BN Report
Bangladesh solemnly and enthusiastically commemorated its Independence Day and National Day on Tuesday.
This observance marks the historic declaration of independence by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 26, 1971, following the brutal crackdown on unarmed Bangalees by Pakistani occupation forces the previous night.
After a nine-month Liberation War, Bangladesh successfully attained independence on December 16, 1971.
The day was marked as a public holiday nationwide. Early in the morning, President Mohammed Shahabuddin, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck paid their respects to the martyrs of the Liberation War by laying wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar.
Upon her return from Savar, Prime Minister Hasina honored the memory of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, by placing a wreath at his portrait in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi Road-32 in Dhaka. Standing in silent reverence for a period, she paid homage to Bangabandhu, the visionary leader behind Bangladesh’s independence. Hasina, also serving as the President of the Awami League, was accompanied by central AL leaders during this solemn tribute.
Throughout the country, national flags adorned government and private buildings, while government and semi-government buildings were illuminated to mark the occasion. Various socio-cultural and political organizations arranged elaborate programs to observe the day.
Special supplements were published in national dailies, and Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, as well as private radio and television channels, aired special programs emphasizing the historical significance of the day.
Special prayers were offered at mosques, temples, churches, and other places of worship, seeking divine blessings for the eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the four national leaders, and the martyrs of the Liberation War.
In a gesture of solidarity and care, special food distributions took place at hospitals, jails, childcare and daycare centers, and old age homes.
Children’s parks and museums remained open throughout the day. Additionally, vessels from the Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Coast Guard were open to the public from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at various ports and terminals across the country.
Programs highlighting the significance of the Independence Day were also organized in districts, upazilas, and Bangladesh missions abroad.
