The country is celebrating its 46th Independence Day with due solemnity and festivities. The day is a public holiday.
The president and the prime minister will place wreaths at the National Mausoleum in Savar on Saturday.
On March 26, 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh’s independence following the crackdown on unarmed Bangalis by the Pakistan occupation forces.
The call for independence was first raised on March 7, 1971, when Bangabandhu – during his historic speech at the Race Course Maidan, now known as Suhrawardy Udyan – urged citizens to join the struggle for independence.
“The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence,” Sheikh Mujib said in his 19-minute speech.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages greeting citizens on the occasion of Independence Day.
The national flag was hoisted since sunrise atop all government, semi-government, autonomous and non-government buildings and different important buildings and establishments.
Different political parties including the BNP and main opposition Jatiya Party will observe the day with different programmes.