In remembrance of Bangabandhu ( Sheikh Mujibur Rahman )

WE remember with respect the stupendous contribution Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made to the creation of Bangladesh and pay our homage to him. We also recall with a heavy heart the tragedy that befell him and members of his family.

The brutality and the inhumanity of the event is a matter of great shame for the nation. It is of great historical significance that the notorious Indemnity Act was repealed, paving the way for a trial of the killers and meting out justice to most of them. Some, however, remain absconding and efforts are underway to get them back to pay for their heinous crime. On this sad day, we are further saddened by the fact that the values that this great man stood for have been eroded both nationally as well as within the AL party. AL has been elected twice to power and has been in the opposition twice. So, the manner in which it conducted itself contributed to the shape of politics and governance in the country. What we have seen over the long haul is a deterioration of ethics in politics, rampant abuse of power and intolerance of political dissent. Corruption has also crept into the system. In all, the party that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led to glories and a pride of place in the annals of the country, in many ways is left to look somewhat of a shadow of its former self. To truly appreciate his sacrifices for the dream of building a golden Bangladesh, Awami League should have committed itself to strengthening the institutions of democracy rather than weakening them. We urge the Awami League to be remindful of the great ideals that Bangabandhu stood for and lived by.