People from all walks of life will gather at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar, about 35km northwest of Dhaka, on Sunday to commemorate the martyrs and brave freedom fighters of the Liberation War with love and respect.
On March 26, 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proclaimed Bangladesh's independence, following a crackdown on unarmed Bangalis by Pakistani occupation forces at midnight on March 25.
After a nine-month war and the supreme sacrifices of three million people and the honour of 200,000 women, Bangladesh finally achieved victory on December 16, 1971.
The premises of the memorial and its surrounding areas have been prepared like in previous years.
The 53rd Independence Day will be observed throughout the country and Bangladesh missions across the globe with due dignity and enthusiasm, paying deep respect to the Liberation War martyrs.
Cleaning and decoration
Visiting the National Memorial on March 25, this correspondent found that the cleaning and beautification work has already been completed.
The complex has been decorated with a variety of looks with colourful flowers.
The stairs and other structures have also been decorated with various flowers and paintings.
The monument and footpath have been cleaned and polished.
Dhaka TribuneFlower trees of red, blue, purple, yellow and white have increased the beauty of the memorial. Colourful flowers have blossomed on these trees, enhancing the beauty of the surrounding area.
A national flag is made of trees in front of the memorial altar, and red water lilies have been newly planted in the lake water.
Lighting arrangements have also been made inside and outside the entire memorial.
Public Works Department's Mizanur Rahman, deputy assistant engineer of the memorial, said that they have been working in the memorial area for the last month for Independence Day.
Dhaka TribuneFor this reason, the entry of common people to the monument area has been reserved since March 12. Already after the washing and cleaning work, the monument area has been decorated with flowers.
Red-green lighting is provided for nighttime. The National Martyrs' Memorial is all set to celebrate Independence Day, said the engineer.
He also said that the president and the prime minister will pay tribute to the brave heroes of the nation in the early hours of Sunday.
Besides, the speaker, members of parliament, diplomats, political leaders and government officials will pay tribute to the national heroes with flowers.
After that, the monument area will be opened to the public.
Decoration of surrounding roads and highways
Apart from the monument area, the surrounding areas outside the national monument have also been beautified.
The road divider has been painted on the Dhaka-Aricha highway from Nabinagar to Aminbazar and Baish Mile from Nabinagar and from Nabinagar to Palli Bidyut road.
Besides, many banner posters with pictures of local leaders and activists have been hung on both sides of the road to attract attention on the occasion of the day.
Dhaka TribuneSecurity strengthened
Dhaka police have beefed up security around the monument and its surrounding areas centring on Independence Day celebrations.
Along with CCTV cameras, temporary watch towers have been installed at various important points.
Public access to the memorial has been closed since March 23.
Dhaka District Superintendent of Police (SP) Asaduzzaman Ripon has already visited the monument area.
Asaduzzaman said that the police have strengthened the security system for the celebration. Four-layer security measures have been taken here.
For security, not only the memorial area but also the Savar and Ashulia areas have been covered by CCTV cameras. Apart from this, various intelligence agencies are working here.
Besides, the residents of the area around the memorial have been prohibited from sheltering anyone in their houses. Visiting relatives is also discouraged, added the SP.
