The President said this while recalling Bangabndhu and the aftermath of his killing in a recorded interview given to the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) marking the National Mourning Day.
"New and future generations are an asset for any country. So if we want to build them as resources, we have to build them as worthy citizens. You have to tell them about your country, history and heritage. If you want to know Bangladesh, you have to know Bangabandhu. And if we want to know about Bangabandhu, we have to know the exact history of liberation struggle and liberation war," he said.
“Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is not only a name . . . He is an institution, a timeless history and an entity. Bangabandhu is not with us but he left a political philosophy, policy and ideology which will show a light from generation to generation on the way to progress and development, “ the President observed.
Urging all to come forward to materialize the dream of the Father of the Nation, the President said, “I just want to long live the ideals of Bangabandhu from generation to generation as Bangabandhu has immense contributions to our national history.“
He led the nation in each and every movement and struggle to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of people, he said, adding Bangabandhu had to endure inhuman torture including imprisonment most of his life-time.
Terming Bangladesh now a ‘role model’ of development and progress in the world, Hamid said the country under the efficient and charismatic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the worthy daughter of the Bangabandhu, is moving towards development and progress in all sectors- trade, investment ,social, cultural, science and technology.
On the birth centenary of Bangabandhu, the country is on the verge of becoming “Sonar Bangla” of his dream, he said, adding Bangabandhu brought freedom and her daughter is leading us to establish a hunger and poverty free country.
Recalling his memories with the Father of the Nation in an emotion- chocked voice, Abdul Hamid said, “I was in the MP hostel on that fateful night of August, I heard noises before going to my bed at about 3-4 am on the night. I thought that the Dhaka University was rejoicing and firecrackers were exploding.”
Abdul Hamid went on saying , “It was about 7 am . . . Khandaker Nurul Islam, an MP of Rajbari who was staying beside my room, knocked my door and subsequently conveyed the bad news. After a while he came to me with a radio which was telecasting killer Major Dalim’s announcement of murdering Banagbandhu.”
Referring to pre-15 August overall situation, the veteran politician, a close associate of the greatest Bangalee of thousand years Bangabandhu, said, “It seemed that something bad would happen. And I met Bangabandhu at Ganabhaban in the afternoon on August 11, 1975.”
He went on saying, “Bangabandhu asked me to wait . . . Later in the evening he went for a walk in the Ganabhaban garden. I was with him. I talked to him privately and informed him what I came to know from an intelligence agency. But Bangabandhu replied with a smiling face – ‘There was a little trouble . . . Everything is now fine. Don’t worry’.”
Being reassured, Abdul Hamid said, “I came back and it was my last meeting with Bangabandhu. And now I understand that nothing was right then. The assailants were ready to dye their black hands with the red blood of our Father of the Nation.”
About the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said the whole world is currently facing a serious crisis and it is very urgent to ensure mutual cooperation and adherence to hygiene rules at all strata of life.
He asked all to take lessons from the then Muslim Seba Samity formed by Bangabandhu in his student life to provide humanitarian aids to the affected people during the natural and man-made disasters, including the Hindu-Muslim Riots in 1947.
The President also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu and all other martyrs of August 15.