DHAKA: The historic Shaheed Asad Day was observed across the country on Monday, commemorating the day of the martyrdom of Asaduzzaman, the then student leader, during the mass uprising against the regime of military dictator Ayub Khan in 1969.

Asad’s supreme sacrifice ignited the struggle of Bengalis for self-rule which ultimately led the nation to the war of independence.

On January 20, 1969, Asaduzzaman was killed in police firing in front of Dhaka Medical College Hospital while leading a procession.

Asad, then a student of history at Dhaka University, was also the DU unit president and Dhaka city unit general secretary of the East Pakistan Chhatra Union.

He was killed by the then Pakistan police at the height of the mass movement that hastened the fall of the military rule by Ayub Khan.

Continuing that movement, the nation achieved the independence in 1971 following the nine-month war.

President M Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages paying tribute to the memory of Shaheed Asad.

They prayed for peace of the departed soul of Shaheed Asad.

Political and socio-cultural organisations arranged separate programmes to observe the day.

BDST: 1710 HRS, JAN 20, 2014