- Staff Reporter :Today is 96th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The day has been declared as the National Children’s Day and will also be celebrated across the country in a befitting manner. The day is a public holiday.On this day in 1920, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman affectionately called “Khoka” was born to Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Saira Khatun in a respectable Muslim family at the remote Tungipara village in Gopalganj district. He was the third among four daughters and two sons of his parents.At the age of seven, Sheikh Mujib was admitted to nearby Gimadanga Government Primary School and later he studied in Madaripur Islamia High School, Gopalganj Government Pilot School and Gopalganj Mission School.While studying at the secondary level he was attacked by beriberi disease and had to undergo treatment in Calcutta. As a result, there was a gap in his studies for few years. After passing the Matriculation examination in 1942, Sheikh Mujib was admitted to Islamia College in Calcutta having residential accommodation in famous Baker Hostel.He passed the BA examination in 1946. During his college days, Sheikh Mujib was elected general secretary of Islamia College Students’ Union.During his Baker Hostel days, when the ‘quit India’ movement was gaining momentum against the British domination, he came in touch with the legendary politicians like Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy and Abul Hashim. That was also a turning point in his long political career to pursue politics of secularism and patriotism.After partition of the sub-continent, Sheikh Mujib chose Dhaka as the centre of his political activities and took admission in the Law Department of Dhaka University.He led all the national movements and played a dominant role in raising the demand for Bangla as the state language of Pakistan in front of its founder Mohammad Ali Zinnah at a function in Dhaka.The Pakistani rulers imprisoned Sheikh Mujib 18 times and he had to remain in jail for over a decade for leading various national movements since the historic language movement of 1952.When the Pakistani authority released him from the Agartala Conspiracy Case unconditionally, he turned out to be the absolute leader of East Pakistan. People bestowed him with the honour title “Bangabandhu”.As the champion of the nation’s long arduous freedom struggle, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib declared independence of Bangladesh 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 and later imprisoned in a jail in West Pakistan.Bangabandhu returned to his independent Bangladesh from Pakistani captivity on January 10, 1972, and he administered the country for three and a half years.Bangabandhu administered Bangladesh and presented it as a sovereign and independent country before the international community. But the greatest tragedy is that he was killed 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.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 day.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Tungipara of Gopalgganj district today to celebrate the day.The Premier is set to place floral wreath to the tomb of Bangabandhu at Tungipara at 10:00am and offer special prayer there. A smartly turned out contingent of the three services will pay guard of honor to Sheikh Hasina.She is also scheduled to attend a discussion followed by a cultural program on the mausoleum premises. The PM will also inaugurate a book fair there. She is expected to return to Dhaka at 3:00pm on the day.In the capital, the Awami League (AL), its front organizations, Shilpokola Academy, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, different socio-cultural, professional organizations and educational institutions have chalked out programs in observance of the day. The programs include placing wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu, children’s gatherings and rallies, processions of under privileged children, drawing, handwriting, essay and ready speech competitions, discussions and cultural functions.Special doa mahfil and munajats will be offered at the religious institutions and improved diets will be served among the inmates in the orphanages, shishu paribars and under privileged children.Observance of the Day will begin in the morning through placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Dhanmondi Road no 32 in city and at Shaheed MInars in the district level.Senior leaders of AL, its front organisations, officials of government departments, NGOs, socio-cultural and political organisations, professional and business bodies, heads of the educational institutions and community leaders will place floral wreaths.Our Faridpur correspondent says: A sub-committee has been formed to make the two day National Children’s Day a success in Gopalgonj, Tungipara. The programs were chalked out in a meeting held recently in the conference room of DC of Faridpur Sardar Sharafat Ali.Organisers said, the two day observance program began on March 16 through displaying of a mobile cinema show titled ‘Chiranjib’ (Immortal) Bangabandhu at various points of the town and also in upazillas. Recitations of poems on Bangabandhu , art, patriotic song competitions and essay competitions for the school and college students will be held on March 17at DC office premises organized by Shishu Academy and district administration.A milad mahfil exclusively for women will be held at DC’s conference room.Local district administration, political parties, Awami League and its front organizations and various socio-cultural organizations will place floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu kept at local Ambica Maidan in the morning.In the afternoon a colorful rally will be brought out in the town to celebrate the birthday of the Father of the Nation. Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Engineer Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain will participate in the rally.A Milad Mahfil will be held at Shah Farid Dargah mosque and special prayers will be offered at mosques, temples, Ramkrishna Mission and churches. A voluntary blood donation camp has been organized at Ambica Memorial Hall.In the evening a discussion meeting on the life and works of Bangabandhu will be held at local Kabi Jasimuddin Hall where Minister Khondoker Mosharraf Hossain will attend as the chief guest.
