DHAKA: The historic Noor Hossain Day has been observed in the country on Tuesday with a renewed pledge to materialize the dream of upgrading of democracy in the country.
On this day in 1987, Awami League (AL) front organization Jubo League leader Noor Hossain was killed in police firing in city's ‘Zero Point’ area while participating in a procession against the then autocratic regime of HM Ershad.
The heroic son of the soil, who embraced martyrdom, had a slogan inscribed on his back - “Let democracy be freed, down with autocracy”.
Several others were also killed by police firing on the procession on that day.
The sacrifice of Noor Hossain expedited the people-student upsurge in 1990 that ultimately compelled the autocratic government to step down.
Different political and socio-cultural organizations including ruling AL and its associate bodies chalked out elaborate programs, including discussions, milad mahfil and Quran Khwani, to mark the day.
At 8.30am, AL joint secretary Mahabub-ul-Alam Hanif placed floral wreaths at Noor Hossain Square (Zero Point). Agriculture minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, also party presidium member, was present there.
Later, leaders of different political parties and socio-cultural organizations placed, including Awami League, Juba League, Swechasebak League, Muktijoddha Prajanma League, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Parishad, Awami Muktijoddha League placed floral wreaths at Noor Hossain Square and at his grave at Jurain in city.
Workers Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) leaders and activists also placed wreaths.
Shaheed Noor Hossain Sangsad led by its president Taslim Ahmed placed wreaths at the square and held a rally and a doa mahfil seeking eternal peace of the departed soul.
Krishak Sramik Mukti Andalan also organized a discussion at its party office marking the day.
Meanwhile, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tribute to the memory of Noor Hossain and issued separate messages on Monday.
In his message, the President said Noor Hossain was a courageous fighter and struggled for establishing a non-communal and democratic Bangladesh.
“On this day in 1987, Noor Hossain in bare body inscribed with slogans “Gonotantra Mukti Pak, Swairachar Nipat Jak (Let democracy be freed, down with autocracy)” and embraced martyrdom while taking part in an anti-autocracy march of the then 15-party Oikka Jote led by Awami League,” the message added.
The democracy was re-established in continuation of his supreme sacrifice many democracy loving people including Noor Hossain, Fattah and Babul, he added.
The President prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of Noor Hossain, Babul, Fattha and other martyrs, and expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members of the deceased.
In a separate message, recalling the supreme sacrifice of Noor Hossain, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “The country's progress of democracy had stopped with the killing of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along most of his family members by anti-liberation aliments on August 15, 1975.”
The premier said that November 10, 1987 is a memorable day in the country's movement to re-establish the democracy.
The message also said during autocratic movement a valiant soldier had shed his blood to build a progressive, non-communal and democratic Bangladesh.
Noor Hossain blood did not go in vein as democracy had been restored in the country in 1990 in continuation of the sacrifice of Noor Hossain, she added.
BDST: 1144/2007 HRS, NOV 10, 2015
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