Victory Day celebrated

The 52nd Victory Day was celebrated yesterday across the country in a befitting manner. 

On 16 December 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the cost of three million lives.

On the occasion, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar in the morning.

The president placed the wreath at the altar of the National Memorial at about 6.32am followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After placing the wreaths, the president stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of deep respect for the memories of the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.

A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented the state salute on the occasion, as the bugles played the last post. 

The president also signed the visitors' book kept on the Memorial premises.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial. 

After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971.

Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, placed another wreath at the National Memorial as the party chief. 

The prime minister also signed the visitor's book kept there.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader, AL praesidium members Matia Chowdhury, Abdur Razzaque, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Shajahan Khan, Quamrul Islam and Abdur Rahman, its joint general secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Dr Hasan Mahmud (also information and broadcasting minister) and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, organising secretaries Ahmad Hossain, BM Mozzamel Haque and Abu Sayeed Al Swapan, publicity and publication affairs secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, cultural affairs secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, since and technology affairs secretary Abdus Sabur, health and population affairs secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana and forest and environment affairs secretary Delwar Hossain were, among others, present on the occasion.

Later, leaders of other political and socio cultural organisations placed wreaths at the National Memorial to show respect for the memories of the war martyrs.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital and laid separate wreaths, as Prime Minister and the AL President, at the portrait of the Father of the Nation in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.

Besides, the programmes taken at the national level marking the 'Victory Day' included a 31-gun salute, placing of wreaths at the monuments to pay homage to martyrs, and hoisting of the national flag atop all government, semi-government and private offices as well as offices of autonomous bodies across the country.

The victory day programmes also included decorating city streets with miniature national flags and colourful festoons, and illuminating important buildings and establishments, roads and street islands at night.

Contingents of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force as well as Freedom Fighters, Paramilitary forces and law enforcement agencies participated in the parade held at the National Parade Square in the city. 

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the parade at the National Parade Ground marking Victory Day.

The President, also the supreme commander of the armed forces, took a salute and inspected the parade on the celebration of Victory Day.

The parade was organised and conducted by the 9th Infantry Division of the Bangladesh Army under the supervision of the Armed Forces Division at the directives of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.

President Hamid, accompanied by Major General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, the parade commander and also General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 9th Infantry Division and Area Commander of Savar Area, riding an open jeep inspected the parade and took the salute.

Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Coast Guard, Ansar, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) participated in the parade.

Receptions were accorded to valiant freedom fighters and family members of martyrs at city, upazila and district levels.

Special prayers were offered at mosques and other places of worship, seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs of the Liberation War and peace, progress and prosperity of the country.

All children's parks and museums across the country remained open for all and Liberation War-based movies were screened at the cinema halls free of cost on the day.

Similar programmes were taken at district and upazila levels as well as Bangladesh missions abroad, highlighting the significance of the day. 

A public holiday

National dailies brought out special supplements on the occasion while Bangladesh Postal Department released memorial postage stamps. 

The state-owned and private televisions and radios broadcasted special programmes highlighting the Liberation War.

Marking the day, improved diets were served to inmates of jails, hospitals, orphanages and vagrant homes across the country.

Besides, various political, social and cultural organisations, including Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Swechchhasebak League, Krishak League, Jubo Mohila League, Mohila Awami League, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, National Museum, Liberation War Museum and Bangladesh Shishu Academy, celebrated the day with different programmes. 

Ruling AL hoisted national and party flags at its central party office, Bangabandhu Bhaban and all the party offices across the country.

An AL delegation, led by its praesidium member Colonel (retd) Faruk Khan, paid tributes to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his grave at Tungipara in Gopalganj.