Manashimaya
As India prepares to celebrate its 78th Independence Day on 15th August 2024, the nation will come together to hoist the Tricolour, enjoy sweets like jalebi, and revel in the joy of freedom. However, on this same day, our neighbouring country, Bangladesh, will be shrouded in mourning. This sombre observance on 15th August is deeply rooted in a tragic chapter of Bangladesh’s history, closely tied to the personal loss suffered by its current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. India’s Independence Day Celebrations: The Tragic History Behind Bangladesh’s Mourning on 15th August highlights the emotional and historical contrast between these two neighbouring countries.
Bangladesh observes August 15th differently from India, which celebrates the day with considerable fervor. Bangladesh’s first president and founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was assassinated brutally on August 15, 1975. The 15th of August is designated as National Mourning Day in Bangladesh to remember this tragic incident. India’s Celebrations of Independence Day: The Sordid Past The significance of August 15th for Bangladesh is highlighted by Behind Bangladesh’s Mourning, on which black flags are raised as a show of grief and the national flag is flown at half-mast. The day is observed as a public holiday in which the whole country honors the leader who was instrumental in achieving the country’s independence.
The pain of this day is particularly poignant for Sheikh Hasina, who lost her father and several family members on 15th August 1975. As India’s Independence Day Celebrations: The Tragic History Behind Bangladesh’s Mourning on 15th August reveals, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was gunned down by military personnel at his home in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. The soldiers who stormed his residence not only killed him but also massacred his wife, sons, and daughters. This horrific event left a deep scar on the nation and an indelible wound in the heart of Sheikh Hasina, who was in Germany at the time, thus narrowly escaping the fate that befell her family.
India’s Independence Day Celebrations: The Tragic History Behind Bangladesh’s Mourning on 15th August further explores how Sheikh Hasina survived the aftermath of this tragedy. When she received the devastating news of her father’s assassination, she was overwhelmed with grief. However, returning to Bangladesh was fraught with danger. In this critical moment, India extended a helping hand, offering her and her sister, Rehana Sheikh, refuge. Under the protective wing of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Sheikh Hasina found sanctuary in Delhi, where she lived for six years on Pandara Road. This act of compassion forged a strong bond between Sheikh Hasina and India, one that continues to influence the relationship between the two nations.
While Indians celebrate their independence, it’s vital to recognize the sorrow that our Bangladeshi neighbors experience on this day. This is made clear by India’s Independence Day Celebrations: The Tragic History Behind Bangladesh’s Mourning on August 15. The fact that August 15th is both a day of celebration for one country and a day of grief for another serves as a painful reminder of the subcontinent’s multifaceted history and diverse emotional landscapes. We may promote greater empathy and unity between our countries by acknowledging and honoring this awful past.
