Abu Dhabi: The Embassy of Bangladesh on Saturday marked the 45th anniversary of the passing away of the country’s founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was assassinated along with several of his family members on August 15, 1975.
“This day is a very sad and sombre occasion for the Bangladeshi community, it’s a day of national mourning that we mark every year to pay respect to the father of the nation,” said Mohammad Abu Zafar, Bangladeshi Ambassador to the UAE.
“The day started with the hoisting of the flag at half mast at the embassy and consulate, followed by an event in the evening where the community paid its homage to the memories of Sheikh Mujibur,” he added. He also said that this year’s observance was held under strict COVID-19 protocols.
Abu Zafar said the day was as much about paying respect to the ideals of Sheikh Mujibur as it was about looking to the future.
“Sheikh Mujibur dreamt of a prosperous Bangladesh and he left his vision for us to carry forward, which we are doing today under his daughter and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“We have unveiled several programmes such as vision 2021 and Vision 2041, which aim to Bangladesh into a prosperous and developed country and so it’s about looking to the future and achieving all the objectives that he had dreamt about,” he added.
“The expatriate Bangladeshi community in the UAE can also play its part, particularly the younger generation, who can project a positive image of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi community, which can help in attracting foreign investors to Bangladesh and [help] grow our country’s trade,” he said.
The ambassador also spoke about UAE-Bangladesh ties and the goal of strengthening them further.
“We do express our deep appreciation and gratitude to the UAE and its leadership on this occasion, as they have been kind enough to host more than half a million Bangladeshis to live and work here. Our community has been able to contribute to the UAE and also to Bangladesh and so we have a lot of respect for this country, its visionary leadership and people,” he added.
