From this year, the national flag should be hoisted at all public and private buildings in the country and its diplomatic missions on historic March 7 as the government amended the 1972 rules concerned.
Previously, the hoisting of the national flag was mandated on Victory Day, Independence Day, Eid-e-Miladunnabi and any other day as notified by the government.
A gazette notification in this regard was issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday, by amending the Bangladesh National Anthem, Flag and Emblem Order-1972.
Signed by Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, the gazette reads that it would go into effect soon, however, without mentioning any specific date.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had delivered his landmark speech on March 7, which was later termed an indirect declaration of the country’s independence in 1971.
The landmark fiery speech of Bangabandhu inspired the Bangalis to prepare for the Liberation War, earning the nation freedom on December 16 that very year.
The war began 18 days later, when the Pakistan Army launched "Operation Searchlight" against unarmed Bangali civilians, intellectuals, students, politicians, and armed personnel.
On October 30 in 2017, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, well known as Unesco, recognized the historic speech as part of the world’s documentary heritage.
It was also included in the Memory of the World International Register, a list of world’s important documentary heritage maintained by the Unesco.
The national flag is usually kept at half mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous and non-governmental organisation facilities across the country and Bangladesh missions abroad on February 21 and August 15.
