The 56th death anniversary of the champion of democracy and one of the greatest leaders of undivided India, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy will be observed in the country today in a befitting manner.
The unparallel leader of all Indian politics, who had dedicated his entire life to ensure the welfare of the people by upholding democracy, died at a Beirut hotel in Lebanon on December 5 in 1963. He was alone in the hotel suite at the time of his death.
Suhrawardy was a Bengali politician and statesman in the first half of the 20th century. He served as the premier of Bengal in British India and was the fifth Prime Minister of Pakistan. President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid their rich tributes to the memory of Suhrawardy on the occasion of his death anniversary.
In separate messages, the President and the Prime Minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of Suhrawardy, terming him ‘the champion of democracy’.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardi is a bright star in the history of politics and democracy of the subcontinent.
He played a vital role in protecting the interest of the neglected Muslim community, including the working people, of this region when he served in different capacities, the President added.
He believed that Suhrawardi’s life and works will inspire the future generations in democratic thinking and welfare of the people.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said Suhrawardi fought for establishing political rights and socio-economic development of the working people of the subcontinent throughout his life.
She also said that the country’s great independence was achieved on December 16 in 1971 under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time and the successor of Suhrawardy.
To mark the day, different political and socio-cultural organisations, including ruling Awami League, have chalked out various programmes, including placing wreaths at the grave of the great leader in the morning, discussions, Qurankhwani, milad and doa mahfil in the capital and elsewhere across the country.
Awami League (AL) will pay tribute to the late leader by placing wreaths at his grave adjacent to the High Court at 9 am on Thursday. Fateha and doa will be offered there.
Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote will hold a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club here at 11 am. AL Presidium Member and central 14-party alliance spokesperson Mohammed Nasim is expected to be present at the discussion as the chief guest.
In a statement, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday paid rich tribute to the late leader, saying that Suhrawardy had fought for establishing democracy throughout his life.
He urged the party leaders and activists and its associate bodies and other like-minded organisations to observe the death anniversary of Suhrawardy in a befitting manner.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy was born in a respected Muslim family at Medinipur in West Bengal, India on September 8 in 1892.
