When India celebrates its Independence Day on Monday, the Bangladesh High Commission here will hoist its national flag at half mast to mourn the massacre of Father of the Nation ‘Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 26 others.
Only two of his daughters survived the attack, one of whom, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, is now the country's Prime Minister.
Bangladesh has hanged five of the accused, all former Army officers, in January last after the Supreme Court rejected their mercy petition. Six of the accused are absconding, some believed to hiding in the United States, Canada and Libya and one died during trial.
The trial began 21 years after his assassination and primarily because the Awami League led by Ms. Hasina had come to power four months earlier.
His killers, all Army officers, had claimed that they had resorted to the massacre for putting in place a one-party government and cracking down on his political opponents who had protested.
But pro-liberation activists said the massacre was aimed at derailing the country from the path of secularism and socialism, on which Mujibur Rahman had embarked after leading East Pakistan to Independence in 1971 from West Pakistan.
The killers remained free because the military government led by Khandaker Mostaque Ahmed that came to power after the Bangabandhu's murder issued an order granting them immunity from prosecution.
General Ziaur Rehman, who succeeded him, enshrined the indemnity to the killers and plotters in the Constitution. The next three rulers either shielded the killers or did not take interest in bringing the accused to book.
