Tungipara: President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday morning paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his mazar on the occasion of the 98th birthday of the great leader.

President Abdul Hamid first laid a wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu followed by the Prime Minister.

After placing the wreaths, they stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the Father of the Nation as the bugle played the last post.

A smartly turned out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force gave an honour guard on the occasion.

Abdul Hamid and Sheikh Hasina offered Fateha and joined a munajat seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Awami League Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Science and Technology Minister Architect  Yeafesh Osman, Land Minister Shamsur Rahman , Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, PM’s Security Adviser Major General (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiq, AL Presidium Member Muhammad Faruk Khan, State Minister  for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki, AL Joint Secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, Organizing Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim were present on the occasion, among others.

Besides, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam, PM’s Principal

Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Chief of Army Staff

General Abu Belal Mohammad Shafiul Haque, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Abu Esrar, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, President’s Press Secretary Joynul Abedin and senior AL leaders and high civil and military officials were present.

Later, the President signed the visitor’s book kept on the graveyard premises.

Earlier on his arrival on the mazar premises, President Abdul Hamid was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, AL Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Sheikh Helaluddin, MP.

Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League preident, placed another wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu on behalf of the party.

The Prime Minister flew to Tungipara after placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 Dhaka.

The birthday of Bangabandhu is being observed across the country on Friday as the National Children’s Day.