Journalists observe National Mourning Day in London

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani

London: United in their love for Bangabandhu, journalists and cultural activists residing in the UK came together to organise the National Mourning Day, a solemn occasion to honour the memory of Bangladesh’s revered founder, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On 15 August, the speakers at the event held at the Kabi Nazrul Center in East London, reiterated the indomitable nature of history. They proclaimed that no force can obliterate history; it always resurfaces, resplendent in its glory. The event was a poignant tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time and the father of the nation, through songs, poems, and discussions. The audience was deeply moved, many to tears, as they recalled the burning of Bangabandhu’s 32 Dhanmondi house, a symbol of the Bengali nation’s long struggle for independence.

Freedom fighters Abu Musa Hasan and Dewan Gous Sultan spoke at the event. Former BBC and Voice of America journalist Shamim Chowdhury, veteran journalist Hamid Mohammad, former student leader and journalist Sujat Mansoor, Shottobani editor Syed Anas Pasha, news editor Nilufa Yasmin, journalist Ahad Chowdhury Babu, Saleh Ahmed, cultural activist Shahab Ahmed Bachchu, Jasmine Chowdhury, Rumy Haque, Nazneen Sultana Shikha, Suman Debnath and journalist Mizanur Rahman Meeru also remembered Bangabandhu in their speeches and poems.

Speakers of the commemoration ceremony said that those who try to erase Bangabandhu from history with the opportunity of political change why do not want to understand that history can never be erased; history is kept in its bosom by the makers of history for their own needs. Sheikh Mujib is a name from which the world’s downtrodden people gather energy to become sparks of gunpowder.

The speakers urged the audience to engage in introspection, to understand why the spirit of the liberation war is repeatedly wounded and why there are persistent attempts to erase Bangabandhu from history. They emphasised the need for collective responsibility in preserving and honouring Bangabandhu’s legacy.

Renowned singer Himanshu Goswami of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra remembered Bangabandhu in songs. Journalist and cultural activist Urmi Mazhar recited a poem dedicated to Bangabandhu at the beginning of the program.

One minute of silence was observed at the beginning of the mourning gathering organised by journalist Jewel Raj, journalist Sayem Chowdhury and cultural activist Amina Ali.