1920
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| Sheikh Mujibur Rahman |
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born on March 17, 1920 in a noble Muslim family in Tungipara village of Gopalganj subdivision (now district) of Faridpur district. Sheikh Mujib is the third child among four daughters and two sons of Sheikh Lutfar Rahman and Mosammat Sahara Khatun. Parents used to call them children.
1927
He started studying at Gimadanga Primary School at the age of 7. At the age of nine, he was admitted to Gopalganj Public School in third class. Later he joined the local missionary school.
1934
At the age of 14, he was diagnosed with beriberi, one of his eyes was operated on in Calcutta, and his education was interrupted due to ophthalmology.
1937
Sheikh Mujib re-admitted to school after his education was interrupted for four years due to eye disease.
1938
At the age of 18, Bangabandhu and Begum Fazilatunnecha were officially married. They are the parents of two daughters Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and three sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell.
1939
Undivided Bengal Chief Minister Sher Bangla AK Fazlul Haque and Hossain Shaheed Sohrawardy came to visit Gopalganj Missionary School and Bangabandhu raised the demand of the school students to repair the roof of the school and dormitory.
1940
Sheikh Mujib Nikhil joined the Bharat Muslim Students Federation and was elected a councilor of the Bengal Muslim Students Federation for a year. He was appointed Secretary of Gopalganj Muslim Defense Committee.
1942
Passed S.Sc. Admitted to intermediate class in humanities department at Calcutta Islamia College and accommodation was arranged in the unemployed hostel. Bangabandhu became actively associated with the Pakistan Movement in this year.
1943
Engaged in active politics and was elected councilor of the Muslim League.
1944
Nikhil attended the conference of Bengal Muslim Chhatra League held in Kushtia and played an important role. He was elected as the Secretary of Faridpur District Association, an organization of residents of Faridpur, Kolkata.
1946
Bangabandhu was elected General Secretary (GS) of Islamia College Students' Union.
1947
He passed BA from Islamia College under Kolkata University. When India was partitioned and Pakistan was established, he played a leading role in anti-riot activities in Kolkata.
1948
Admitted to Dhaka University Law Department and founded Muslim Chhatra League on 4th January. Bangabandhu immediately protested when Prime Minister Khawaja Nazim Uddin announced in the Legislative Council that 'the people of East Pakistan will accept Urdu as the state language' on 23 February. Khwaja Nazimuddin's speech caused a storm of protest across the country. Sheikh Mujib started activities to prepare the movement against this plan of Muslim League.
Bangabandhu interacted with students and political leaders. On March 2, a meeting of workers of various political parties was held to organize a movement against the Muslim League on the issue of language. In this meeting held at Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall, on the proposal of Bangabandhu, the 'All-State Language Struggle Council' was formed. The Sangram Parishad called a general strike on March 11 to protest against the Muslim League's conspiracy against the Bengali language.
On March 11, Bangabandhu was arrested while protesting in front of the Secretariat with his colleagues during a strike for the demand of Bengali language. Bangabandhu's arrest sparked protests across the country. The Muslim League government was forced to release the arrested student leaders, including Bangabandhu, under the pressure of the student movement. Bangabandhu was released on March 15.
After Bangabandhu's release, a student-public meeting was organized on March 16 at Dhaka University's Amtala under the initiative of the All-Party National Language Struggle Parishad. Bangabandhu presided over this meeting. The police attacked the meeting. From the meeting, Bangabandhu called for a strike in educational institutions on March 17 to protest the police attack. On September 11, he was arrested for agitating against the cordon system in Faridpur.
1949
Sheikh Mujib was released from prison on 21 January. Bangabandhu supported the strike when the fourth grade employees of Dhaka University announced a strike to pursue their demands. He was unjustly fined by the university authorities on March 29 for leading the employees' agitation.
He rejected this unjust instruction with disgust. As a result, he was expelled from the university. On April 19, he was arrested for staging a sit-in strike in front of the Vice-Chancellor's residence. East Pakistan Awami Muslim League was formed on 23 June and Bangabandhu was elected joint secretary of the party while in jail. He was released at the end of July. After coming out of jail, he started organizing a movement against the acute food crisis in the country.
