Bangabandhu's 99th birthday being celebrated

The 99th birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is being celebrated in a befitting manner on Saturday.

The day is celebrated as the National Children's Day. It is also a public holiday.

On this day in 1920, the architect of the nation was born in Tungipara of Gopalganj.

Through his dynamic leadership, Bangabandhu had organised the Bangalee nation to fight against exploitation and repression by the Pakistani rulers. The movement culminated in independent Bangladesh through the nine-month Liberation War in 1971.

On August 15, 1975, the great leader along with most of his family members was assassinated by a disgruntled group of army men.

Different socio-political organisations, including Awami League and its associate bodies, have chalked out various programmes on the occasion.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Bhaban in the city's Dhanmondi area at 7am.

President Abdul Hamid and the PM are set to pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his grave in Tungipara at 10am.

Hasina will release a commemorative postage stamp on Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Bangabandhu, and unveil the cover of a children book titled "Amader Chhoto Russel Sona".

She will address a children's rally, discussion meeting and cultural function and distribute sewing machines among the distressed, and open a book fair and visit a painting exhibition of the children titled "Amar Bhabnai 7th March". 

A Qurankhani and a milad mahfil will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

The ruling party will organise a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 3pm on Sunday where the Prime Minister will speak.

Meanwhile, the President and the Prime Minister have issued separate messages on the occasion.

In his message, the President said, “We'll have to build our young generation with the spirit of noble qualities so that they can materialise Bangabandhu's dream of transforming the country into Sonar Bangla [Golden Bengal]. We have to put in our sincere efforts to flourish the intrinsic values of our children from their very childhood.”

He urged all to make the new generation as enlightened citizens through providing proper education and knowledge and igniting them with the deep sense of patriotism so that they can make themselves as worthy citizens and love the country and its people.

The Prime Minister in her statement said, “The charismatic leadership and personality of Bangabandhu had brought the whole nation under one umbrella. As a result, we got the independence and sovereign Bangladesh and the Bangalee nationalism flourished.”

She urged all to sacrifice their present for the welfare of the children's future and build a non-communal, hunger-poverty-free and happy-prosperous Sonar Bangladesh as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.

Source: unb