DHAKA: At last, the National Press Club lowered the national flag at half-mast and hoisted black flag to mourn for country’s slain independence leader Sunday, under binding legal compulsion though.

The national flag is hoisted at half-mast at the Press Club on other national days of mourning bar August 15, the National Mourning Day commemorating the 1975 assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Acting president of the Press Club Syed Akhter Yusuf told banglanews24.com.bd that the national flag was lowered half-mast and black flag hoisted according to a law passed in Parliament.

Club president Shawkat Mahmud, also now adviser to opposition BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, has gone abroad.       

The Awami League government decided to observe August 15 as national mourning day by a cabinet decision in 1996. Then a decision had been taken to lower the national flag half-mast and hoist black flag atop all government, semi-government and national institutions on August 15. But the national press club did not go by the rule.

As the national flag was not lowered at the national press club on August 15, 2009, journalist Roushan Jhunu filed a case with Shahbagh thana against the club authorities on charge of “dishonouring the national flag”.


BDST: 1325 HRS, AUG 15, 2010