Quader vows to uproot all strings of sectarianism

Awami League General Secretary, also the Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader has vowed to eradicate the spreading poison of sectarianism in Bangladesh.

He said this after paying homage at the National Memorial in Savar on Wednesday morning on the occasion of 50th Victory Day.

At 6:30 in the morning, the formality of Victory Day began with 31 rounds of cannon fire at the National Parade Square. At the same time, the homage ceremony started at the National Memorial in Savar.

Obaidul Quader said, "We are celebrating this Victory Day on the verge of the golden jubilee of independence. Yet a section in this country is fighting against the ideology of independence of Bangladesh, the spirit of the liberation war. They are an evil force."

"The promise of this Victory Day is that we will stand against these forces with the spirit of liberation war. On one side is the spirit of '47, on the other is '71. Sectarianism on one hand, secularism on the other," he said.

Meanwhile, former agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury, a Presidium member of Awami League, said, "Their dream of killing Bangabandhu with the hope of destroying Bangladesh did not come true. The dream that freedom fighters fought for under the leadership of the father of the nation, has been taken up by the new generation. They will take the country forward."

Earlier, the military secretaries of the President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War with flowers on their behalf.

At 6:34 am, the President's Military Secretary Major General SM Shamim Uz Zaman paid his respects. Later, the Prime Minister's Military Secretary Major General Ahmed Chowdhury paid tribute to the martyrs.

After the President and the Prime Minister paid their respects to the martyrs with flowers, the Speaker of the National Assembly and the three forces paid their respects. After this, the memorial was opened to the public.