Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the victims of August 21 grenade attack in 2004 by placing wreaths at the temporary memorial which is built in front of Awami League's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue.  About 10:58am Sheikh Hasina paid the tribute as the Prime Minister and, later, then she paid homage as Awami League president. Awami league General Secretary Obaidul Quader also placed wreaths.   On this day, in 2004 during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government, this ghastly attack was carried out on a peaceful anti-terrorism rally in front of AL's Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital.

A 5-member parliamentary delegation from the UK visited Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 here yesterday to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The delegation placed a floral wreath at the portrait of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, had a tour of the museum, and signed the Visitors’ Book. The parliamentary delegation comprises of Ms Jane Hunt MP (Conservative), Mr. Paul Bristow MP (Conservative), Ms. Paulette Hamilton MP (Labour), Mr. Antony Higginbotham MP (Conservative), and Mr. Tom Hunt (Conservative). The delegation was also accompanied by, among others, Mr. Zillur Hussain MBE, Founder of ZI Foundation, UK. The parliamentary delegation along with the founders of ZI Foundation is on a 4-day visit to Bangladesh.

On the occasion of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 103rd birth anniversary and National Children's Day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pays tribute at Bangabandhu's portrait at Dhanmondi 32. On Friday, March 17 at 7:05 a.m. in the morning, the Prime Minister paid her respect in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, Dhanmondi 32. First she paid tribute to Bangabandhu's portrait as Prime Minister.  Later, as Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina paid tribute to Bangabandhu's portrait with the party's top leaders. Later, various political, social and cultural organizations, including affiliated organizations of Awami League, are paying tribute to Bangabandhu's portrait.

Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina along with her party's newly elected National Council, Central Executive Council and Advisory Council members paid tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara. On Saturday, January 7, Prime Minister visited the mausoleum of the father of the nation at Tungipara in Gopalganj.  After paying tribute and reciting prayers and Fateha, the Prime Minister prayed with the leaders of the party, seeking the forgiveness of Bangabandhu's soul. In the afternoon, a joint meeting of the newly elected National Committee, Central Executive Council and Advisory Council of Awami League will be held. This joint meeting will be held Awami League office at Tungipara Upazila. It will be presided over by party president Sheikh Hasina. Among the central leaders of the newly formed Awami League, General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Matia Chowdhury, Amir Hossain Amu and others were also present there.

After being elected as the president of Awami League for the tenth time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached her hometown Tungipara in Gopalganj. There, she paid her tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On Friday, January 6 at 8 am, Prime Minister left Dhaka by road for Tungipara on a two-day visit. After 11 o'clock, She reached there.  Sheikh Hasina was accompanied by family members including her younger sister Sheikh Rehana when she reached hometown via Padma Bridge and paid respects at the grave of Bangabandhu. After paying tribute, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina prayed for the peace of the souls of the father of the nation. 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today showed her last respect to the Queen Elizabeth II. She paid respect to the late Queen at her lying-in-state in Westminster Hall and signed a book of condolence at Lancaster House. Earlier on September 15, Sheikh Hasina arrived in London on an official visit to the United Kingdom (UK) to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem while briefing the reporters said that in the morning the Prime Minister along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana went to the Palace of Westminster to pay their last respect to the Queen.   Sheikh Hasina there observed one-minute silence as the mark of respect to the late Queen at the Westminster Hall of the Palace of Westminster where the body of Elizabeth II was kept lying-in-state. On her arrival at the Westminster, representative of the British Speaker received the Bangladesh premier and her younger sister. Later, they were taken to the Lancaster House where the condolence book was opened.  There, sheikh Hasina wrote her condolence message in Bengali. The Prime Minister wrote, “I am expressing deep condolence on behalf of the people of Bangladesh, my family and my younger sister Sheikh Rehana.” After that, the Prime Minister was taken to another room where she gave her tribute to the Queen in front of television. In the Lancaster House, UK State Minister for Foreign Affairs Vicky Ford received her. The Prime Minister reminisced that she met the late Queen for eight or nine times and the Queen used to know her by her first name. “She was a motherly figure to me, I lost someone like my mother,” she shared with the UK state Minister for Foreign Affairs. “… it seems a guardian is gone (as she has died),” she added. Saida Muna Tasneem said that both the premier and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana saw the Queen in 1961 when she had visited the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).  Sheikh Hasina also said that the late Queen was like a global guardian and due to her death a vacuum has been created. In the condolence book, the Bangladesh High Commissioner said, Sheikh Rehana, who is also a British citizen, wrote that "she is the queen of our hearts and will always remain.” Source: BSS AH

The Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, High Commission of India in Dhaka, organized a book launch of Prof. Anwarul Karim's books on Rabindranath Tagore, 'A Gift of the Magi to the West' and 'Glimpses of Bengal - His Ecstasy and Agony' on 16th August. The Deputy High Commissioner of India, Dr Binoy George highlighted Gurudev's contributions to the shared Bengali Cultural heritage of India and Bangladesh and how the Indian cultural centre has been routinely organizing such events that help to promote Tagore's heritage. He also reminded that in it's efforts to protect Tagore's legacy the HCI has helped in the establishment of a Rabindra Bhawan in Tagore's native Shalaidaha at a cost of 18.17 Crore BDT.

Lawmakers addressing in the parliament today (Monday) said launching an award in the name of Bangabandu by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is not only a recognition to the great leader Bangabandhu but also an appreciation to the development of a third world country.   The treasury and opposition bench lawmakers alike said this while addressing on a proposal placed by ruling party whip Shahiduzzaman Sarker of Naogaon-2 under section 147 of the rules of procedure of the Jatiya Sangsad which was later passed in voice votes in the parliament.   Participating in the discussion, treasury bench lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said “the launching of the award proved that the false criticism by the opponents during the regime of Bangabandhu was not basically true. So, the recognition of Bangabandhu by the international community is a ‘slap’ on the face such black sheep.”     “We could not evaluate the great leader during his lifetime, but the international community had correctly felt the philosophy and greatness of  the leader of thousands of years,” he added.   The main objective of the proposal was to congratulate the international organization UNESCO on behalf of the Bangladeshi people for launching this prestigious award in the name of a Bangladeshi leader.   Regarding introducing the award by UNESCO, lawmaker Begum Matia Chowdhury said “BNP and its alliance only can criticize the development of Sheikh Hasina, but they have no idea how to take country forward.”   Terming the launching of the award is challenging, the deputy leader of the opposition Golam Mohammad Quader said “there are only twenty-nine international award on the name of several prominent persons and Bangabandhu is one among them.”   The government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has introduced a global award with UNESCO to recognize contributions to "Creative Economy".   The award takes the Bangladesh success story to the global stage and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the prize at a ceremony in Paris on Thursday.   The Prime Minister also delivered her remarks before announcing the winner's name and handing over the prize.   PM Hasina's presence at the first award-giving ceremony coincides with the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's Independence. Audrey Azoulay, who was re-elected on Tuesday to the post of Director-General of UNESCO with the massive support of the Organization’s 193 Member States,  delivered welcome remarks at the function.   MoTIV, a Uganda-based integrated creative studio was named the winner of the first edition of the “UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy,” according to the media report. The US $50,000 Prize is awarded on a biennial basis, initially for three iterations of the Prize.   The first award ceremony was held on the occasion of UNESCO’s 41st General Conference and subsequent award ceremonies held on the occasion of the Conference of Parties to the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The purpose of the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Prize is to recognise and reward exceptional initiatives of an individual, institution, an entity or non-governmental organization which/who, devised and delivered innovative projects or programmes that promote youth entrepreneurship in the area of creative economy.   Among the lawmakers, Leader of the House  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Amir Hossain Amu, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, State Minister for ICT Zuniad Ahmed Palak, Quazi Nabil Ahmed, Wasika Ayesha Khan, Nurul Islam Nahid, AK Abdul Momen, Rashed Khan Menon, Rustam Ali Farazi, Peer Fazlur Rahman,Fakhrul Imam, Harunur Rashid, Mujibul Huq Chunnu and Mashiur Rahman Ranga participated in the discussion. Source: BSS AH

Visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today (Saturday) paid tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara in Gopalganj on the occasion of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and Golden Jubilee of the country’s Independence. The Indian Premier paid homage to Bangabandhu by placing a wreath at his mausoleum there. After laying the wreath, Narendra Modi stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu, the architect of Bangladesh’s Independence. A special dua, seeking eternal peace of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of the August 15 carnage as well as martyrs of the War of Liberation, was also offered. Sheikh Hasina along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana was present there at this time. They also showed the Indian Prime Minister various parts of the mausoleum. Earlier, on his arrival at Tungipara, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with Sheikh Rehana received Narendra Modi at the Bangabandhu Memorial Complex with a bouquet. The Indian Premier also signed the visitors’ book and planted a sapling there. Narendra Modi arrived in the capital on Friday morning on a two-day official visit to attend the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the country’s Independence. Source: BSS AH

The nation is set to observe the ‘Shaheed Dibash’ (Language Martyrs Day) and the International Mother Language Day tomorrow with extensive programs. People from all walks of life will pay glowing tributes to the memories of language movement martyrs, the valiant sons of the soil who made supreme sacrifices to establish the rights of the mother tongue, Bangla, in 1952. The day will also be observed around the world as the UNESCO recognized the 21 February as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999. The government has already taken extensive programs to observe the ‘Shaheed Dibash’ and the International Mother Language Day on February 21 in a befitting manner. The day is a public holiday. In observance of the day in a befitting manner, the Central Shaheed Minar premises is being decorated with paintings, graffiti, buntings and selected verses on the mother language. Four-tier security will be enforced around the main altar of the Shaheed Minar, its adjoining areas and Azimpur graveyard of the language martyrs. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead the nation by paying homage to the Language Movement heroes by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar at one minute past zero hours. The President and the Prime Minister issued separate messages on the eve of the day, paying glowing tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement of 1952. Different political-social-cultural-professional organizations will arrange various programs, including seminars and cultural functions, to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey and International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner. Quran Khwani and offering Fateha will be held at Azimpur graveyard in the city while prayers will be arranged at all worship places across the country seeking salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs of the Language Movement. The programs include placing of wreaths at the central Shaheed Minar at one-minute past zero hours (Thursday midnight), hoisting at half-mast the national and party flags at its offices across the country and Bangabandhu Bhaban and hoisting black flags in the morning, wearing black badges and placing wreaths on the graves of martyrs at Azimpur graveyard with Provat Feri as a mark of respect to the Language Movement martyrs. In observance of the day, ruling Awami League would take a two-day program. The party will organize a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city at 3 pm on February 22. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to chair the discussion. Like previous years, Dhaka University (DU) authorities will organize the programs at the Central Shaheed Minar in coordination with other relevant agencies. National dailies will publish special supplements marking the day and Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television and private radio stations and television channels will air special programs on the occasion. On February 21 in 1952, Salam, Rafique, Shafique, Jabbar and Barkat embraced martyrdom in police firing in front of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) as they took to the street to intensify the campaign to establish Bangla as the state language of the then Pakistan, sowing the seeds of subsequent movements for the country’s independence. They were killed as police opened fire on students, demonstrating under the All-Party Students Action Committee against conspiracies of Pakistani rulers to declare “Urdu” as the only state language. The movement for Bangla, however, did not stop and Pakistan government on February 29, 1956 was compelled to recognize Bangla as one of the state languages besides Urdu. The decision, however, could not stop the movement against repression and misrule of Pakistani government and subsequently led to the War of Independence and ultimately the emergence of Bangladesh. Source: BSS AH