Today is January 20, the day of Martyr Asad. This is a significant day in the history of Bangladesh's liberation struggle.
On this day in 1969, student leader M. Asaduzzaman was shot dead by police while leading an 11-point procession of the student movement against the Pakistani dictator Ayub Khan government in front of Dhaka Medical College.
This self-sacrifice of Shoheed Asad accelerated the ongoing movement. Later, the dictator Ayub Khan fell through a mass uprising.
Shoheed Asad was one of the three martyrs of the then East Pakistan who pioneered the mass movement of 1969; The other two are Shahid Rustam and Shahid Matiur. He received the Independence Medal in 2018 for his special contribution in the war of independence and liberation.
Shohid Asad was born on June 10, 1942 in Dhanua village of Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi district. After completing his secondary education from Shibpur High School in 1960, he studied at Jagannath College (now Jagannath University) and MC College. He was admitted to Dhaka University in 1963 in History in the undergraduate (Honors) class and obtained B.A (Hons)degree in 1966 and MA degree in 1967. In the same year, Asad got involved in Shibpur, Manohardi, Raipura and Narsingdi areas with the aim of organizing Krishak Samiti under the direction of Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bahasani, President of National Awami Party (NAP) and Krishak Samiti.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have given separate statements on the occasion.
In his message, the President said that the sacrifice of Shoheed Asad in the mass uprising of 1969 was a unique milestone in the history of our liberation struggle and independence.
He said that this outstanding contribution of Shohid Asad in the struggle of democratic movement would be a source of inspiration for the democracy loving people of the country.
In her message, the Prime Minister prayed for the salvation of the souls of all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Bengalis including Shohid Asad.
She said that Shaheed Asad, who sacrificed his life in the mass uprising, will be remembered among the democracy-loving people of this country. His sacrifice will always inspire our rights movement.
Various socio-cultural and political organizations have undertaken detailed programs on the occasion of the day.
It may be mentioned here that present day Asad Gate at Mohammadpur- Mirpur crossing was named changing its name Ayub Gate after the killing of Asad during the mass uprising that forced dictator Ayub Khan to step down. Poet Shamsur Rahman composed his famous poem ‘Asader Shirt’.
Ganajagaran sculpture made in memory of Asad. In 1992, on the initiative of Dhaka University Central Student Union or Dacsu, in north of the gate of the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College, Asad's memorial was built under the name of Ganajagaran to immortalize Asad's memory and to keep alive the spirit of mass uprising. The sculpture was created by artist Pradyot Das.