Victory Day Celebrated With a vow to build Prosperous 'Sonar Bangla'

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Published on December 16, 2021
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The nation celebrated the golden jubilee of its glorious victory on Thursday with a renewed a pledge to make the country free from hunger, poverty and communalism.

People from all walks of life paid glowing tributes to the bright sons of soil who laid down their lives in the nine-month war to liberate the country from the Pakistan occupation forces.

Remembering the war heroes, marking 50 years of the great victory, people of the country also vowed to eliminate the followers of the defeated forces of the Liberation War in 1971.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the nation in paying homage to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar at 6:30am.

This year, gala celebrations of golden jubilee of the country’s victory and birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman doubled joy and enthusiasm among the people.

After placing wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood in solemn silence for sometime as a mark of profound respect to the martyrs while the bugle played the last post.

Then Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain placed wreaths at the National Memorial.

Sheikh Hasina, also President of the ruling Awami League, flanked by her party leaders, placed another wreath on behalf of her party. Her sister Sheikh Rehana accompanied her.

The two daughters of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman penned their feelings in the visitors’ book there.
Then, the gate of the National Memorial was opened for all and people of different ages started placing flowers at the National Memorial to pay their deep respects to the martyrs.

Freedom fighters and their family members, leaders and activists of different political parties, including main opposition Jatiya party and BNP, and socio-cultural organisations placed wreaths at the memorial.

Carrying red-green Bangladesh’s flag and wearing red-green dresses, people thronged the National Memorial. Many parents and guardians were seen with their children at the memorial.

Many youths, who came to show respect to the martyrs, said the spirit of the liberation war will be at stake if the collaborators of Pakistan occupation forces and their followers are not wiped out.

Anik Hossain, a student of Dhaka University, said, “The defeated forces of ’71 can never accept a secular Bangladesh. They have rejected Bengali culture. They still pose the question as to whether Bangladesh will be run on the basis of religion.”

“We, the young generation, will continue fighting against them. We must renew our pledge to build a Bangladesh with the spirit of the War of Liberation,” he added.

“Bangladesh has made tremendous progress in the last five decades. But the objectives of the Liberation War are yet to be achieved,” said Sumaiya Afroz, a cultural activist.

The Prime Minister then paid tribute to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his portrait of at Dhanmondi.

Freedom fighters, associate organisations of the Awami League also paid respects respect to Bangabandhu.

President Abdul Hamid took the salute while his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind, joined the Victory Day parade along with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at National Parade Ground

The president arrived at the Parade Square at 10:30am and was welcomed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Minister of Liberation War Affairs AKM Mozammel Haque and the chiefs of the three services.

Then visiting Indian President Kovind joined them in the parade. He was received by the President and the Prime Minister.

Members of the Army, Navy and Air Force, the BNCC, BGB, police, RAB, Ansar and VDP, Coast Guard, Fire Service and Civil Defence took part in the parade organised by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and the Ninth Infantry Division of the Army.

Apart from Bangladesh, five countries took part in the parade. Of them, Bhutan, India, and Russia joined the parade with their contingents while the US and Mexico took part as observer.

This was the first ever participation of foreign troops in the Victory Day ceremony since Bangladesh’s independence.

A contingent of freedom fighters, Armed Forces officers, and officials from different law enforcing agencies and different ministries also took part in the parade.

Besides Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, cabinet members, secretaries, armed forces officials, foreign ambassadors and heads of different missions were also present, among others.

President Abdul Hamid, dressed in a blue suit and white shirt, inspected the parade in an open vehicle before moving to the stage to receive his salute.

Major General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, GOC of the Ninth Infantry Division, was the captain of this year’s parade.

Marking the golden jubilee of the country’s victory and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a two-day special programme titled ‘the Great Hero of the Great Victory' began at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad in the afternoon.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee organized the programme.

At the beginning of the first day’s programme, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina administered an oath to the nation.

At the second session of the programme, a discussion was held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

President Abdul Hamid was present as the chief guest while his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind was the guest of honour at the discussion.

On the occasion, Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana presentted the “Sraddha Smarak- Mujib Chironton” to the guest of honour.

Earlier, celebrations of the Victory Day began with a 31-gunshot salute at dawn.

The national flag was kept hoisted at all public and private buildings across the country on the occasion.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sent gifts to the wounded freedom fighters.

She also unveiled commemorative stamps, marking Victory Day and the surrender of the Pakistani occupation forces.

Sheikh Hasina revealed a logo containing Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation’s brand name “Mujib’s Bangladesh” as part of the celebrations of the Bangabandhu’s birth centenary and the golden jubilee of victory.

Different political parties and socio-cultural organizations arranged various, including discussion, rally, placing of wreaths at memorials, and cultural programmes across the country.