Opinion | Bangabandhu Means Bangladesh: Why August 15 Cannot Be Erased From Its History

Today Bangabandhu is not just a name. He is an inseparable symbol of Bangladesh’s independence

Some dates in history are not just dates on a calendar. Those days become intertwined with a nation’s memory, pain, pride, and identity. August 15 is one such day.

On this day in 1975, the architect of independent Bangladesh and Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was brutally assassinated along with his family. With him were killed Bangamata Begum Fazilatun Nessa Mujib, Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal, child Sheikh Russell, and other family members. Even in official historical records, the August 15 assassination is cited as one of the most tragic chapters in Bangladesh’s history.

Last Day of the Sale: Lifestyle Wrap-Up: Best Deals We Spotted Across Fashion, Beauty and More

R&AW Chief Parag Jain In Dhaka: Top Indian Intel Team Meets Bangladesh's Defence Adviser Amid Hasina Row

Global Watch | Two Years After ‘Uprising’, Bangladesh’s Political Future Remains Uncertain

Will India Extradite Sheikh Hasina To Bangladesh? MEA Says ‘Request Being Examined’

A Different August 15 in 2024

But August 15, 2024, was different. Before that came a domestic and foreign conspiracy that changed the course of Bangladesh’s politics. In the name of the “July student-people’s movement", an anti-national clique took part in toppling the government. As part of their conspiracy, they orchestrated several deaths. The majority of the victims were ordinary citizens. Finally, through political change, the country entered a new reality.

For years, August 15 had been observed as National Mourning Day with state patronage. The occupying government changed even that environment. The public holiday for August 15 was cancelled. The decision was........

© News18