A week-long Moni Mela (fair), marking the 22nd death anniversary of Comrade Moni Singh, one of the leading organisers of the Liberation War and former president of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), began at Susang Durgapur in Netrakona yesterday.

Veteran left leader Durga Prasad Tewari inaugurated the fair in the morning. Communist leaders and the representatives from different socio-cultural and political organisations attended the programme at Susang Durgapur, the birthplace of Moni Singh.

Leaders and activists of CPB local unit, carrying

banners and placards, paraded the different areas of Durgapur municipality in observance of the death anniversary of Moni Singh.

The participants chanted slogans, urging the government to ensure workers' rights and allocate land to the landless.

A discussion meeting was also held at Susang Durgapur with Durga Prasad Tewari, convenor of Mela Udjapon Committee, in the chair. Local lawmaker Moshtaque Ahmed Ruhi, JSD leader Nazmul Haque Prodhan, Workers Party leader Anisur Rahman Mallick, BSD leader Sudhangsu Chakraborty and Moni Singh's son Dr Dibalok Singh spoke.

Paying tribute to the great leader, the speakers recalled his contributions to the movements for establishing rights of the downtrodden.

The programme concluded with a cultural function participated by the artistes of Chandrigarh Anath Ashram in Durgapur.