Nation remembers its founder leader

Dhaka: Black flags dominated Bangladesh's skyline on Thursday as the nation mourned the 1975 assassination of its founder Shaikh Mujibur Rahman, for the first time under a non-party caretaker government.

President Iajuddin Ahmad and interim government chief Fakhruddin Ahmad paid their homage while army bugles played the last post at his grave at southwestern Tungipara, the village home of Shaikh Mujib, fondly called "Bangabandhu" or "friend of Bengal".

They stood in solemn silence for sometime placing wreaths at the mausoleum as army, navy and air force contingents offered honor guards, joined by senior officials including army chief General Moeen U. Ahmad and two other forces chiefs.

The interim government last week declared August 15 as the National Mourning Day ordering the national flag be kept at half mast across the country, being backed by a High Court earlier this month.

Shaikh Mujib was killed along with most of his family members by a section of junior army officers on August 15, 1975 when his post independence Awami League government was also toppled.

His two daughters, former prime minister Shaikh Hasina and Shaikh Rehana, survived the putsch as they were abroad at that time. "He is the pioneer of independence movement and architect of independent and sovereign Bangladesh," the president said in a statement on the eve of the day.