Arrested for violating Section 144 in September and later released. In the Awami Muslim League meeting held on October 11, Nurul demanded Amin's resignation. Awami Muslim League took out a hunger strike on the occasion of the arrival of Pakistan Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested on October 14 for leading this procession. This time he was detained in jail for about two years and five months.
1952
On January 26, Khawaja Nazimuddin announced that "Urdu will be the national language of Pakistan". In protest against this, Bangabandhu urged the Rashtra Bhasha Sangam Parishad to observe 21st February as the day for the release of Rajbandis and the demand for Bengali as the national language. On February 14, Bangabandhu started a hunger strike in the jail on this demand. On February 21, the student society violated Article 144 and took out a procession demanding Bengali as the national language.
Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Shafiur were martyred when the police opened fire on the procession. Bangabandhu strongly condemned and protested the police firing on the student march in a statement from the jail. Continued fasting for 17 consecutive days. He was shifted from Dhaka Jail to Faridpur Jail for keeping in touch with the agitators from Jail. He was released from Faridpur Jail on February 26. In December he attended the World Peace Conference in Peking.
1953
On July 9, he was elected as the general secretary of the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League Council. Maulana Bhasani, AK Fazlul Haque and Shaheed Suhrawardy tried to unite to defeat the Muslim League in the general elections of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. For this purpose, a special council of the party was convened on November 14 and the proposal to form the United Front was accepted.
1954
In the first general election on March 10, the United Front won 223 seats out of 237 seats. Out of this Awami League got 143 seats. Bangabandhu was elected in the seat of Gopalganj by defeating the influential leader of the Muslim League, Wahiduzzaman, by 13,000 votes. On May 15, Bangabandhu became the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the provincial government. On May 30, the Union Government dissolved the United Front Cabinet. On May 30, Bangabandhu returned to Dhaka from Karachi and was arrested. He was released on December 23.
1955
On June 5, Bangabandhu was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly. On the initiative of Awami League, 21 points were announced demanding the autonomy of East Pakistan from a public meeting in Dhaka's Paltan Maidan on June 17. On June 23, the Awami League Executive Council decided that party members would resign from the legislature if East Pakistan was not granted autonomy. Bangabandhu said in Pakistan Constituent Assembly in Karachi on August 25,
"Sir you will see they want to name East Pakistan instead of East Bengal. We have claimed many times that; You call it Bengali. The Bengali word has its own history, it has a tradition. You can change this name by talking to our people.
If you want to change that name then we have to go back to Bengal and ask the people there if they accept the name change. A unit context can be included in the structure. Why do you want to raise this topic now? What about accepting Bengali as the national language? What is the solution to the issue of forming a joint constituency?
What do you think about our autonomy? The people of East Bengal are ready to consider the issue of unity with the solution of other issues. So I appeal to my friends in that part to accept the verdict of our people through 'referendum' or plebiscite. In the council session of Awami Muslim League on October 21, the word 'Muslim' was withdrawn from the name of the party and Bangabandhu was re-elected as the general secretary of the party.
1956
On February 3, Awami League leaders met the Chief Minister and demanded the inclusion of the issue of provincial autonomy in the draft constitution. On July 14, Awami League meeting adopted a resolution against the representation of the military in the administration. Bangabandhu proposed this decision.
On September 4, under the leadership of Bangabandhu, a hunger march was taken out to demand food in violation of Article 144. 3 people were killed when the police opened fire on the procession in Chawkbazar area. On September 16, Bangabandhu was appointed Minister of Industry, Commerce, Labour, Anti-Corruption and Village Aid in the coalition government.
1957
Sheikh Mujib resigned from the cabinet as per the party decision on May 30 to organize the organisation. On August 7, he made an official visit to China and the Soviet Union.
1958
On October 7, Pakistan's military chief, Major General Ayub Khan, imposed martial law and banned politics. Bangabandhu was arrested on October 11 and harassed by filing one false case after another. After being in jail for about fourteen months, he was released and arrested again at the jail gate.
