With a vow to establishing a non-communal and prosperous Bangladesh imbued with the spirit of independence, different government and political, social and cultural organisations will celebrate today the country’s 41st anniversary of victory in the Liberation War.
On this day in 1971, the nation emerged victorious from a nine-month-long hard-fought war against the Pakistani occupation army.
People across the country and the Bangladesh missions abroad will celebrate the occasion by paying tributes to the three million martyrs for their supreme sacrifice, which eventually earned the nation the glory of independence.
The celebrations of this year’s Victory Day call on the people, especially the young generation, to vow to bring positive changes to the nation with a hope of a prosperous Bangladesh.
On the occasion of the day, the capital city has taken a festive look with patriotic songs playing on loud speakers at different intersections and flags flying on cars of the general people, while many were seen draped in green and red clothes matched to the National Flag.
In separate messages, President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia have greeted the nation on the occasion.
Today, a public holiday, will be heralded by 31 gun salutes at dawn at the National Parade Ground in the capital, while the Bangladesh flag will be hoisted atop government, semi-government, and autonomous offices.
The prime minister will place a wreath at the National Memorial in Savar at dawn followed by other political, social and cultural organisations and individuals.
The army, navy, air force, BGB, police, Ansar-VDP and fire service will stage a special parade at the National Parade Ground at 10:00am.
Special prayers will be offered at mosques, temples, churches and other religious institutions seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of the country.
Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar along with private TV channels and radio stations will broadcast special programmes, and newspapers will publish special supplements on the occasion.
The cultural organisation, Utshe Bangladesh, has chalked out a three-day programme titled “Bijoye Parbone” [the occasion of victory], which began yesterday on the central playground of Dhaka University.
Nine different organisations of Dhaka University students have organised three-day celebratory programmes at Teacher-Student Centre (TSC).
Meanwhile, at a protest rally yesterday, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu demanded banning the visit of collaborators of Jamaat-e-Islami to Shaheed Minar, the National Memorial, and the monuments for the martyred intellectuals.
To mark Victory Day, a dozen organisations held a number of programmes yesterday.
On the day in 1971, General AAK Niazi, who commanded the Pakistani occupation forces, surrendered with his 93,000 soldiers to the allied forces of Bangladeshi freedom fighters and Indian army at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
Three million people sacrificed their lives for the freedom, while two lakh women fell victim to physical tortures, including rape, by the occupation forces and their local collaborators–Razakars, Al-Badar, and Al-Shams–during the war.
Source: The Daily Star
