The nation observed Jail Killing Day on Friday with due solemnity.
On this day in 1975, four national leaders and heroes of the country’s Liberation War -- Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain Mansur Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman -- were assassinated inside the Dhaka Central Jail.
The four leaders played crucial roles in forming the Mujibnagar government in exile that led the Liberation War of 1971 with Syed Nazrul Islam as the acting president, Tajuddin Ahmad as the prime minister, Mansur Ali as the finance minister and AHM Qamruzzaman as the home, relief and rehabilitation minister.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and PM Hasina on Thursday issued separate messages on the occasion of the Jail Killing Day.
The President, in his message, said, “The aim of the killers was to erase the ideals of the Liberation War from the spirit of the young generation apart from giving rise to an undemocratic autocratic rule which failed.”
The four leaders were the ideal soldiers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They were the only guide for the nation in absence of Bangabandhu.
He urged all to work from their respective positions to complete the unfinished works of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to build a happy, prosperous Sonar Bangla. “This should be our promise on Jail Killing Day.”
In the message, the president prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls of the four leaders.
The prime minister in her message said the killing of the four national leaders were the sequel to the assassination of the Father of the Nation and most of his family members.
"The purpose of the killers was to break the state structure of the non-communal democratic Bangladesh and undermine our independence achieved at a huge cost," she said.
Ruling Awami League and its associate bodies and other political parties chalked out various programmes to mark the day.
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The central leaders of Awami League paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi 32 this morning on the occasion of Jail Killing Day.
Reflecting on the day, Quader said, "The November 3, 1975 killing of 4 national leaders were the continuation of the August 15 conspiracy (that killed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family). Later, Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina was the main target of the grenade attack on August 21, 2004.”
The AL general secretary said the conspiracy of 1975 and post-1975 killings were perpetrated to avenge the defeat of 1971.
"That defeated force is repeatedly attacking the soul and spirit of the nation. They are spreading communal tension,” said Quader.
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