Bangabandhu’s 104th birth anniversary Sunday

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman.

Dhaka, March 16 --The nation is set to celebrate the 104th anniversary of the birth of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Sunday.

The day, which is a public holiday, will also be celebrated as the National Children’s Day.

Marking the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi at 7am.

Then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his grave in Tungipara at 10.30am.

At that time, she will also place a guard of honour and participate in a prayer programme.

Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, will join a programme there at 11am on the occasion of his birth anniversary and National Children’s Day.

Meanwhile, different socio-political organisations, including Awami League and its associated bodies, have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day.

Television channels and radio stations will air special programmes marking the day.

On March 17, 1920, Bangabandhu was born in Tungipara village. While studying at Islamia College in Kolkata, he got involved in active politics.

Both while in and out of jail, Bangabandhu had led the Language Movement. On February 21, 1952, when Language Movement activists were killed, Bangabandhu was observing a hunger strike in jail.

In continuation of the Language Movement, all major movements of Bengalis, including the general elections in 1970 and the War of Liberation in 1971, were led by Bangabandhu.

Through his dynamic leadership, Bangabandhu had organised the Bengali nation to fight against exploitation and repression by then Pakistani rulers. The movement culminated in independent Bangladesh through the nine-month Liberation War in 1971.

When Bangabandhu was moving forward with an aim to build a 'Golden Bangladesh' overcoming all obstacles, the defeated and anti-liberation war clique assassinated him, along with most of his family members, on August 15, 1975.

The government declared the period from March 17, 2020, to March 26, 2021, as the ‘Mujib Borsho’, marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. However, it was extended till March 31 this year.

Earlier, the President and the PM issued separate messages on the occasion.

"On the occasion of the 104th Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation, I pay my deep homage to this great leader," the head of the state said in a message on the eve of the day.

In his message, the President also said that Bangabandhu remains the eternal source of inspiration for the Bengali nation. In politics, Bangabandhu appeared as a symbol of principle and ideals.

The PM, in her message, extended her best wishes to all the children of the country on the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of the greatest Bengali of all time and ' National Children's Day. - UNB