Dhaka: Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on Tuesday called for observing the National Mourning Day with solidarity without making any debate on Bangabandhu.

The Public Administration minister made the call in a discussion meeting organised by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) at the Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on the occasion of 40th death anniversary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

He also urged BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia not to celebrate her birth anniversary on 15 August.

Ashraful Islam said ‘We want to unite the nation. We have passed a lot of time after independence. We want to observe the death anniversary of the Father of the Nation together. We want to make the country ‘Sonar Bangla’ where there is no division.’

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbub-Ul-Alam Hanif, Dhaka University vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique also spoke at the meeting presided over by DSCC mayor Sayeed Khokan.