The nation is observing the 'Genocide Day' on Sunday for the second time in remembrance of the brutality carried out by Pakistani Army on the unarmed Bengalis on the black night of March 25 in 1971, reports BSS.
The Jatiya Sangsad unanimously adopted a resolution to observe the March 25 as the "Gonohotya Dibos" (Day of Genocide) on March 11, 2017. Subsequently the cabinet division in a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, unanimously endorsed the decision on March 20 last year.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the "Genocide Day".
In his message, the President said the genocide carried out by Pakistani occupation forces on March 25 is a brutal and grievous incident in the history of the Bengali nation.
"The decision of observing the day as 'Genocide Day' is a milestone in the history of the country and the nation," he said.
Terming the black night as a brutal genocide in the twentieth century, the President said they (Pakistani occupation forces) just wanted to stop the movement of Bangalee police, EPR, students and the people in the name of 'Operation Searchlight'.
Abdul Hamid urged all irrespective of caste and creed to establish a non-communal and democratic country imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the Pakistani occupation forces swooped on unarmed Bangalees on March 25 night and they along with their local collaborators including Rajakar, Al Badr and Al Shams carried out atrocities.
Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, in a statement on the eve of the day, urged the people of all strata, including the leaders and workers of the party, its associate and like-minded bodies across the country, to observe all programmes of the day in a befitting manner.
He said the Pakistani occupational forces swooped on unarmed Bangalees on March 25 night and they along with their local collaborators including Rajakar, Al Badr and Al Shams carried out atrocities in the name of operation search light.
The atrocities that started on the black night on March 25 continued for nine months, the AL general secretary said.
Quader said the country observed the March 25 as 'Genocide Day' first under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2017. Like the last year, the Awami league has taken a number of programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.
The atrocities that started on the black night on March 25 continued for nine months, she said. The Prime Minister said as many as 30 lakh people were killed and two lakh women were raped.
The incidents of killing of a large number of people in the short span of time are rare in the world, the premier said.
The government has drawn up various programmes to mark the day with due respect.
The country is set to stage a one-minute blackout from 9 pm to 9.01 pm on March 25 recalling the horror of the March 25, 1971 black night when the Pakistanis launched genocide on Bangladesh soil.
Besides, the Liberation War Affairs Ministry will hold a discussion along with photographs on the "Gonohotya Dibos" (Day of Dibos" (Day of Genocide) at 10:00 am at Suhrawardy Udyan.
On the day, Awami League will hold a discussion at 4 pm at the Bangabandhu International Conference (BICC). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to chair the programme.
Dhaka University and Dhaka University Teachers Association have decided to observe the Genocide Day. Different programmes have been chalked out to mark the day.
As part of the programmes, a photography exhibition will be held near the Independence Monument at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan reminding the atrocities committed on March 25, 1971.
The programmes of lighting candle at 7 pm, screening of a documentary and a discussion would be held, while a special munajat and milad mahfil would be held after Asr prayers.