Bangladesh marks 51 years since Bangabandhu assassination

Bangladesh marks National Mourning Day, commemorating the 51st anniversary of the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding leader. On August 15, 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were killed at his residence in Dhanmondi by a group of military officers.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued a statement accusing anti-Awami League forces of conspiring to turn Bangladesh into Pakistan. She alleged that the 1975 assassination was carried out by military personnel with the support of pro-Pakistan forces seeking to avenge Pakistan’s defeat in the 1971 war. Hasina further claimed that current political instability and anarchy are part of ongoing attempts to reshape the country’s political and cultural identity.

The anniversary serves as a public holiday in Bangladesh. Following the Awami League's return to power in 1996, legal proceedings against the killers began, resulting in multiple death sentences. To date, six defendants have been executed, while others remain fugitives or have died abroad.