City Desk

The Professionals Human Rights Council (PHRC) has called upon the nation to observe the 51st martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with due respect and solemnity.

The call was made in a press statement issued on Friday (August 14) signed by PHRC Joint Convener Sheikh Jamal on behalf of Convener Dr. Jamal Uddin Chowdhury, Co-Convener Prof. Dr. Ahiduzzaman, and Member Secretary Mijanur Rahman.

In the statement, the leaders paid profound tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his family members, and all others who were brutally assassinated on the black night of August 15, 1975, praying for the eternal peace of their departed souls.

The leaders noted that Bangabandhu united the nation through decades of struggle against 23 years of Pakistani rule and oppression. Over his lifetime, he spent nearly 14 years in prison advocating for the rights of the oppressed. His leadership served as the primary inspiration during the 1971 Liberation War, which ultimately earned Bangladesh its sovereignty through the supreme sacrifice of three million martyrs and the dignity of hundreds of thousands of women.

The PHRC leaders further highlighted that following his release from a Pakistani prison on January 10, 1972, a grateful nation unanimously honored him with the title "Father of the Nation," having earlier bestowed upon him the title "Bangabandhu" in 1969 following his acquittal in the Agartala Conspiracy Case. During his three and a half years in office, Bangabandhu successfully rebuilt the war-ravaged economy and elevated the country to least developed country (LDC) status.

Terming the August 15 massacre an extreme violation of human rights carried out by domestic and international conspirators, the organization emphasized that upholding Bangabandhu's ideals is essential to safeguarding democracy, changing the nation's destiny, and establishing a peaceful Bangladesh free from oppression.