Raise voice against anti-Liberation War forces: Quader

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday urged the countrymen to raise their voice against anti-Liberation War forces.

"The anti-Liberation War forces are still prevailing in the country in various forms even after 52 years of independence," he said.

Obaidul Quader made the call during an exchange of views with journalists after paying tribute at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar on the occasion of Independence and National Day Sunday morning.

He said anti-Liberation War forces challenged the independence of the country through communalism and militancy. 

"So these forces should be eliminated from the country to continue the trend of development," he also added.

Calling BNP the "spokesman of Pakistan," the ruling party general secretary also said that BNP is speaking in the "language of Pakistanis" about the genocide in 1971.

The national and Awami League party flags were hoisted at Bangabandhu Bhaban along with central and party offices across the country in the morning immediately after sunrise.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina along with its senior leaders paid tribute at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar at 5:54am.

Leaders and workers paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 at 6:45am maintaining health guidelines.

Special prayers were arranged at mosques across Bangladesh including Baitul Mukarram after Zuhr prayers. 

Christian community members arranged special prayers at Tejgaon Church at 8am and Mirpur Baptist Church at one minute past zero hours.

Buddhist community members arranged prayers at the International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda at 10 am and Hindu community members at Dhakeshwari National Temple at 11am.

Alongside, a delegation of the party placed wreaths at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj at 11am while special prayers was arranged there.

The delegation members were Presidium Member Lt Col (retd) Muhammad Faruque Khan, Central Working Committee Member Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Presidium Member Shajahan Khan, Organising Secretary SM Kamal Hossain and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan.

Awami League will hold a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) at 11am today where Sheikh Hasina will chair and take part in the discussion.