The AL and its front organisations across the country hoisted the national and party flags at half-mast. Black flags were also flown and party leaders and workers wore black badges to mourn the gruesome killings.

A group of army men gunned down Syed Nazrul Islam, acting president of Bangladesh government in exile, Tajuddin Ahmed, prime minister, M Mansur Ali, finance minister, and AHM Qamaruzzaman, home, relief and rehabilitation minister, in Dhaka Central Jail on this day, November 3, in 1975. The day is known as the Jail Killing Day.

AL leaders and workers led by Acting President Zillur Rahman placed wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the graves of the national leaders at Banani Graveyard. They offered fateha and organised milad mahfils and special prayers.

In observance of the day, the AL will also hold a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh auditorium in the city at 11:00am today, with senior party leaders as speakers.

A Dhaka court on October 20 handed down death sentence to three, life imprisonment to 12 and acquitted five of the accused in the long-awaited verdict of the historic Jail Killing Case. Families of the slain leaders, however, rejected the verdict and termed it politically motivated and a farce.

The killing of the four closest aides to Bangabandhu was committed two months and 18 days after he along with most of his family members was assassinated by some disgruntled army men out to eliminate the leadership that guided the nation towards independence, through the Liberation War.