1961
On December 7, he filed a writ petition in the High Court and was released. Bangabandhu conducted clandestine political activities to build military rule and anti-Ayub movement. It was at this time that Bangabandhu established a secret organization called 'Swadan Bangla Biplappi Parishad' by prominent student leaders to work towards the goal of Bangladesh's independence struggle.
1962
On February 6, Bangabandhu was arrested under the Public Safety Act. Bangabandhu was released on June 18 after four years of military rule ended on June 2. On June 25, national leaders including Bangabandhu made a joint statement against Ayub Khan's basic democratic system. Bangabandhu severely criticized the Ayub government in a public meeting in Paltan on July 5.
Bangabandhu severely criticized the Ayub government in a public meeting in Paltan on July 24. On September 24, Bangabandhu went to Lahore, where the opposition Morcha National Democratic Front was formed under the leadership of Shaheed Suhrawardy. In October, he toured across Bengal with Shaheed Suhrawardy to create public opinion in favor of the Democratic Front.
1963
When Suhrawardy was in London for treatment, Bangabandhu went to London to consult with him. Suhrawardy died in Beirut on December 5.
1964
Awami League was revived in a meeting held at Bangabandhu's residence on 25 January. In this meeting, a resolution was adopted including the demand to introduce a parliamentary system of government through the vote of the adult citizens of the country and to realize the fair rights of the common people. Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkbagish and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib were elected president and general secretary respectively in the meeting.
On March 11, under the leadership of Bangabandhu, the All-Party Struggle Council was formed. The Riot Prevention Committee was formed under the leadership of Bangabandhu against communal riots. After the riots, Bangabandhu took the initiative to prepare for a united anti-Ayub movement. Bangabandhu was arrested 14 days before the presidential election.
1965
A case has been filed against Sheikh Mujib on charges of sedition and offensive speech. Imprisonment of one year was awarded. Later, he was released from Dhaka Central Jail on the orders of the High Court.
1966
On February 5, Bangabandhu presented the historic 6-point demand to the Select Committee on the National Conference of Opposition Parties in Lahore. The proposed 6 points were the Bengali nation's liberation charter. Bangabandhu was elected president of Awami League on March 1. Bangabandhu started mass communication tour all over Bengal to create public opinion in favor of 6 points. At that time he was repeatedly arrested in Sylhet, Mymensingh and Dhaka.
Bangabandhu was arrested eight times in the first three months of this year. He was re-arrested after a speech at a public meeting of jute mill workers in Narayanganj on May 8. On June 7, a nationwide strike was held to demand the release of Bangabandhu and the detained leaders. During the strike, several people including workers were killed in police firing in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Tongi.
1968
On January 3, the Pakistani government filed the Agartala Conspiracy Case against a total of 35 Bengali soldiers and CSP officers of secession from Pakistan, making Bangabandhu the number one accused. Bangabandhu was released from jail on January 17 and arrested again from the jail gate and detained in Dhaka Cantonment.
Protests started across the country demanding the release of Bangabandhu and the accused accused in the Agartala conspiracy case. On June 19, the trial of the accused in the Agartala conspiracy case began in Dhaka Cantonment amid tight security.
