Bangladesh is observing Independence Day with commemoration of war martyrs – bdnews24.com

The British quit the Indian sub-continent in 1947, but the people of Bengali-dominated East Pakistan were left shackled by West Pakistan rulers oppression for decades before Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the Bengali to independence through a nine-month Liberation War in 1971.

They call him Bangabandhu or The Friend of Bengal.

As the Bengalis were preparing for an armed struggle after he called for independence in his historic March 7 speech in 1971, the Pakistani forces swooped down on innocent civilians in one of the most horrific genocides in world history in the night of Mar 25 that year. Before being arrested by the Pakistani forces, Bangabandhu formally declared independence on Mar 26.

Bangabandhu was assassinated in the massacre of his family three and a half years later after he laid the foundation for development while rebuilding the war-torn nation.

Decades after the countrys journey backwards during military rules, the Awami League returned to power with Bangabandhus daughter Sheikh Hasina at the helm, taking the charge to sail the nation towards the path of development.

The coronavirus pandemic, however, cast shadows on the celebrations of Bangabandhus birth centenary and golden jubilee of independence.

This year, the nation is celebrating Independence Day on Saturday with a flurry of programmes as the pandemic has ebbed in the country.

The celebrations will begin with a 50-gun salute. At dawn, wreaths will be laid at the National Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War.

The national flag will be hoisted at sunrise in government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings to commemorate the occasion.

The main roads of Dhaka and other cities have been bedecked with colourful flags while important buildings have been lit up in green and red.

Various social and cultural organisations, including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, National Museum, Liberation War Museum, Bangladesh Shishu Academy will arrange discussions, cultural programmes and sports competitions to mark the Independence Day.

In a message on the occasion, President Abdul Hamid remembered Bangabandhu, the four national leaders and the martyrs, for whose sacrifice Bangladesh is moving forward on the highway of development as an independent nation.

"We have achieved enormous success in various areas of socio-economic development including poverty alleviation, education, health, human resources development, women empowerment, reduction of child and maternal mortality rates, elimination of gender discrimination and increase in average life expectancy," he said.

Hasina called for unity to build a self-confident and self-respecting Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty in the spirit of the Liberation War.

I firmly believe that Bangladesh will soon emerge as a developed and prosperous state on the world map if we continue the pace of development that we have created in the country.

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Bangladesh is observing Independence Day with commemoration of war martyrs - bdnews24.com