Today is August 15, National Mourning Day. 46th Martyrdom Anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Architect of Independence, Commander-in-Chief of Liberation War, Father of the Nation.
The Bengali nation irrespective of caste and creed will observe the day with deep respect. However, this time too, due to the global pandemic of coronavirus (Covid-19), social distance will be ensured and the National Mourning Day program will be observed by following the hygiene rules.
On the morning of 15 August 1975, some disgruntled members of the army killed Bangabandhu and his family at his residence in Dhanmondi. The assassins not only killed Bangabandhu, but also Bangabandhu's wife Bangamata Begum Fazilatun Nessa, Bangabandhu's sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Russell, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosie Jamal.
Bangabandhu's younger brother Sheikh Nasser, brother-in-law Abdur Rob Serniabat, his son Arif, daughter Baby and Sukant Babu, Bangabandhu's nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni, his wife Arju Moni and Abdul Naeem Khan Rintu could not escape from this heinous murder. Colonel Zamil who was coming to Dhanmondi to rescue Bangabandhu was also killed. At that time Bangabandhu's two daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived as they were abroad.
Since the first day of this month, various socio-cultural and political organizations, including the Awami League and allied organizations, have been carrying out detailed programs in view of the corona pandemic situation and National Mourning Day.
Following the hygiene rules, the National Mourning Day program includes paying homage to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the historic Road No. 32. Floral tribute will be paid at Banani graveyard. A delegation of Awami League will pay homage at the tomb of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara. In addition, special prayers will be held in all mosques, temples, churches and pagodas of the country on the occasion of the day. A discussion meeting of the National Mourning Day will be held on August 16.
Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television will broadcast special programs on the occasion of National Mourning Day. Has published supplements in national dailies and periodicals. Various ministries, departments and agencies have formulated their own programs in line with the National Mourning Day. Discussion meetings and prayer mahfils have been organized at the district and upazilaa level to observe the National Mourning Day with due dignity by following the health rules by ensuring social distance.
Basically, from 15th August, 1975, a different trend started in Bangladesh. The unjust history of military rule began to be written by overthrowing the civilian government.
After the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu and his family, the shadow of intense mourning descended on the whole world and the poison of hatred spread. After the assassination of Bangabandhu, the Nobel laureate West German leader Willy Brandt said that after the assassination of Mujib, the Bengalis could no longer be trusted. The Bengalis who can kill Sheikh Mujib can do any heinous act.
Describing the Bengalis as 'traitors', Nirad C. Chowdhury, a British citizen of Indian descent and a prominent writer, said that by killing Sheikh Mujib, the dreamer of the Bengali nation, the Bengali nation had shown its suicidal character to the people of the world.
The August 16, 1975 issue of The Times of London stated, "In spite of everything, Bangabandhu will always be remembered because, without him, Bangladesh has no real existence.” On the same day, the Daily Telegraph published from London said, "Millions of Bangladeshis will consider the heinous assassination of Sheikh Mujib as an irreparable loss."
Mentioning that today's Bengalis also have to learn from Sheikh Mujib's thoughts, Indian Bengali economist Amartya Sen recently said that calling him 'Father of Bangladesh' or Bangabandhu is very rare. He did not want to buy a bigger title and name. People loved him from the heart.
After the assassination of Bangabandhu, on 26 September 1975, the self-proclaimed President Khandaker Mustaq Ahmed issued the Indemnity Ordinance to protect the killers from trial. Later, Ziaur Rahman approved the Indemnity Ordinance in 1979 as a law.
The Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, came to power after a long twenty-one years. In 1996 Colonel Syed Faruk Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan and former state minister Taher Uddin Tagore were arrested.
On October 2 of the same year, AFM Mohitul Islam, Bangabandhu's personal assistant (PA), lodged an FIR with the police station in connection with the infernal murder that took place on August 15.
On November 14, 1996, the Indemnity Act was repealed in Parliament to bring the murderers to justice. On January 15, 1997, the CID filed a charge sheet in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court accusing 20 people in the case and the trial began on March 12 of the same year in the presence of six accused.
Until June 19, 1997, the trial was adjourned eight times due to various obstacles of the anti-independence clique, including embarrassment of the judges. After a long process, Judge Kazi Golam Rasul sentenced 15 former army officers to death on November 8, 1998. On the other hand, on December 14, 2000, the High Court bench delivered a split judgment after a 24-day hearing. Judge M Ruhul Amin upheld the death sentence of 10 of the 15 accused. But another judge, ABM Khairul Haque, gave the maximum death sentence to all the 15 accused.
Later, when the BNP-Jamaat alliance came to power in the October 2001 parliamentary elections, the judiciary was closed. After a long six years, on August 23, 2007, the Chief prosecutor of the State, Anisul Haque, the present Law Minister, gave a brief statement to the Supreme Court and on September 23, a three-member bench of the Appellate Division granted leave to appeal after a 27-day hearing.
After a 29-day hearing on November 12, 2009, the final appeal hearing ended and the court fixed November 19 for the verdict. On the same day (November 19), a five-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court upheld the judgment of the High Court and dismissed the appeal filed by five deceased accused. After the review of the accused against the verdict of the appeal on January 27, 2010 was rejected, the death sentence of the five accused was executed on January 27 and the nation was acquitted.
Captain (Dismissed)Abdul Majed, another assassin of Bangabandhu who had fled to India on April 12 last year 2020 was hanged. The murderer Majed was arrested 45 years after the murder of Bangabandhu and his family, 25 years after the brutal murder and almost ten years after the execution of five accused by the High Court.