He said efforts continued to this day for the return of the killers of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and members of his family, who were tried and convicted in absentia. The killers are now hiding in foreign lands, including the USA.

Ziauddin expressed strong optimism at the National Mourning Day programme commemorating the 45th anniversary of martyrdom of Bangabandhu at Bangladesh embassy in Washington, DC.

One of the killers - former captain Abdul Majed - was executed recently.

Meanwhile, five killers of Bangabandhu – Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed – were hanged in January 2010. Another killer Aziz Pasha had met natural death in Zimbabwe in 2001.

The fugitives are: Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Maj (retd) Noor Chowdhury, Maj (retd) Rashed Chowdhury and Risaldar Moslehuddin Khan.

Of the fugitives, the government knew the whereabouts of Noor Chowdhury and Rashed Chowdhury; and it was not sure about the other fugitives -- Rashid, Dalim and Moslehuddin.

Noor Chowdhury is now in Canada while Rashed Chowdhury in the USA.

Ambassador Ziauddin characterised August 15 as a cruelest massacre in human history, observing that the killers not only slew an iconic leader and statesman but also tried to destroy its secular democratic state structure and extinguish the spirit and noble objectives of independence.

He said the killers joined by the anti-liberation traitors led by General Zia who seized power illegally, destroyed democracy and introduced the politics of murder, coup and conspiracies.

He said the Zia regime tore the Constitution and adopted the infamous Indemnity Ordinance to block the trial of the killers and rewarded them with jobs in Bangladesh’s missions abroad.

‘PM Hasina determined to uphold rule of law’

The Ambassador said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government scrapped the Indemnity Ordinance, began trial of the killers and executed the verdict in the Bangabandhu murder case.

“It became clear to all that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was and is determined to uphold democracy and the rule of law at any cost,” the Ambassador said.

Amid a melancholy atmosphere, the National Mourning Day was observed at the embassy with due solemnity and dignity.

The officers and employees of the embassy wearing black badges offered rich tributes to the departed souls of the architect of Bangladesh’s independence and members of his family.

The Day’s programmes began with the ceremonial hoisting of the national flag at half-mast by Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin with the playing of the national anthem.

Then, the Ambassador accompanied by officers and employees placed a floral wreath at the bust of the Father of the Nation and stood in solemn silence for a while paying homage to the great leader.

Other programs include reading out of the messages of the national leaders, screening documentaries on life and work of Bangbandhu and special prayers for the martyrs of the August 15 tragedy.

The messages of President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs were read out. Defence Attaché Brig Gen M Moinul Hassan, Councilor (Political) Dewan Ali Ashraf, Minister (Economic) Md  Mahadi Hassan and Minister (Consular) Mohammad Habibur Rahman read out the messages respectively.

A documentary on life and work of the Father of the Nation was screened. First Secretary & Head of the Chancery Md. Mahmudul Hassan conducted the programme.