The nation is set to celebrate the Homecoming Day of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10 (Monday) through various programmes.
To mark the day, both the government and the ruling Awami League, along with different associate bodies of the party have chalked out elaborate programmes in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
According to official sources, as part of the programmes, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to visit Tungipara in Gopalganj, where the main programmes is scheduled to be held.
Bangabandhu was born in Tungipara on March 17 in 1920 and he was also buried there after he was assassinated along with most of his family members by a section of derailed army personnel on August 15 in 1975.
Awami League official sources said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the elder daughter of Bangabandhu, and senior leaders of the party would place floral wreath at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara.
Besides, discussion on Bangabandhu would be held at Bangabandhu College in Gopalganj where a ‘Mujib Mela’ would also be held from January 12 to January 17.
In addition, as part of the government programmes to mark the ‘Home Coming Day of Bangabandhu’, ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Dhaka Marathon 2022’ will be held on January 10 in capital Dhaka.
The marathon will start from Army Stadium at 05:30 am and end in Hatirjheel Amphitheatre after passing through Banani, Kamal Ataturk Avenue, Gulsan-1, Gulsan 2 and Police Plaza area.
A total of 200 runners from home and different countries of the world including Mexico, France, Spain, Italy and Ukraine will participate in the Marathon. Of them, 100 will take part in the full marathon while 100 in the half marathon.
Around 30 runners will participate from South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) countries including India, the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
In association with the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee and coordination of the Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh Army had introduced the Marathon in 2021.
As part of international reorganisation, the Marathon has managed to get permission from Asian Athletic Association and Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, it said.
It should be mentioned here that after spending nine and a half months in a Pakistani jail, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had returned to a newly-liberated and sovereign Bangladesh on January 10, 1972.
Bangabandhu was picked up by the Pakistani army in the early hours of March 26, 1971 at the onset of Operation Searchlight, in an attempt to stop Bangladesh’s struggle for independence. But Sheikh Mujib’s foresight in delegating responsibilities to his trusted deputies and faith in the people ensured they would not only wage one of the fiercest wars for independence, but also ensure victory.
After Bangabandhu was released on January 8, he wished to fly back to Dhaka immediately. But as Pakistani aircraft were banned in Indian airspace, Pakistan’s new President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had taken over from a disgraced General Yahya Khan, recommended that Bangabandhu fly to Tehran or another neutral location. Sheikh Mujib decided to fly to London, where he had addressed the world media in a sensational meet-and-greet at Claridge’s Hotel.