Shaheed Noor Hossain Day Today
Today, November 10, marks Shaheed Noor Hossain Day. On this day in 1987, the streets of Dhaka were stained with Noor Hossain’s blood.
Noor Hossain, the son of an auto-rickshaw driver from Narinda, Dhaka, took to the streets with the slogan "Down with Autocracy, Let Democracy Be Free" written on his chest and back, as part of the protest movement against the dictatorship of Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
As the procession reached the "Zero Point" in the Paltan area, the police opened fire and used tear gas, resulting in the death of Noor Hossain and others. Noor's sacrifice resonated deeply, fueling the movement that eventually led to the fall of Ershad's regime on December 6, 1990, after further bloodshed.
On February 27, 1991, national elections were held under an interim government led by Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, with all parties participating. The BNP won a majority and formed the government. The spot where Noor Hossain was shot, Zero Point, is now known as Shaheed Noor Hossain Square.
On the occasion of Shaheed Noor Hossain Day, BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman released a statement, acknowledging Noor Hossain’s invaluable contribution. He stated that the autocratic rulers attempted to silence the anti-dictatorship movement by killing Noor Hossain, but his sacrifice ultimately led to the fall of the dictatorship in 1990 and the restoration of democracy. However, Rahman remarked that the dreams Noor Hossain died for remain unfulfilled.
Tarique Rahman noted that the democracy gained in 1990 has once again been shackled, with elections held on January 5, 2014, December 30, 2018, and the upcoming "dummy election" of 2024. He claimed that, although the fascist Hasina government was ousted through an unprecedented movement by students and the public on August 5, their remnants continue to conspire.
He paid tribute to Noor Hossain, calling him an unforgettable name in Bangladesh’s democratic movement history. On November 10, 1987, Noor took to the streets as a determined fighter, bearing the slogans "Let Democracy Be Free, Down with Autocracy" on his chest and back. His voice for democracy was silenced by the dictator’s bullets, but Noor Hossain embraced the bullets on his chest for the sake of freedom.
On this Shaheed Noor Hossain Day, Tarique Rahman urged everyone to unite and work together to restore democracy, overcoming all conspiracies.
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