The 94th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day will be celebrated in a befitting manner today (Monday).The day’s slogan this year is “We shall build Bangabandhu’s Bangladesh on the spirit of the independence”.On this day in 1920, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born in a respectable Muslim family at the remote Tungipara village in Gopalganj district. He was the third among four daughters and two sons of Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Saira Khatun. As the champion of the nation’s long arduous freedom struggle, Bangabandhu declared independence of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) soon after the Pakistani military junta cracked down on the sleeping Bangalees on the fateful night of March 25 in 1971. The Pakistan military junta took him to Dhaka Cantonment on that night and later imprisoned him in a jail in West Pakistan.With farsightedness, capability and boldness Bangabandhu had administered Bangladesh and presented it as a sovereign and independent country before the international community. But the greatest tragedy is that he was assassinated along with most of his family members in a military coup on August 15 in 1975.Different political parties, socio-cultural-professional bodies and institutions have chalked out elaborate programmes in observance of his birth anniversary.The day is a public holiday. National dailies will publish special supplements while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels and radio stations will air special programmes on his eventful life marking the occasion. Special prayers will also be offered at all the places of worships in the country. Meanwhile, President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages highlighting the significance of the day. The ruling Awami League’s programmes for the day include hoisting of the national and party flags at 6:30am and placing of wreaths at Bangabandhu’s portrait at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi at 7:30am. As part of the national programme, Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina along with her party leaders and members of the cabinet will lay wreaths at the grave of Bangabandhu at 10:00am at Tungipara. Sheikh Hasina will attend a children’s rally, discussion, book fair and a cultural function to be organised there marking the occasion.In observance of the day, Awami League will organise a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital at 3:00pm on March 18 (Tuesday). Awami League President and Premier Sheikh Hasina will attend the discussion as the chief guest, while party Presidium Member and Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury will be in the chair. Cultural affairs ministry, Religious affairs ministry, Social Welfare Affairs Ministry, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Nazrul Institute, Islamic Foundation and other institutions will also hold discussions and cultural programmes to observance of the anniversary.Bangladesh missions abroad will also observe the day through identical programmes.