1969
On January 5, the Central Students' Struggle Council was formed with the aim of realizing 11 points including 6 points. The Central Students' Struggle Council started a nationwide student movement demanding the withdrawal of the Agartala conspiracy case and Bangabandhu's release. This movement turned into a mass movement. Later, when Article 144 and curfew violation, firing by police-EPR, turned into a mass uprising with many casualties, the Ayub government called a round table meeting on February 1 and announced that Bangabandhu would be released on parole. Bangabandhu refused to be released on parole. On February 22, the central government was forced to withdraw the Agartala conspiracy case and release Bangabandhu and other accused in the face of continued public pressure. On February 23, a reception was organized for Bangabandhu at the Race Course (Sohrawardy Udyan) Maidan on the initiative of the Central Chhatra Sangam Parishad. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was officially conferred with the title of 'Bangabandhu' in this welcoming gathering of about 1 million students. Bangabandhu gave full support to the 11-point demands of the student society in his speech at Race Course Maidan. On March 10, Bangabandhu attended Ayub Khan's round table meeting in Rawalpindi. Bangabandhu presented the 6-point demand of Awami League and the 11-point demand of the student society at the round table meeting and said, "There is no other option but to provide regional autonomy on the basis of 6-point and 11-point to resolve mass dissatisfaction." When the ruling group and politicians in Pakistan ignored Bangabandhu's demands, he left the round table meeting on March 13 and returned to Dhaka on March 14. On March 25, General Yahya Khan came to power by imposing military rule. On October 25, Bangabandhu left for London on a three-week organizational visit. Bangabandhu named East Bengal as 'Bangladesh' in Awami League's discussion meeting on the occasion of martyr Suhrawardy's death anniversary on December 5. He said, "At one time, an attempt was made to erase even the last trace of the word 'Bangla' from the chest of this country, from the page of the map. ... The existence of the word 'Bangla' has not been found in the name of anything other than 'Bay of Bengal'. ... I declare on behalf of the people - from today the name of the eastern province of Pakistan will be changed to 'East Pakistan' only as 'Bangladesh'.
1970
On January 6, Bangabandhu was re-elected Awami League president. On April 1, the decision to participate in the election was taken at the meeting of the Awami League Executive Council. Bangabandhu called on the countrymen to elect the Awami League on the 6-point issue at the Race Course Maidan public meeting on June 7. On September 17, Bangabandhu chose the 'boat' symbol as his party's election symbol and began his election campaign with the first election rally at Dholaikhal in Dhaka. On October 28, he appealed to the countrymen to make the Awami League candidates win the 6-point implementation in a radio-TV address to the nation. When 10 lakh people lost their lives in Gorky on November 12, Bangabandhu canceled the election campaign and went to the affected areas and strongly condemned and protested the indifference of the Pakistani rulers to humanity. He appealed to the people of the world for the relief of Gorky. Awami League won an absolute majority in the general elections on December 7. Awami League won 167 out of 169 seats in the National Assembly and 305 out of 310 seats in the Provincial Assembly in the then East Pakistan. 1971
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib administered the oath of office to the public representatives at a public meeting at the Race Course on 3 January. Awami League party members took an oath to form a system of governance based on 6 points and to be loyal to the people. On 5 January, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the leader of the Pakistan People's Party, which won the largest number of seats in West Pakistan at the time, announced his agreement to form a coalition government with the Awami League at the centre. Bangabandhu was elected the leader of the parliamentary party in a meeting of the National Assembly.
On January 28, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to Dhaka for talks with Bangabandhu. After three days of meetings, the talks failed. On February 13, President Yahya Khan convened a meeting of the National Assembly in Dhaka on March 3. On February 15, Bhutto announced a boycott of the National Assembly meeting in Dhaka and demanded the transfer of power to the two majorities in the two provinces. Everyone builds forts from house to house. One has to deal with everything one has.” He urged to prepare for guerrilla warfare against the enemy. Bangabandhu called for a non-cooperation movement against Yahya Khan's government. On the one hand, President General Yahya's orders were given, on the other hand, Bangabandhu's orders were given from Dhanmondi Road No. 32, the people of Bengal followed Bangabandhu's orders. Offices-courts, banks-insurance, schools-colleges, cars, industries-factories all obeyed Bangabandhu's orders. The unprecedented response of the people of Bengal to the non-cooperation movement by