SYLHET,  July 10, 2024 (BSS)- The 23rd death anniversary of former Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Humayun Rashid Chowdhury is being observed today as the former  Speaker died on July 10,2001.

Different political and social organizations including Speaker Humayun Rashid Chowdhury Srimiti Parishad  have taken various daylong programmes at Dhaka and Sylhet to mark the day.

The programme  includes placing floral wreaths at the graveyard  of the deceased  in Sylhet, recitation of Fateha and holy Quran, discussion, doamahfil and food distribution among the  distressed people, said  Srimiti Parishad central president and former principal secretary M Nazibur Rahman.

Born at Rashid Manzil in Sylhet city on November 11 in 1928,Speaker Humayun Rashid Chowdhury joined in Pakistan foreign services in1953.His father Abdur Rashid Chowdhury was a member of the central legislative assembly of the undivided India and his mother Sirajunnesa Chowdhury also was a member of Pakistan national assembly.

Humayun Rashid also was ruling Awami League lawmaker of Sylhet-1 was the chief  of  Bangladesh Mission in Delhi in 1971-72.

After  beginning the 71’s liberation war, he left the side of Pakistan  and tried to make communication with 40 different foreign countries in view to achieve recognition on behalf of the Mass war in Bangladesh and ultimately he was  able to gain recognition from 34 foreign nations across the world.

Even he also gave speech at the Indian parliament session as the chief of Bangladesh Mission in New Delhi at that time.

He was the only Bangladeshi who chaired the 41st  general assembly of the United Nations.

Speaker Humayun Rashid was the first ambassador of Bangladesh in Germany.he was also the ambassador of Switzerland, Austria and Vatican.

After the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on August 15  in 1975, he gave shelter and  took necessary initiatives to save the life of incumbent  prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana who were luckily escaped from the gruesome murder on August 15,at his own house in Germany.

He was awarded with the prestigious 'Swadinata Award' (Posthumous) in 2018 for his outstanding contribution to the Liberation War.

He was elected as a member of the National Parliament in 1996 from the Awami League and later he was elected as Speaker of the Parliament.