senior party leaders laid wreath on Mujib’s portrait on behalf of the party.

The prime minister also paid rich tributes to her father by placing a wreath at his mazar at Tungipara.

Chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, cabinet members, advisers to prime minister, MPs and leaders of Awami League, its allies and front organizations  and senior government officials also laid wreaths at Mujib’s portrait.

After paying tribute to the family members of Sheikh Mujib at the Banani graveyard in the capital, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said that the diplomatic efforts had been strengthened to bring back Mujib’s assailants hiding abroad to execute their sentences.

Quader, also road, transport and bridges minister, said that AL was making tireless efforts to build a corruption free society under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership.

‘No obstacle will be able to thwart the country’s march towards progress,’ he said, adding that the AL would build a non-communal Bangladesh to fulfill  Bangabandhu’s dreams.

After departure of the president and prime minister, people from all walks of life and different political and socio-cultural organisations, vice-chancellors of the public universities in the capital, freedom fighters, government officials and employees laid wreaths at Mujib’s portrait.

Sheikh Hasina also laid wreaths and offered fateha at the Banani Graveyard for the family members of Sheikh Mujib and others, killed on August 15, 1975.

Thereafter, the prime minister, accompanied by her cabinet colleagues and party leaders, flew to Tungipara in a helicopter and laid wreaths on her father’s grave and took part in special prayers.

Prayers were offered at mosques across the country after the Zuhr prayers as well as  at all the temples, churches and other places of worship and foods were served to the needy.

The day was a public holiday.

The day’s programmes began with hoisting of the national flag at the half-mast.

The AL, its front organisations and different political and socio-cultural organisations marked the day through different programmes.

All the ward, upazila and district units of AL  held special prayers and played Mujib’s historic March 7 speech and patriotic songs.

In the capital, the AL used public address system at major intersections, thoroughfares as well as residential zones  to play Mujob’s March 7 speech and songs dedicated to him.

State-run BTV and Bangladesh Betar, and private TV and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting Mujib’s life, struggles and achievements.

Newspapers published special supplements to mark the day.

New Age correspondents in districts reported that the day was observed with due solemnity at all the district and upazila towns while education institutions hosted  discussion on Sheikh Mujib’s life and struggles.

The AL would host a discussion  to mark the day at the Bangbandhu International Conference Centre in the capital today with Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The ruling AL took month-long programmes form August 1 to observe the day of mourning.