Modi pays tributes to national heroes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid glowing tributes to the memory of the martyred freedom fighters at National Memorial in Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka.

He paid the homage to the national heroes by placing a wreath at the memorial this morning.

Earlier, the Indian Prime Minister reached the National Memorial boarding on a helicopter at about 11.45am

On his arrival there, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 9 Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army Major General Shaheenul Haque and high civil and military officials welcomed the Indian leader.

A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force gave him a guard of honour while the bugles played the last post.

The Indian Prime Minister planted a sapling of Arjun tree (Terminalia arjuna) on the memorial premises and signed the visitors’ book on the occasion.

“I pay my heartfelt tribute to the patriotic martyrs of Bangladesh, whose glorious sacrifices enabled the birth of this great Nation,” Modi wrote in the visitors’ book.

He said may every visitor to this revered ground honour the sacred memory of the millions who were slain but not silenced.

Their valour will continue to inspire future generations to fight injustice and defend the cause of righteousness, wrote the Indian Primer.

“On behalf of the people of India, I pray that the eternal flame at Savar remain a lasting reminder of the noble victory of truth and courage over deceit and oppression,” he also wrote.

Modi left the National Memorial for the capital around 12.10 pm.

Strict security measures were taken at the memorial and its adjacent areas ahead of his visit there.

Earlier, Narendra Modi arrived in Dhaka this morning on a two-day official visit to join the grand celebrations of the golden jubilee of country’s independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

A special aircraft of the Air India carrying the Indian premier along with his entourage members landed at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka at 10.30 in the morning.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received her Indian counterpart at the airport.

The Indian Premier became the fifth among the world leaders to attend the 10-day celebration.

This is the first foreign visit of Narendra Modi since the Covid-19 onset.-BSS