Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday placed wreaths at the mausoleum of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in paying homage to the great leader to mark his 48th martyrdom anniversary and the National Mourning Day.
Hasina, elder daughter of Bangabandhu, placed wreaths twice, first as the head of the government and then as the president of ruling Bangladesh Awami League.
After laying the wreaths she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the architect of Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.
Bangabandhu was assassinated by some wayward army men on the dreadful night of August 15, 1975 along with most of his family members.
A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from the armed forces presented a gun salute on the occasion, while the bugle played the Last Post in remembrance of Bangabandhu, the greatest Bengali of all time.
The prime minister along with Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana also offered fateha and joined munajat seeking eternal peace of departed souls of Bangabandhu, his wife Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, their three sons and other martyrs of Aug 15 massacre.
The Speaker, cabinet members, chiefs of the three services, IGP and the PM's family members were present.
Prayers were also offered seeking continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.
Then Sheikh Hasina, flanked by senior Awami League leaders, placed another wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu on behalf of her party.
The prime minister along with Cabinet members, party leaders and workers also joined a milad and doa mahfil on the mausoleum premises marking the National Mourning Day.
Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Deputy Speaker Shamsul Haque Tuku paid tribute to the Father of the Nation by placing wreaths separately at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu.
Leaders of different associate bodies of Bangladesh Awami League also placed wreaths at the grave.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina arrived in Tungipara, the ancestral home of Bangabandhu, by a helicopter at 11:35am after placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka as part of the national programme on the day.
The prime minister also went to the Banani graveyard and sprinkled flower petals on the graves of the martyrs of the Aug 15 carnage and offered fateha and joined a munajat there.
On return from Tungipara the PM attended a milad mahfil organised by Bangladesh Mohila Awami League at Bangbandhu Bhaban.