Sheikh Moni’s 84th birthday Sunday

BSS: The 84th birthday of Shaheed Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, founder-chairman of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, commander-in- chief of ‘Mujib Bahini’ and one of the organizers of the country’s Liberation War, will be observed in a befitting manner.

Awami Jubo League, an associate body of the ruling Awami League, has chalked out an elaborate programme in observance of the birthday of Sheikh Moni.

The programmes of the day include placing of wreaths at the grave of Sheikh Moni and the martyrs of the August 15 carnage at Banani at 9 am and offering Fateha there and holding Milad and Doa Mahfil at Banani Graveyard Mosque.

On December 5, Dhaka Metropolitan North and South Units of Jubo League will distribute food and winter clothes among the destitute people.

Prayers, milad mahfils and discussions will be held at temples, churches, pagodas and other religious worships will be held on December 4 to 6 across the country while liberation war-based cultural programmes will be held.

Winter clothes and food items will also be distributed among the destitute people and orphans during the period.

Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni was born on December 4 in 1939 at the distinguished Sheikh family at Tungipra in Gopalganj district. His mother Sheikh Achia Begum was Bangabandhu's elder sister.

Sheikh Moni passed secondary examination from Nabakumar Institute in Dhaka and higher secondary examination from Jagannath College (now Jagannath University) in Dhaka in 1958. He secured BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree from Barisal BM College in 1960.

As a spirited student leader, Sheikh Moni played a prominent and courageous role in the anti-martial law movement of the students' community against the military dictatorial regime of President of Pakistan General Ayub Khan in the decade of sixties.

He was elected as the general secretary of East Pakistan Chhatra League for the tenure 1962-63. In 1964, the provincial government of Monayem Khan stripped him of his MA (Master of Arts) degree as Sheikh Moni led the movement against Dhaka University convocation ceremony.

He had to remain imprisoned in jail for three and a half years as he was arrested during the six-point movement launched by Bangabandhu in 1966.

Moni’s elder son Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash is now incumbent chairmen of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League and younger son Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh is the Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.

Sheikh Moni was the editors of the Dainik Banglar Bani, the Bangladesh Times and cine magazine the weekly Cinema. The daily Banglar Bani was the first newspaper of Bangladesh printed and published in offset method.

Along with Bangabandhu and most of his family members, Sheikh Moni was assassinated on the fateful night of August 15, 1975.