Bangladesh observes National Mourning Day on August 15 to remember and mourn the brutal assassination of the nation's first president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in 1975.

Also known as 'Bangabandhu', Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was the founder of Bangladesh who led the independence movement for East Pakistan (Bangladesh) against West Pakistan.

On August 15, 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife and 12 members of his family were killed by a faction of the armed forces at his Dhanmondi residence in Dhaka. Only his two daughters — Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana— who were abroad, survived the incident. The killers did not spare Rahman's 10-year-old son Russell.

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How it happened

On August 14, a group of young army officers, including Major Shariful Haque Dalim, Major Captain Mohammed Bazlul Huda and Major Aziz Pasha met at around 11.30 pm.

In the early hours of August 15, Major Syed Faruque Rahman, the operation leader, ordered the officers to meet at the headquarters near the airport.

Faruque planned a direct attack on the Bangabandhu's residence on 32 Dhanmondi Road. Two circles of forces were formed to attack the family members inside the house and neutralise any retaliation from the Rakkhibahini, or the army. Simultaneous attacks were planned on the residences of Abdur Rab Serniabat and Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni.

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Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had received the news of the attack at the house of Serniabat, his relative and Cabinet member. At around 5.30 am, when the sentries at Bangabandhu's house were hoisting the national flag, the killers attacked the house.

Eighteen bullets were fired at Bangabandhu. In the massacre that ensued, Sheikh Fazilatunnesa, Mujibur's wife, his sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal, and Sheikh Russell, and daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal were among those killed in cold blood.

All the members assassinated on August 15, except for Bangabandhu, were buried in the Banani graveyard the next day. Bangabandhu was laid to rest next to his father in Tungipara.

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Initially, the killers were indemnified by Bangladesh's first military ruler Ziaur Rahman. However, on November 12, 1996, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, formed the government and nullified the indemnity order. After a lengthy trial, 12 suspects were convicted, and five self-proclaimed killers were hanged on January 28, 2010.

(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)

First Published:Aug 13, 2022 6:56 PM IST