The 74th birth anniversary of Shaheed Captain Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the organizers of the Liberation War and a sports and cultural personality, is today Saturday.
He was born on this day in 1949 in Tungipara village of then Gopalganj subdivision. On the night of August 15, 1975, he was martyred at the age of 26 by the merciless bullets of a group of misguided army officers.
Various sports and socio-cultural organizations including Awami League have taken detailed programs to observe the day.
Awami League and allied organizations will lay wreaths at the portrait of martyr Sheikh Kamal at Abahani Club premises in Dhanmondi at 8 am and pay tribute at his tomb at Banani graveyard at 9 am. Later Qurankhawni, Milad and Doa Mahfil will be held.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Sheikh Kamal's birthday, Dhaka Metropolitan South will organize a discussion meeting at the central office of Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue at 11 am. Also, Dhaka Metropolitan North and South Sramik League will organize a discussion meeting on the occasion of Sheikh Kamal's birthday at 3 pm.
Shaheed Captain Sheikh Kamal, a bright symbol of youth with multi-dimensional unique creative talent, passed Secondary School from Shaheen School and Higher Secondary from Dhaka College and passed BA Honors from Sociology Department of Dhaka University. He was a student of the sitar instrument department of 'Chayanat', one of the sources of education in the field of art, literature and culture in Bangladesh. He was the founder of Abahani Krirachakra, the pioneer of modern football in Bangladesh, one of the best sports organizations in the subcontinent. Moreover, he was one of the founders of Dhaka Theatre. As an actor, he was well known in the Theater of Dhaka University. From childhood, he had great enthusiasm in various sports including football, cricket, hockey, basketball. Sheikh Kamal was trained in the first war course of independent Bangladesh, got commissioned in the Liberation Army and served as the ADC of General Osmani, the C-in-C of the Liberation War.
After independence, Sheikh Kamal was discharged from the army and concentrated on education. He was a member of the Bangladesh Chhatra League Central Executive Committee and at the time of his martyrdom was a member of the Central Committee of Jatiya Chhatra League, an organ of the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League. He was an MA final exam candidate of the Sociology Department.
General Secretary of Awami League and Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader has requested the leaders and workers, supporters and well-wishers of all levels of the party and allied organizations to celebrate the 74th birth anniversary of Shaheed Captain Sheikh Kamal with due dignity.