Shaheed Asad Day will be observed today, commemorating the supreme sacrifice of the student leader Asaduzzaman Asad.

On January 20 in 1969, Asaduzzaman Asad, a hero of the mass upsurge movement, was killed by the Pakistani police during a protest against atrocities in East Pakistan near Dhaka Medical College Hospital, sparking further unrest.

Death of Asad, a student of Dhaka University, accelerated the movement of 1969 while dictator Ayub Khan was forced to leave the power.

In observation of the day, president Mohammad Shahabuddin and chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus issued separate messages, saying that the sacrifice of martyr Asad would remain a source of inspiration for the democracy-loving people of the country.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also issued a message marking the sacrifice of Asad which influence all uprisings.

Various political parties and organisations had chalked our programmes to observe the day, including placing wreaths in the monument near Dhaka Medical College Hospital in the morning.