Jail Killing Day today
The nation will observe Jail Killing Day today by paying rich tributes to four national leaders and Liberation War heroes who were brutally murdered inside the Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.
The four senior leaders -- Syed Nazrul Islam, acting president of Bangladesh government in exile in 1971, Tajuddin Ahmed, prime minister of the same government, M Mansur Ali, finance minister, and AHM Qamaruzzaman, minister for home affairs, relief and rehabilitation -- were killed by some army officers.
They were assassinated 79 days after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were killed on August 15, 1975.
To observe the day, the AL has chalked out an elaborate programme including placing wreaths at the graves of Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Mansur Ali at Banani graveyard around 7:30am and at the grave of AHM Qamruzzaman in Rajshahi.
The party will also arrange a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city at 3:00pm.
Marking the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages, paying glowing tributes to them.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned in Pakistan jail during the Liberation War, the four national leaders made an outstanding contribution in forming the Mujibnagar government, devising war strategy and tactics, carrying out administrative activities, conducting the Liberation War, carrying on diplomatic efforts and keeping an eye on refugees to turn the Liberation War into a people's war in 1971.
"The nation will always remember the contributions of the four national leaders with due respect," the President added.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, termed November 3 a stigmatised day in the history of independent Bangladesh, saying such killing in the jail [a secured place] is unprecedented in the world's history.
"Through the hateful killings of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib and four national leaders, the defeated forces of Liberation War and anti-state cliques wanted to erase the name of Bangladesh Awami League forever from the soil of Bangladesh, destroy the spirit of Liberation War and make the nation leaderless," she added.