disobeying all the orders of Yahya is a rare event in history. Originally from March 7 to March 25, Bangladesh was ruled by Bangabandhu as an independent country. On March 16, the Mujib-Yahia meeting began in Dhaka regarding the transfer of power. Mr. Bhutto also came to Dhaka for discussion. Yahya-Mujib-Bhutto talks took place till March 24. Yahya left Dhaka in the evening after talks failed on March 25. On the night of March 25, the Pakistani army pounced on innocent unarmed Bengalis. Dhaka University, Pilkhana Rifle Headquarters and Rajarbagh Police Headquarters were attacked. Bangabandhu declared the independence of Bangladesh at 12:20 PM on March 25th. "Perhaps this is my last message, Bangladesh is independent from today. I appeal to the people of Bangladesh to resist the occupying forces till the last moment with whatever you have and wherever you are. Until the last man of the Pakistani occupation forces is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh and until final victory is achieved, you must continue the war.'] This announcement was sent on transmitters all over Bangladesh. He called upon the people of all walks of life including Bengali military and civilian fighters, students, workers, farmers to participate in the war of resistance against the invading Pakistani forces. Bangabandhu's call was immediately sent to the whole country by means of wireless devices. On receiving this message at night, Bengali soldiers and officers in Chittagong, Comilla and Jessore cantonments resisted. Bangabandhu's announcement was broadcast late at night from the Chittagong radio station. For the crime of declaring independence, Bangabandhu was arrested in 1-10 minutes from residence No. 32 in Dhanmondi and taken to Dhaka Cantonment and on March 26 he was taken to Pakistan as a prisoner. On March 26, J. Yahya declared the Awami League banned in a speech and called Bangabandhu a traitor. Chittagong Awami League leader MA Hannan read Bangabandhu's declaration of independence from Chittagong Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra on March 26. On April 10, the revolutionary government was formed with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the president. On April 17, the swearing-in ceremony of the Bangladesh government was held at Amrakanan (Mujibnagar) in Baidyanathala, Meherpur. Bangabandhu was elected the President, Syed Nazrul Islam the Provisional President and Tajuddin Ahmad the Prime Minister. At the end of the liberation war under the leadership of Bangladesh government in exile, the victory in the liberation war was achieved through the surrender of Pakistan forces at the historic Race Course Maidan on December 16. Bangladesh gained independence. Before that, on September 7, Bangabandhu was tried in a secret trial in Pakistan's Lyallpur Military Jail and was declared a traitor and sentenced to death. The freedom-loving people of different countries and the world demanded the safety of Bangabandhu's life. On December 27, the Bangladesh government demanded the immediate unconditional release of the father of the nation, President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Various countries and international organizations, including India and the Soviet Union, urged the Pakistan government to release Bangabandhu and said that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the president of independent Bangladesh. He is the architect of Bangladesh, so Pakistan has no right to detain him. Bangladesh has already been recognized by many countries. 1972
On January 8, the Pakistani government released Bangabandhu under international pressure. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto met Bangabandhu. On that day, Bangabandhu was sent to London for Dhaka. On January 9, he met British Prime Minister Edward Heath in London. On his way from London to Dhaka, Bangabandhu stopped at Delhi. President of India at the airport. V. Giri and Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi welcomed Bangabandhu. When the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu arrived in Dhaka on January 10, he was accorded an unforgettable welcome. Bangabandhu went straight from the airport to the race course ground and addressed the nation with tears in his eyes from the gathering of lakhs of people. Bangabandhu took over as Prime Minister on 12 January. He went to India on February 6 at the invitation of the Government of India. After 24 years, Dhaka University authorities revoked Bangabandhu's expulsion and granted him life membership. On February 28, he visited the Soviet Union. On March 12, the Indian allied forces left Bangladesh at Bangabandhu's request. On May 1, he announced a hike in the salaries of Class III and IV government employees. On July 30, Bangabandhu underwent gall bladder surgery in London. After the surgery, he went to Geneva from London. On October 10, the World Peace Council awarded Bangabandhu the 'Julio Curie' award. On November 4, Bangabandhu announced the date of the first general election of Bangladesh (March 7, 1973). On December 15, the Bangabandhu government announced the awarding of state titles to freedom fighters. Bangabandhu signed the first constitution of Bangladesh on 14 December. The constitution of Bangladesh came into force on 16 December.
