Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi has said there had been at least seven plots and a long conspiracy behind the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family on 15 August 1975.

“By killing him (Bangabandhu), the conspirators had aimed to take back Bangladesh to its pre-independence state. There’s sufficient evidence of these plots. Those will be released in due course,” he said.

Dr Rizvi made the remarks while addressing a commemorative event marking the 46th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu and the National Mourning Day as the chief guest.

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Bangladesh High Commission in London hosted the event chaired by Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland Saida Muna Tasneem.

The internationally renowned historian and researcher said it is well known that the assassins were inconsequential mid-level soldiers.

“But, I’ve a lot of documents to show that there are as many as seven different conspiracies going on. Some went on independently, some were linked and some had connections,” he said.

Dr Rizvi said the real tragedy is that the conspiracy or desire to get rid of the greatest Bengali of all time did not begin after independence or after he came to power; it had  begun even before independence during the War of Liberation.

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"Bangabandhu laid the foundations for multi-party democracy, secularism, social justice, and Bengali nationalism in independent Bangladesh,” he said.

Prime Minister’s Special Adviser for Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman said Bangabandhu started the freedom struggle of Bangladesh from the language movement and he never compromised on this issue.

“Today, those who are trying to mislead people by spreading propaganda in various ways, once had opposed the independence of Bangladesh,” said Salman.

However, he said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has succeeded in overcoming all conspiracies and has moved forward to build Bangladesh as 'Golden  Bengal' as dreamt by Bangabandhu.

He laid emphasis on taking effective steps to make the British-Bangladeshi youths aware of Bangabandhu's life and ideals.

High Commissioner Tasneem said the clique of the killers killed the Father of the Nation but could not kill his dreams and ideals.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her reclusive sister Sheikh Rehana, the two brave and capable daughters of the Father of the Nation, are continuing their struggle against the post-75 anti-independence and communal forces and are constantly working to build Bangabandhu's dream - a non-communal, non-discriminatory and progressive golden Bengal."

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A special prayer (munajat) was offered for the peace and salvation of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and his family members.

Messages of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and State Minister for Foreign Affairs issued on the occasion were read out to the audience.