The 41st death anniversary of great national leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani was observed across the country with due respect yesterday, reports BSS. Popularly known as 'Majlum Jananeta', the leader of the downtrodden, Maulana Bhasani, passed away on November 17 in 1976. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages paying rich tributes to Maulana Bhasani. To mark the day, different parties and organisations organized various programmes.

The programmes included placing wreaths on Bhasani's grave at Tangail district and offering prayers seeking eternal peace of his departed soul.

The programme begins by placing wreaths on the grave of Bhasani at Santosh in Tangail at 7.30 am.

Maulana Bhasani Science and Technology University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Alauddin placed the wreaths with other senior teachers, students and employees of the university.

Later, different organizations, family members of Bhasani, district Awami League, Jatiya Party, BNP, Krishok Sramik Janata League and other socio-cultural organizations placed wreaths on his grave. They also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

A doa mahfil and a discussion were held at Bhasani Bhaban auditorium in city's Naya Paltan area in the morning.

Jatiya Krishak Samity also organized a discussion at 3.30 pm at the Engineers' Institute in the city.

Bhasani was a popular leader in his fight against imperialism and oppression of the Pakistani rulers.

Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, born in 1880 in Dhangara in Sirajganj, was the son of Haji Sharafat Ali Khan.

He gained immense popularity among peasants. He is regarded as the proponent of secular and left-leaning politics in Bangladesh.

He was the founder president of the Pakistan Awami Muslim League which later became Awami League (AL).

 He also formed a progressive political organization called National Awami Party (NAP). Bhasani played a very significant role in the 1969 movement against Pakistan, which eventually led to the collapse of the Ayub regime and the release of Bangabandhu and other co-accused in the so-called Agartala conspiracy case.