The government has announced a 10-day program schedule from March 17 to March 26 to celebrate the golden jubilee of independence and birthday of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be present at different events to mark the historic milestone of the country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will join the inauguration program virtually on March 17 while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the closing ceremony on March 26 at National Parade Ground in Dhaka.
Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, chief coordinator of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee, revealed the information in a press conference at Dhaka’s International Mother Language Institute on Friday afternoon.
Abdul Naser said the authorities have taken full preparation to celebrate Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary with the theme “Mujib Chironton” (Eternal Mujib) while maintaining health safety rules.
Every day’s program will showcase different aspects of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s life, according to the press briefing.
Five heads of state and government of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries will be present in the celebration.
“Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on March 17, Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on March 19, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari on March 22, and Bhutan President Lotay Tshering on March 24 will attend the celebration in person,” Naser said.
“President Abdul Hamid will join three days while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will participate in five days programs,” he added.
Additionally, Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen, Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and Pope Francis will deliver speeches virtually at the programs.
Due to Covid-19, only 500 guests will be invited to join the programs at National Parade Ground. Everyone will have to show the Covid-19 negative certificate within 48 hours before joining the program.
“No guest will be allowed in the venue without Covid-19 negative certificate,'' said Naser.
National Professor Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, chairman of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee; Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Nilphamari 2 MP Asaduzzaman Nur, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Shah Ali Farhad were also present at the briefing.