Mashrafe Pays Tribute on Bangabandhu’s Death Anniversary

Staff Report: PNN

Former Bangladesh national cricket team captain and former member of parliament Mashrafe Bin Mortaza has paid tribute on the occasion of the death anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On Saturday (August 15), Mashrafe posted an image featuring Bangabandhu on his verified Facebook page and expressed his tribute. In the post, he wrote, “Humble tribute.”

On August 15, 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed along with most of his family members at his residence at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka. His wife, Begum Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, three sons—Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell—and two daughters-in-law, Sultana Kamal and Rosie Jamal, were also killed in the incident.

Bangabandhu’s younger brother Sheikh Abu Naser, his military secretary Colonel Jamil Uddin Ahmed, Special Branch police officer Siddiqur Rahman and army personnel Syed Mahbubul Haque were also killed that day.

The residence of Bangabandhu’s nephew Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni was also attacked that same night. Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni and his pregnant wife, Arzu Moni, were killed in the attack.

The residence of Abdur Rab Serniabat, a member of the cabinet at the time, was also attacked. His daughter Baby Serniabat, son Arif Serniabat, grandson Sukanta Babu, his elder brother’s son Sajib Serniabat and another member of the family, Abdul Naim Khan, were killed in the incident.

However, Bangabandhu’s two daughters, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, survived because they were outside the country at the time.

For a long period, August 15 was observed as National Mourning Day during the Awami League government. The day was also a public holiday. However, after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and left the country on August 5, 2024, the interim government cancelled the public holiday on August 15. That decision remains in effect.

Amid this background, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza’s brief tribute on the death anniversary of Bangabandhu has drawn attention and discussion on social media.