National Mourning Day observed

(Clockwise from top)National Professor Kabir Chowdhury speaks at the discussion.
Children take part in the art competition in Magura.
School students at the art competition.

On the occasion of National Mourning Day, Bangla Academy held a discussion at its seminar hall on August 15. Noted scholar and essayist Dr. Feroz Mahmud read out an essay, titled “Bangladesh-er Shadhinota Ghoshona”.
Shamsuzzaman Khan, Director General of Bangla Academy, delivered the welcome speech at the programme. Scholar ATM Nurur Rahman Khan; Mofidul Haque, publisher and trustee of Liberation War Museum; Muhammad Samad, poet and Professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, were present as discussants. The first phase of the programme was presided over by National Professor Kabir Chowdhury.
The second phase featured reading out of stories on the Liberation War, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and patriotism. Noted theatre personality Ramendu Majumdar; TV personality Pijush Bandyopadhyay; poet Kazi Rozi, writer Baby Moudud and Professor ANM Faruque took part in this session. Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, secretary of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, presided over the programme. The programme was directed by Subhash Singh Roy.

A painting competition for school students was held last Sunday morning to mark the National Mourning Day at Thakurgaon Zila Parishad auditorium. Thakurgaon Shishu Academy, with the assistance of district administration, organised the event.
About 100 children from different educational institutions took part in five groups at the competitions.
The topics of the competition were 'National Flag' for 'Ka' group; 'Rural Landscape' for 'Kha' group; 'National Memorial' for 'Ga' group; 'The Liberation War' for 'Gha' group and 'Bangabandhu and Bangladesh' for 'Umo' group. Judges selected fifteen children for awards.
Later Hamd and Naat competitions were also held at the venue for children, in two groups. Judges selected six children for awards at the competitions.
After the competition, a discussion was held at Thakurgaon Shilpakala Academy auditorium on the 35th death anniversary of Bangabandhu.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Thakurgaon Muhammad Shahiduzzaman presided over the meeting. Acting President of Thakurgaon District Awami League, Advocate Mokbul Babu and Superintendent of Police, BM Harun-ur Rashid, attended the discussion as special guests.
The speakers said that after 35 years of killing Bangabandhu and most of his family members, the nation can now mourn without stigma. They also hoped that six other condemned killers absconding abroad would be brought back to complete implementation of the court verdict.
After the discussion, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Shahiduzzaman handed prizes among the winners of the competitions.
On the occasion, Eco Pathshala also arranged art and essay competitions at its school premises in the town.
Other educational institutions, including Thakurgaon Government Boys' High School and Thakurgaon Government Girls' High School also organised similar programmes to mark the day.

To mark the 35th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Magura Shishu Academy organised a painting and essay writing contest for children at the Sayed Ator Ali Public Library auditorium in Magura town on August 15.
Seventy seven participants took part in the painting competition on the theme 'Liberation War', while 54 students from different schools, divided into two groups, participated in the essay writing competition.
For the group 'Ka' the theme of the essay competition was 'Life and works of Bangabandhu' and for the group 'Kha' the theme was 'Liberation War and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib'.
A discussion was held at the venue on the occasion. Deputy Commissioner of Magura, Sushanta Kumar Saha, was the chief guest while the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Magura, Mohammad Tarikul Alam, was the special guest, with District Children's Affairs Officer Ahmed-Al-Hossain in the chair.
The chief guest formally gave away the prizes among the winners.