Prime minister Sheikh Hasina today paid tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of the historic Mujibnagar Day. She paid homage by placing a wreath at Bangabandhu’s portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi, Dhaka this morning. After laying the wreath, the prime minister stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, the architect of independence. Flanked by central leaders of Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the party, placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu on behalf of AL. On this day in 1971, Bangladesh’s first government in exile was formed at the Baidyanathtala mango orchard in Meherpur, under the then Kushtia district. The place was later renamed Mujibnagar as a tribute to Bangabandhu who had been declared as the president of the government-in-exile. Syed Nazrul Islam was appointed the acting president in the absence of Bangabandhu. Tajuddin Ahmad was appointed the first prime minister, while captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Quamaruzzaman were made cabinet members. The successful leadership of the core cabinet steered the Liberation War to victory on December 16 that year.  

The Dr Asma Islam Memorial Award was presented to an exceptional employee of icddr,b Hospital Sunday. This award, presented annually since 2009, celebrates the dedication and hard work of employees at icddr,b and honours the memory of the late Dr Asma Islam, a dedicated and passionate public health professional who served the icddr,b for nearly two decades since the Seventies. One of her most notable contributions was her work on oral rehydration saline (ORS) – a life-saving formula that has helped over 70 million people globally. She was an advocate for improving public health, tackling various issues from Vitamin A deficiency to other pressing concerns. This award honours the memory of Asma's dedication and passion for improving lives through her work in public health and is sponsored by her brother Dr Moinuddin Ahmed. This year's award criteria included patient care, behaviour and attitude towards patients and colleagues, equipment handling skills, and performance during diarrhoea outbreaks or periods of high patient load. The recipient was awarded a gold medal. Md Moniruzzaman, senior staff nurse, received the award this year for his performance in 2022. Additionally, seven other hospital staff were also presented with crests for their performance. Momtaz Begum, nursing officer, Cathrine Costa, nursing officer, Maharab Hossain, senior staff nurse, Arjun Das Ratul, fellow nurse, Dr Mehreen Chowdhury, clinical fellow, Dr Khalid Hasan, clinical fellow, received crests for their services. And Dr Pramita Guha, clinical fellow, received a crest for her academic achievement. At the event, Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, executive director of icddr,b, said: "The Dr Asma Islam Memorial Award serves as a fitting tribute to the legacy of our beloved colleague Dr Asma Islam and her unwavering commitment to patient care." "We are proud to honour and reward those who excelled through their hard work and dedication in the same vein." Read more: ICDDR, B selected in CEPI global lab network

As the nation celebrates the 50 years of independence Chuadanga goes without a memorial of the glorious liberation war. Chuadanga was an important place during the liberation war. It bears the some bitter memories of the war. Pakistani soldiers entered Chuadanga from Meherpur on foot on Dec 6, 1971 days before the final victory in the war on December 16. On the same day, they blew up the bridge over Mathavanga River so that the freedom fighters could not reach them. When Pakistani soldiers left Chuadanga and Alamdanga for Kushtia on the following day, Chuadanga became completely free from the enemy. Fifty years have gone by but no mausoleum has yet been built in Chuadanga.  The lone Memorial plaque located in Saheed Hasan’s Square in the district town remained neglected around the year except for national days, UNB local correspondent reports. Read: Pro-liberation campaigners to celebrate India's recognition of Bangladesh Monday Though a monument was built at Hasan Square in 1994, it was demolished citing as illegal. As there is no monument, the people of Chuadanga pay their respect to martyrs at that Memorial Plaque. On December 7, Chuadanga district was freed from the clutches of the Pakistani Army. Since then, this day is observed by people from different socio-organizations and political parties in a befitting manner. This year, there was no difference. The District Administration paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the Memorial Plaque. Meanwhile, people from all walks of life including journalists, freedom fighters gathered before the Memorial Plaque to pay homage.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family started living jn what is now Bangabandhu Bhaban in Dhanmondi Bottrish Number (denoting Rd #32) since October 1, 1961. After the atrocious carnage of August 15, 1975, this house was captured by military authority until 10th June 1981.