The nation yesterday observed its 43rd Victory Day commemorating the unsung heroes who sacrificed their lives during the Liberation War and brought the victory for the country on the same day in 1971.
The celebration began with a 31-gun salute at dawn to pay respect to the heroic struggle that brought the independence for the country.
The National Flag was hoisted atop all government, semi-government and other important establishments.
Marking the 43rd Victory Day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday morning paid their tributes to the heroic sons of the soil who had laid down their lives to be independent from Pakistan through a nine-month-long war.
The president and the prime minister paid tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar at about 6:40am.
After placing the wreaths, President Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stood there in solemn silence for some time to show their respect to the memories of the martyrs of the great Liberation War in 1971.
The Chief Justice, Ministers, lawmakers, the chiefs of the three forces, freedom fighters, diplomats and high civil and military officials, wounded freedom fighters and family members of the heroic award-winning Birshrestha were present on the occasion.
Later, along with her party leaders, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also president of the Bangladesh Awami League, placed another wreath at the National Memorial on behalf of her party.
Leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia along with her party’s prominent leaders placed wreath to honour the heroes at the National Memorial.
The day was a public holiday.
People of different political, social, cultural and professional backgrounds gathered at the monument with flowers and banners to show respect to the sons and daughters who sacrificed everything possible for the independence of Bangladesh.
In addition to the capital, same types of programmes were organised to honor the martyrs across the country.
Following the high officials, thousands of people full with the spirit of independence gathered at the National Mausoleum to pay homage to the freedom fighters and commemorate the sacrifices of those who are living with the memories of 1971.
Asked about how he felt on the day, a Jahagirnagar University student Ahsan who went there to place wreath at the National Mausoleum with his friends told the Dhaka Tribune it gave him inspiration to do something for the country.
“I have been coming each morning of the Victory Day since I got enrolment in the University in 2010, he also said, adding that I am happier this year as we have made it possible to hang Abdul Quader Molla, one of the war crime convicts.”
Like every year, parts of the city wore a festive look since early morning. A number of buildings, vehicles and road islands were decorated with national flags of different sizes.
In many streets and shops, popular patriotic songs played through loudspeakers throughout the day.
Men, women and children in green and red flocked into various monuments and parks including the National Mausoleum and the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban area and many other public places to participate in the many cultural programmes across the city.
“I had been taking my children to the National Mausoleum at Savar to pay tributes to the war heroes for the last few years to make them understand the significance of the day,” said Mahjabin Islam, a mother of two children.
Bangladesh missions, deputy missions and consulates abroad also observed the day.
Similarly, foreign missions in Dhaka gave separate messages on the occasion of the Victory Day.
In his message, Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh H.E. Alexander A. Nikolaev congratulated all citizens of the country on this great occasion.
He said: “Today on behalf of mine as well as the Russian Embassy in Dhaka I would like to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and freedom fighters of Bangladesh.”
The ambassador observed that the diplomatic relations between Russia and Bangladesh had always been comprehensive from the moment of its establishment in the early 70-s, from the very first days of Bangladesh as an independent state.
Russia and Bangladesh share a common approach to ideas of peace and democracy i.e. multi-polar global architecture and a fair international economic system, said Alexander A. Nikolaev.
“Taking this opportunity on this auspicious day I would like to wish all our Bangladeshi friends happiness and prosperity, health and new achievements in their further move to the national progressive development,” read the message.
The ambassadors of European Union member states did not attend the Victory Day programme yesterday morning.
An official of the EU Embassy in Dhaka said: “They could not attend the programme as they had an internal coordination meeting.”
He, however, said ambassadors went to Bangabhaban and greeted President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani occupation forces, Gen AAK Niazi along with his 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered at Ramna Racecourse, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka following a miserable defeat to the joint forces of Mukti Bahini and Mitra Bahini.
In one of the heinous acts of genocide in human history, the Pakistan army and their local collaborators had launched a barbarous crackdown on March 25, 1971 in the erstwhile East Pakistan at midnight past, killing innocent and unarmed people.
