Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
The Bangladesh interim government on Wednesday cancelled all national holidays in the country related to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Bangladeshi Liberation war.
The Muhammad Yunus-led government announced that the following holidays were going to be cancelled:
March 7- the day when Bangabandhu (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) gave his historic speech that united the Bengali people during the Liberation War.
March 17 - Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birthday, and also marked as National Children's Day
August 5 - National mourning day for the birth anniversary of Sheikh Hasina's brother, Shaheed Captain Sheikh Kamal
August 8 - Sheikh Hasina's mother Bangmata Begum Fazilatunnecha Mujib's birth anniversary
August 15 - National Mourning Day on Bangabandhu's death anniversary,
October 18 - Sheikh Russell Day (Sheikh Russell was Sheikh Hasina's younger brother)
November 4 - National Constitution Day
December 12 - Smart Bangladesh Day
In its statement on Facebook, the Bangladesh government said that the Advisory Council has decided to cancel eight national days in a meeting. The Cabinet will issue an official letter on cancellation of these holidays.
Bangladesh, as a country, was formed after the Liberation War against Pakistan, which was led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Awami League condemning the latest move said that current government has been working against the values and spirit of the liberation war since the beginning. "They are hostile to the brave freedom fighters and believers in the spirit of the liberation war," it said in a statement.
They further added that the state "is misusing the state apparatus to eliminate the pro-liberation forces from national politics, carrying out mass arrests on false charges. The state has established anarchism in the country, which is called Matsyanyaya. Fed up with the government's inefficiency and lawlessness, people have already started saying, 'we used to have a beautiful day'."
Condemning the 'vindictive behavior of the government', the Awami League said, "As a result of this, the father of our nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and national days related to national history are being excluded from the constitution. We strongly condemn and protest against such retaliatory measures."
The League then said that the holidays will still be celebrated regardless. "The days that are going to be cancelled against the government will be celebrated socially and culturally as usual and Bengalis will firmly say,' I will come back to the banks of Dhansiri.'"
In a related development, Nahid Islam, the ‘student coordinator’ and adviser to the interim government, said in a statement on Wednesday in Dhaka that the interim government does not recognise Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Father of the Nation, according to Doordarshan.