Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day today

The historic Homecoming Day of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be observed today across the country in a befitting manner.

Bangabandhu, the supreme commander of the country's Liberation War, returned to independent Bangladesh via London and New Delhi on 10 January 1972, after 290 days of confinement in Pakistan jail.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day paying glowing tributes to the Father of the Nation.

The ruling Awami League has taken various programmes to observe the historic day.

The programmes will begin with hoisting of the national and party flags at the AL central office, Bangabandhu Bhaban, and its party offices across the country at 6:30am while party leaders and activists will pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban in the captail's Dhanmondi-32 at 8:30am.

On the occasion, a rally will be held at Suhrawardy Udyan at 2:30pm on the day with AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has imposed traffic restrictions on different streets in the city marking the rally to be held at Suhrawardy Udyan.

The DMP has issued traffic restrictions surrounding areas of the Suhrawardy Udyan. The areas include Kataban intersections, Hotel InterContinental intersections, Matshya Bhababan intersection, Doyel intersections and Dhaka University medical centres.

Besides, all district, city, upazila, thana, union and ward level units of the AL, its associate and likeminded bodies will organise similar programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.

In a statement yesterday, AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader urged all party leaders and activists and its associate and likeminded bodies to observe the programmes taken to mark the Bangabandhu's Homecoming Day in a befitting manner.

On the night of 25 March 1971, Pakistan army arrested Bangabandhu from his Dhanmondi residence and sent him to a West Pakistani jail the following day.

Bangabandhu was subjected to inhuman torture in the Pakistan jail where he had been counting moments for the execution of his death sentence that was pronounced in a farcical trial.

"I was a prisoner in the condemned cell awaiting hanging. From the day I went into jail, I didn't know whether I would be alive or not. I was mentally ready to die. But I knew Bangladesh would be liberated," Bangabandhu spoke emotionally about his ordeal in Pakistani prison at a news conference in London.

About the Pakistan army's genocide on Bangalees, Bangabandhu said, "If Hitler had been alive today, he would have been ashamed."

On 26 March 1971, Bangabandhu proclaimed independence of Bangladesh and urged people from all walks of life to participate wholeheartedly in the nation's War of Liberation.

Immediately after the proclamation of independence, Bangabandhu was arrested by Pakistani military junta and then flown to West Pakistan to keep him in prison there.

Though the final victory through the nine-month-long bloody War of Liberation was achieved defeating Pakistani occupation forces on 16 December 1971, the nation's expectations were fulfilled and the people got the real taste of victory with the homecoming of Bangabandhu on 10 January 1972.

On reaching Dhaka (Tejgaon) airport in the afternoon, Bangabandhu was greeted by tens of thousands of jubilant people who had been eagerly waiting to see their beloved leader.

From the airport, Bangabandhu was escorted to the Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) where he addressed a spontaneous reception accorded to him by the cheerful countrymen believed to be one million.

He recalled with deep respect the contribution of all during the war and urged the people to rebuild the war-ravaged country.

Bangabandhu took the oath of office as the country's prime minister on 12 January 1972.