Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday joined hundreds of thousands of people at National Parade Ground in the capital to hold her voice in singing the national anthem “Amar Sonar Bangla Ami Tomay Bhalobasi.”
Accompanied by her cabinet colleagues, the premier sung the national anthem in perfect agreement and harmony with thousands reawakening the spirit of independence in people particularly the new generation.
It was a Guinness Book Records programme of singing the national anthem together by the highest number of people in any part of the world in which more than 2.54 lakh people participated.
Ministry of Cultural Affairs with cooperation of the Armed Forces Division arranged the event, marking the 44th Independence and National Day to renew the patriotic and national spirit and zeal in Bengalee people that they had showed in 1971 to liberate the country.
Written and composed by Biswakobi Rabindranath Tagore “Amar Sonar Bangla” is a pioneer song in the cultural and political movement of Bengalee people against subjugation.
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman adopted the song as the national anthem of newborn Bangladesh as it meant to renew the unified spirit of Bengalee people to raise consciousness for freedom, patriotism and native land.
In her short speech on the occasion, the premier urged all to rekindle the spirit of War of Liberation in people particularly in new generation, saying the succeeding generations would carry forward the spirit to materialise the dream of martyrs of independence.
She evoked and eulogised the role of Bangladesh’s national anthem in shaping country’s history, traditions and struggles of people saying, “We express our love to our motherland, people and nature through our national anthem.
“Our national anthem ignites our sense and stirs up our emotion. Today’s event of singing the national anthem by highest number of people would remain as a history of Bangladeshis creating a record of our nationalistic spirit and patriotism.”
The premier said Bangladesh was a nation used to creating history. Bangladeshis made history while being liberated through a ceaseless struggle for 24 years under the leadership of Bangabandhu.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh was born for prosperity of her people. The nation would march forward to have its cherished goal, and the nation would certainly make its position amidst the world comity.