DHAKA – State Minister for Youth and Sports Mohammad Zahid Ahsan Russell MP today paid homage at the grave of Shaheed Sheikh Jamal, son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on the occasion of his 68th birthday.
The State Minister paid a rich tribute by placing a wreath at Sheikh Jamal’s Banani grave in the capital after zuhr prayer. At this time, a special prayer was offered seeking peace of his departed soul.
Private secretary to the State Minister Abu Naser Bhuiyan, National Sports Council deputy director and chairman’s personal secretary Rasheduzzaman Serniabat, Youth Development Department deputy director (administration) Mokhlesur Rahman and other officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports were present at the time.
In a statement on the occasion of Sheikh Jamal’s birthday, the State Minister said that the Ministry of Youth and Sports is remembering Sheikh Jamal with deep respect and love through various programmes.
Russell said Sheikh Jamal was under house arrest along with other members of his family during the liberation war in 1971. He escaped from there and led the war of liberation from the front. Sheikh Jamal was also a patriotic army officer.
He further said that Sheikh Jamal was killed on the night of August 15, 1975 by a brutal bullet of the assassin. The Bengali nation will remember forever with gratitude the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family in the struggle for liberation.
Born on April 28 in 1954 at Tungipara in Gopalganj, Sheikh Jamal did his matriculation from Dhaka Residential Model College and intermediate from Dhaka College.
While studying at Dhaka College, Jamal traveled to Yugoslavia for military training under the auspices of the Yugoslav army.
Subsequently, he received training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Great Britain. He joined the Bangladesh Army as a Commissioned Officer.
Jamal was also a noted cricketer. He was also fond of music and used to play guitar.
On August 15 in 1975, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s architect, with most of his family members including Sheikh Jamal, was assassinated by a group of disgruntled army officers.
Bangabandhu’s two daughters – incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his sister Sheikh Rehana – escaped the carnage as they were abroad at that time.BSS
