15 August today
Today is 15 August. On this day in 1975, the nation's independence leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were assassinated by a group of military men at his house in Dhaka's Dhanmondi.
Eighteen members of Bangabandhu's family, including his wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, three sons – Captain Sheikh Kamal, Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal and 10-year-old Sheikh Russel, two daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, peasant leader Abdur Rab Serniabat, youth leader Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Baby Serniabat, Sukanta Babu, Arif and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu were, among others, killed on the fateful night.
His two daughters — Sheikh Hasina, now the ousted prime minister, and Sheikh Rehana — survived the massacre as they were abroad at that time.
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Bangabandhu's Military Secretary Brigadier General Jamil also lost his life in the heinous act.
After assuming power in 1996, then prime minister Sheikh Hasina made the day National Mourning Day.
When the BNP came to power in 2001, it reversed the decision. In 2008, the interim government reintroduced the holiday.
On Tuesday, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus cancelled the holiday following consultations with various political parties.
