The National Mourning Day and the 48th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was observed today across the country and Bangladesh missions abroad with due respect and solemnity.
Bangabandhu and most of his family members were brutally killed by some disgruntled army men on the fateful day of August 15, 1975 and this carnage is touted as the ugliest chapter of the nation history.
Father of the Nation two daughters Sheikh Hasina, now Prime Minister, and Sheikh Rehana escaped the planned assassination as they were staying abroad at that time.
The government drew up elaborate programmes in observance of the day at the national level.
The national flag was hoisted half-mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous and educational institutions and private buildings including Bangladesh missions abroad.
A major 1971 war crimes convict and fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee died today at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital as he was being treated there after a cardiac arrest, hospital sources said. He was 83.
“He died at 8:40pm,” a BSMMU official said.
Sayeedi death came a day after he was admitted to the facility following a heart attack at Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur on the outskirts of the capital.
Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) handed him down death penalty in 2013 for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War siding with the Pakistani occupation forces.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said the government would reward those who will provide information on fugitive convicted killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"If you can give us information, you will be rewarded," he told a discussion at Jatiya Press Club here.
Describing Canada and the USA as countries with very strong rule of law, the foreign minister said they should not give shelter to murderers.
Momen said the government will be very happy if all the killers are brought back to face justice. "But we are yet to do it. If we can, we will feel that it is a great achievement," he added.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi today said the government would import eggs if the price of the low-cost source of protein keeps an upward trend.
"Import of eggs will be allowed in coordination with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock if the price of eggs cannot be controlled," he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating the sales of products, including rice among one crore family card-holders belonging to low-income groups under an initiative of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), said a press release.
The state-run agency organised the event at Mohammadpur Town Hall in the city.