AL, associate bodies pay rich tributes to Sheikh Jamal marking his 71st birthday

Leaders and workers of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and its associate organisations today paid rich tributes to heroic freedom fighter Sheikh Jamal, second son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, marking his 71st birthday.

AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader placed floral wreaths at the grave of Sheikh Jamal at the city's Banani graveyard on behalf of AL president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Later, he along with AL central leaders placed wreaths at the grave of Sheikh Jamal.

Among the leaders, AL Presidium Member Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmad Hossain, BM Mozammel Haque, Abu Syeed Al
Mahmud Swapon, Afzal Hossain and Sujit Roy Nandi, Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were present on the occasion.

Later, Awami Jubo League, Sechchhasebak League, Krishak League, Mahila Awami League, Juba Mahila League, Chhatra League and other associate organisations placed wreaths separately at the grave of Sheikh Jamal. Sheikh Jamal was born on April 28 in 1954 at Tungipara in Gopalganj. He did his matriculation from Dhaka Residential Model College and intermediate from Dhaka College.

He was also under house arrest along with his other family members during the great Liberation War in 1971. Later, Sheikh Jamal fled from their Dhanmondi residence and joined the Liberation War. He reached Agartala, India after a very risky journey from Dhanmondi where he joined the Mujib Bahini (Bangladesh Liberation Forces, BLF). After receiving training, he fought from the front line under Sector-9 during the Liberation War. Jamal travelled to Yugoslavia for military training under the auspices of the Yugoslav People's Army in 1974.

He joined the first long course of Bangladesh Army as a Commissioned Officer. Subsequently, he received training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom (UK).

After returning from there, he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Second East Bengal Regiment in Dhaka. Jamal was also a noted sportsman. 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.