Bangladesh scraps national holiday on August 15 marking Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's assassination

In a major move, Bangladesh's interim government on Tuesday scrapped a national holiday on August 15, marking the assassination of the country’s founder and deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The decision was approved in a meeting of the Advisory Council, according to a statement from Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus' Office, a day after he met with different political parties excluding Hasina's Awami League.

Soon after Hasina left the country amid widespread unrest, an angry mob set a museum dedicated



to Sheikh Mujib, also known as 'Bangabandhu', on fire. The museum was originally Bangbandhu's private residence, where he was killed along with his family members in a military coup staged by a group of junior officers on August 15, 1975.

"The decision to cancel the national holiday on August 15 was taken unanimously after a discussion with the council of advisers and political parties," said a press release sent from the Chief Adviser's Office. August 15 is remembered as National Mourning Day, marking the Bangabandhu's assassination.