Reorganization of administrative system, framing of constitution, rehabilitation of one crore people, development of communication system, expansion of education system, provision of textbooks for students up to primary school free and nominal cost up to secondary class, effective prohibition of all anti-Islamic activities including liquor, gambling, horse racing, Islamic Foundation establishment,
Reorganization of Madrasa Education Board, Nationalization of 40,000 primary schools including establishment of 11,000 primary schools, Women's Rehabilitation Organization for welfare of destitute women, Formation of Freedom Fighters Welfare Trust for freedom fighters, Waiver of land rent up to 25 bighas, Distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers at free/low cost, Abandoned banks for Pakistanis , insurance and employment of thousands of workers through the nationalization and commissioning of 580 industrial units,
Ghorashal Fertilizer Factory, Ashuganj Complex, initial work and setting up of other new industries, opening of closed industries and other problems, by creating economic infrastructure through a sound plan, efforts are being made to gradually turn the country into a prosperous state. In a very short period of time, the recognition of almost all the countries and gaining the membership of the United Nations was a significant success of Bangabandhu's government.
1973
Awami League won 293 seats out of 300 seats in the first election of Jatiya Sangsad. Oikya-Front was formed on September 3 by Awami League, CPB and NAP. On September 6, Bangabandhu went to Algeria to attend the Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. He visited Japan on October 17. 1974
Pakistan's recognition of Bangladesh on 22 February. On February 23, Bangabandhu left for Pakistan to attend the summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). On September 24, he addressed the session of the United Nations General Assembly in Bengali. On January 25, the presidential system of government was introduced and Bangabandhu assumed the presidency. On February 24, the national party Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League was formed by combining various political parties of the country. Bangabandhu called on all the political parties and leaders of the country to join this national party on 25 February. Realized the need to reduce dependence on foreign aid and make the Bengali nation self-reliant. So reshape the economic policies to achieve self-reliance. He announced the program of the second revolution with the aim of creating food, clothing, housing, medical care, education and work opportunities for the people by giving meaning to the freedom. Increase production in farms and factories in the fields; Population control and establishment of national unity. In order to make rapid progress towards this goal, on June 6, Bangabandhu united all political parties, professionals, intellectuals and created a platform, which he named Bangladesh Farmer Workers Awami League. Bangabandhu was elected as the chairman of this party. He received an unprecedented response by calling the entire nation to participate in the struggle for economic liberation. In a very short time the economic condition of the country started to improve. Production increases. Smuggling stopped. Commodity prices come under the power of ordinary people. With the impetus of new hope, the people of the country started moving forward unitedly to bring the benefits of freedom to people's homes. But that happiness of people does not last long. In the morning of August 15, the architect of the thousand-year-old best Bengali Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the Bengali nation, was killed by some ambitious officers of the army, Biswas Ghatak. On that day, Bangabandhu's consort Begum Fazilatunnessa, Bangabandhu's eldest son freedom fighter Lt. Sheikh Kamal, son Lt. Sheikh Jamal, youngest son Sheikh Russell, two daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rozi Jamal, Bangabandhu's brother Sheikh Nasser, sister-in-law and Agriculture Minister Abdur Rab Serniabat and his daughter Baby Serniabat. , Arif Serniabat, Dowhitra Sukant Abdullah Babu, nephew Shaheed Serniabat, Bangabandhu's nephew youth leader and journalist Sheikh Fazlul Haque Assassins killed 16 family members and relatives, including Moni and his pregnant wife Arju Moni, Bangabandhu's security officer Colonel Jamil Ahmed and 14-year-old teenager Abdul Naeem Khan Rintu. After the martyrdom of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, military rule was imposed in the country. Fundamental rights are taken away by killing democracy. The politics of assassinations, queues and conspiracies began. People's rice and voting rights were taken away. The world has provisions for the trial of killers to protect human rights, but in Bangladesh a military ordinance was issued to spare the self-confessed killers of the father of the nation from prosecution.
General Ziaur Rahman seized power illegally through military rule and destroyed the sanctity of the Constitution by attaching a notorious black law called the Indemnity Ordinance to the Constitution through the Fifth Amendment. The murderers were rewarded with jobs in various embassies located abroad. After the Bangladesh Awami League came to power under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina on June 23, 1996, the Jatiya Sangsad repealed the infamous Indemnity Ordinance. August 15 is a shameful day in the life of the nation. This day is observed by the Bengali nation as a national mourning day.