Appellate Division stays HC order declaring nat'l holiday on 15 August

The Appellate Division has stayed a High Court order declaring a national holiday on 15 August as the National Mourning Day. 

The division led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed gave the order on Monday. 

An Awami League government headed by erstwhile prime minister Sheikh Hasina issued an order on August 8, 1996, declaring August 15, National Mourning Day and a public holiday in recognition of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's contribution to the struggle for the country's independence.

Following the Awami League government's decision, August 15 was used to be observed with due respect at the state level with the national flag flying at half-mast all over the country and at Bangladesh missions abroad.

But, on August 8, 2002 the erstwhile BNP-led four-party alliance government issued an order cancelling the observance of National Mourning Day and a public holiday on August 15.

However, the High Court in 2008 declared illegal immediate past BNP-led 4-party alliance government's order for cancelling the observance of National Mourning Day and a public holiday on August 15. Then, in 2009 the High Court declared the day as National Mourning Day. 

When the Awami League was in power, the National Mourning Day was celebrated across the country. Along with Dhaka, a major event was held at Bangabandhu's mausoleum in Gopalganj's Tungipara.

After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August this year, the interim government scrapped the national holiday on 15 August.