Fond remembrance marks Father of Nation's birthday

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, placing wreaths at his grave in Tungipara on the occasion of his 95th birth anniversary, reports UNB.

First the president and then the prime minister placed wreaths at the grave at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex around 10:12am.

Both stood in solemn silence for some time as the last post was played on the bugle.

A contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces presented the guard of honour on the occasion. The cabinet secretary and the chiefs of the three services were present.

The president and the prime minister offered fateha and munajat seeking salvation of the departed soul of Bangabandhu.

The president also signed the visitors' book at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex.

Later, Hasina who is also the president of Awami League, placed a wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu on behalf of the party.

Cabinet members, Awami League central leaders, leaders of different associate bodies of the party followed the prime minister to pay their tributes to the Father of the Nation.

The birthday of Bangabandhu was celebrated across the country as the National Children's Day. The day was a public holiday.

Earlier, the prime minister placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the capital's Dhanmondi.

On March 17 in 1920, the architect of the nation was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj. Through his dynamic leadership, Bangabandhu organised the Bangalee nation to fight against exploitation and repression by Pakistani rulers, which culminated in independence of Bangladesh after a nine-month war in 1971.

All public health centres and hospitals in the country yesterday provided free treatment to patients marking the birthday of Bangabandhu, said Prof Abdul Hannan, director of the Directorate General of Health Services.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University provided free outdoor services to over 5,000 patients.

BSS adds: the birthday of Bangabandhu was observed yesterday with elaborate programmes demanding completion of the trial of the war criminals and execution of their verdict expeditiously.

The programmes of the day observed across the country include placing of wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu, holding of doa and milad mahfils, offering of prayers, discussions, cultural functions, book fairs, voluntary blood donation, medical treatments free of cost, painting competitions, distribution of prizes, screening of documentary films and playing of the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu.

The day's programmes of different organisations, including ruling Awami League, started at 6:30am with hoisting of the national and party flags.

People from all walks of life, particularly leaders and workers of different political parties, socio-cultural and professional bodies, paid glowing tributes to Bangabandhu placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu on the premises of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.

The national dailies published special supplements while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes marking the birthday of Bangabandhu.

Bangabandhu Parishad organised a discussion on "Birthday of Bangladesh" at Dhaka Reporters' Unity with its General Secretary Dr SA Malek in the chair.

The day was observed in a befitting manner in district towns and upazila headquarters and Bangladesh missions abroad.

Dhaka University organised various programmes on the campus marking the birthday of Bangabandhu, reports our DU correspondent.

Vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique placed floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.

Prof Arefin in a discussion said the Dhaka University authorities wanted to confer an honorary doctorate degree on Bangabandhu at its convocation on August 15, 1975 but the great leader rejected it as he was the then chancellor of the university. On the day of 1975, Bangabandhu was assassinated, along with most members of his family by a cabal of army men.

Our CU correspondent reports: the Chittagong University authorities arranged various programmes, including a discussion and a drawing competition for children, to celebrate the birthday of Father of the Nation.