Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader on Wednesday urged all democratic, patriotic and non-communal forces to unite and uproot the extremist communal forces from Bangladesh.

“After the assassination of Bangabandhu, the seeds of communalism were sown in the country. The challenge now is to eradicate these extremist communal forces. All democratic, patriotic and non-communal forces must unite to eradicate the extremist communal forces,” he said.

Quader said these after placing a wreath at the graves of the August 15 martyrs and national leaders at the Banani graveyard.

Presidium members — Matia Chowdhury,  Dr Abdur Razzak, Shahjahan Khan and Jahangir Kabir Nanak; Joint General Secretaries — Hasan Mahmud, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, AFM Bahauddin Nasim; Science and Technology Secretary Abdus Sabur, Office Secretary Biplob Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan and others were present in the programme.

Marking Jail Killing Day, the ruling Awami League and its associate bodies also paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the four national leaders who were killed in state custody on this day way back in 1975.

Awami League leaders and supporters paid homage by laying wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban on a limited scale following Covid-safety protocols.

The four national leaders — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Capt Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman — were gunned down inside Dhaka Central Jail on November 3 in 1975, three months after the gruesome killings of Bangabandhu and most members of his family.

As the grave of Qamruzzaman is in Kadirganj of Rajshahi, the ruling party leaders also paid homage there.

Milad mahfil and special prayers, seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyred Bangabandhu, his family members and the four national leaders, were arranged as part of the programme.

A similar programme was arranged at the grave of Qamruzzaman in Kadirganj.

Besides, Dhaka north and south city units of the Awami League, Mohila Awami League, Awami Jubo League, Chhatra League, Swechchhasebak League, Krishak League, Jatiya Sramik League, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad, Bangabandhu Parishad, and Bangabandhu Cultural Alliance, and various political parties and social organisations paid homage to the four national leaders by placing wreaths at their graves.

The ruling party also arranged a discussion at its central office in Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka at 11am.