The nation celebrated the 53rd Victory Day, the most precious day of the Bangalees, on Saturday as the country was liberated from the Pakistani occupation forces on that day 52 years back after a nine-month-long bloodstained War of Liberation.
On December 16, 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of three million people and the honour of nearly half a million women.
Marking the day, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar this morning.
The President laid the wreath at the altar of the National Memorial with the rise of the sun at 6:33 am followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
A contingent drawn from the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented the state salute on the occasion.
After placing the wreath, the president stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the 1971 martyrs as the bugle played the last post.
President Shahabuddin also signed the visitors' book kept there.
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, placed another wreath at the National Memorial as the party chief. Senior leaders of the party were present.
AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Shajahan Khan, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, joint general secretaries- Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, organising secretary BM Mozzamel Haque, publicity and publication secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, science and technology affairs secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua and deputy office secretary Sayem Khan were present.
When the president and the prime minister left the National Memorial premises, people of all strata were allowed to pay their tributes to the 1971 martyrs by placing wreaths.
Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan, diplomats, politicians, artistes, intellectuals, valiant freedom fighters, professionals as well as cross section of people paid glowing tributes to martyrs.
Patriotic songs and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's landmark March 7 speech were played through loudspeaker on the premises of the National Memorial.
Clad in green and red dresses including sharee and panjabee, people in massive number irrespective of gender and age thronged the memorial to place wreaths since the dawn and the stream of people continued till afternoon.
Wounded freedom fighters, offspring of martyrs families, political parties including Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Gono Forum, Jukto Front, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party and Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) also placed wreaths.
Besides, Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, Chhatra League, Krishak League, Jubo Mohila League, Tanti League, Jatiya Party (JP), Chhatra Union, Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU), Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, Dhaka University, National University, Bangla Academy, Shilpakala Academy, Open University, Jagannath University, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, Bangabandhu Parishad, Muktijoddha Sanghati Parishad, different schools, colleges and universities laid wreaths.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in the capital this morning.
After placing the wreath, the prime minister stood in solemn silence there for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the great leader of Bangladesh and the architect of the country's independence.
Later, flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, placed another wreath at the portrait of the Father of the Nation as the party chief.
Besides, a delegation of AL led by the party's presidium member Lt. Col. (Retd) Faruk Khan paid tributes to Bangabandhu by placing a wreath at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj district.
Bangladesh Police paid homage to martyr members of police by placing wreaths at the Rajarbagh memorial. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was present while a smartly turned-out police contingent gave a guard of honor to martyrs on the occasion.
In the afternoon, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and his wife Dr Rebecca Sultana hosted a reception programme at Bangabhaban marking the Victory Day.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana joined the reception on the lush green lawn of the Bangabhaban.
Parliament Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan also attended the function which took place from 3:30pm to 4:30 pm.
Cabinet members, advisers, state ministers, ambassadors and high commissioners of different countries, Supreme Court judges, chiefs of the three services, members of the parliament, war veterans from home and abroad, senior political leaders, academics, business community leaders, artistes, valiant freedom fighters and families of Birshreshtha gallantry award recipients and distinguished citizens attended the reception.
Newspaper editors and journalist leaders also attended the festive gathering alongside top civil and military officials.
On the occasion, President Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also cut a cake there on the occasion. They also exchanged greetings with the injured freedom fighters and other dignitaries and guests at the function.
The day is a public holiday.
The Victory Day is a national holiday and it is celebrated on December 16 to commemorate the victory of the allied forces over the Pakistani occupation forces in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.
The Pakistani occupation forces surrendered to the joint forces of Bangladesh and India ending the ninth-month Liberation War and turning East Pakistan into Bangladesh.
The Victory Day programme taken at national level included a 31-gun salute, hoisting of the national flag atop all government, semi-government and private offices as well as offices of autonomous bodies across the country.
Receptions were hosted to freedom fighters and family members of martyrs at the city, district and upazila levels.
Special prayers were offered at mosques and other places of worship, seeking eternal peace in the souls of martyrs of the Liberation War and peace, progress and prosperity of the country.
Improved diets were served in jails, hospitals, orphanages, old-age homes and other similar institutions across the country.
All children's parks and museums were kept open for all without tickets and Liberation War-based films were screened in the cinema halls free of cost across the country.
A documentary and poster exhibition on the history and heritage of the Liberation War was organized at Swadhinata Stambha and Underground Museum at Suhrawardy Udyan in the city.
Similar programmes were organized at district and upazila levels as well as Bangladesh missions abroad, highlighting the significance of the day.
Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) brought out a victory procession from the Jatiya Press Club (JPC) premises this afternoon.
Information and Broadcasting Minister and AL Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud inaugurated the procession.
DUJ president Sohel Haider Chowdhury presided over a pre-procession rally while JPC president Farida Yasmin and DUJ general secretary Akter Hossain also spoke.
A fortnightly special exhibition titled "Bangabandhu, Muktijuddho O Bijoy" was organized at Nalinikanto Bhattashali Exhibiting Gallery at Bangladesh National Museum here.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid addressed the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest while Bangladesh National Museum Board of Trustees Chairman Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique chaired it.
Additional secretary of cultural affairs ministry Md Imrul Chowdhury and National Museum director general Md. Kamruzzaman also spoke.
A discussion and cultural ceremony was held at Shilpakala Academy at Segun Bagicha. KM Khalid addressed the discussion as the chief guest.
Source: BSS