The nation is set to celebrate the 102nd anniversary of the birth of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Thursday.

The day, which is a public holiday, will also be celebrated as the National Children’s Day.

Bangabandhu was born in Tungipara village of Gopalganj on March 17, 1920. While studying at Islamia College in Kolkata, he got involved in active politics.

Both while in and out of jail, Bangabandhu had led the Language Movement. On February 21, 1952 when Language Movement activists were killed, Bangabandhu was observing a hunger strike in jail.

Read: Photo exhibition on Bangabandhu's 1973 Japan visit inaugurated

In continuation of the Language Movement, all major movements of Bangalees including the General Elections in 1970 and the War of Liberation in 1971 were led by Sheikh Mujib.

Through his dynamic leadership, Bangabandhu had organised the Bangalee nation to fight against exploitation and repression by the Pakistani rulers. The movement culminated in independent Bangladesh through the nine-month Liberation War in 1971.

When Bangabandhu was moving forward with an aim to build a Golden Bangladesh overcoming all obstacles, the defeated and anti-liberation war clique assassinated him along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975.

The government declared the period from March 17, 2020 to March 26, 2021 as the ‘Mujib Borsho’ marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. However, it was extended till March 31 this year.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tributes to the Father of the Nation at Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi and at Bangabandhu Mausoleum in Tungipara.

Besides, special prayers will be held at all mosques, temples and churches across the country.

Marking the birth anniversary, Bangladesh Awami League and different social and cultural organisations have also drawn elaborate programmes.

The Awami League has chalked a seven-day programme at Tungipara in Gopalganj.

The national flag and party’s flag will be hoisted atop all party offices across the country in the morning.

AL leaders and activists will pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his mausoleum in Tungipara.

Hasina will be present in the discussion meeting by the party at 3 pm.

Television channels and radio stations will air special programmes marking the day.

Meanwhile, the president and the prime minister have issued separate messages on the occasion.

In his message, the president said Bangabandhu remains the eternal source of inspiration for the Bengali nation. In politics, Bangabandhu appeared as a symbol of principle and ideals.

The prime minister, in her message, extended her best wishes to all the children of the country on the occasion of the 102nd birth anniversary of the greatest Bengali of all time and 'National Children's Day-2022'.

Read: AL chalks out seven-day programme to mark Bangabandhu’s birthday

The theme of this year's National Children's Day is 'Bangabandhu's birthday pledge, all children have equal rights’, she said.

She urged the people of the country to dedicate the present to the beautiful future and welfare of the children and build a non-communal, hunger-free and happy-prosperous Golden Bangladesh, the dream of the father of the nation.

“Along with paying homage to the Father of the Nation on the National Children's Day, the main goal of our government is to make the children of this country as good citizens by following the life and ideal of the great leader,” Hasina said.