Marking the victory day, thousands of people have joined in singing Bangladesh’s national anthem ‘Amar sonar Bangla ami tomay bhalobasi’ (My Bengal of Gold, I love you) in unison at the Suhrawardy Udyan (formerly known as Ramna Race Course) exactly at 4:31pm reminiscing the signing of Instrument where the Bangalis’ charter of freedom was written 42 years ago.
The song, composed by Rabindranath Tagore, had inspired the nation during Bangladeshi’s war of independence from Pakistan in 1971. It was later adopted as the country’s National Anthem.
People came in hordes to sing the anthem in unison at the ‘Bijoy 2013’ celebration at the historic park.
Suhrawardy Udyan is also the place where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had delivered his historic speech in which he had said: “This time the struggle is for our freedom” - electrifying words that had heavily inspired the Bangali nation into a struggle for freedom.
Bijoy 2013 Udjapan Jatiya Committee, Ganajagaran Mancha, Sector Commanders’ Forum, Muktijuddher Chetona Bastabayan Committee and Bijoy 4:31 Mancha are jointly celebrating Victory Day this year.
Before the signing of the National Anthem, singers of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra sang various songs that had once inspired freedom-loving people to fighting on till freedom was won in 1971.
Pakistani occupation forces had signed the Instrument of Surrender at 4:31pm on December 16, 1971.
Deputy Commander-In-Chief of the Mukti Bahini and Air Vice Martial AK Khandker said, “The main theme of today’s ceremony is to have the National Anthem sung by millions at that historic moment (4:31pm).”
