The nation is set to celebrate the Victory Day, 2022 on Friday, the most joyous day when the country was born at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of three million martyrs and the honour of nearly half a million mothers and sisters, with elaborate programmes.
On this glorious day in 1971, Bangladesh was liberated as an independent country after the Pakistani occupation forces surrendered following a bloody nine-month-long war.
Various programmes will be held on Friday to pay deep homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the country during the Liberation War in 1971.
Along with the government, different socio-political, educational and cultural institutions and organisations have chalked out a series of programmes to celebrate the day. Bangladeshis will celebrate the day at home and abroad.
The day’s programme will begin with a 31-gun salute.
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President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum in Savar with the rising of sun.
They will be followed by the freedom fighters and their family members, foreign diplomats, leaders of Awami League and different political and social organisations and people from all walks of life.
As part of the day’s programmes, a colourful parade will be held at the National Parade Square in Tejgaon around 10:30 am.
Freedom fighters, members of the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies will take part in the parade.
President Abdul Hamid will take salutes and inspect the parade as the chief guest while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also be present at the parade.
Discussion meetings will be held at the national level on the theme of 'Empowering the spirit of the liberation war and the best use of digital technology in building Sonar Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation.’
Apart from this, reception of brave freedom fighters and martyr family members will be held in the metropolis, districts and upazilas.
The national flag will be hoisted atop government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices across the country.
All children's parks and museums will be open to the public without tickets and cinema halls will screen films based on the Liberation War for free.
On this day, an exhibition of documentary films and posters based on the history and tradition of the Liberation War will be organized at the ‘Swadhinota Stombha’ and the Museum of Suhrawardy Udyan.
Bangladesh embassies abroad will also undertake similar programs highlighting the significance of the day.
The day is a public holiday. National dailies will bring out special supplements on the occasion.
State-owned and private television channels and radios will broadcast month- long special programmes highlighting the significance of the Liberation War.
Receptions will be accorded to the freedom fighters and family members of martyrs at city, district and upazila levels.
Destitute children will be allowed to visit the children park in the capital on the day free of cost. Improved diets will be served in jails, hospitals, orphanages across the country.
Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion.
In his message, the President has greeted the country’s people living at home and abroad on the occasion of the Victory Day.
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He recalled with profound respect the greatest Bangalee of all time Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“I remember with gratitude the four national leaders and the people of all walks of life, including the heroic freedom fighters, the organisers and supporters of the Liberation War, foreign friends, war-wounded individuals and members of the martyrs' families, who directly and indirectly contributed to our victory.”
Stating that the aims of the independence were to attain political sovereignty as well as people’s economic emancipation, the President said, “We shall have to give institutional shape to democracy in order to deliver the benefits of independence at people's doorstep.”
He said the political parties will have to nurture the culture of mutual respect and tolerance of others’ opinions. “Let us contribute more from our respective position in implementing the spirit and values of War of Liberation and take the nation towards the path of development and prosperity.”
In her message, the Prime Minister said the establishment of the nation-state 'Bangladesh' through the victory of the War of Liberation on 16 December 1971 was the greatest achievement of the Bangalee nation.
Responding to the clarion call of the Greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Bangalee nation achieved the ultimate victory on this day in 1971 after 23 years of intense political struggle and nine months of blood-shedding War of Liberation, said the PM.
She said, “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib elevated Bangladesh to a 'least developed' country, and we took the motherland to the row of a 'developing' state on the auspicious occasion of 'Mujib Year' and the Golden Jubilee of our victory. Everything we have achieved in the last 51 years since our Independence has been attained by the Father of the Nation and the Awami League.”
She also hoped that this trend of development will continue, Bangladesh will be established as a hunger-poverty-free and developed- prosperous country by 2041 as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She urged all to spread the spirit of the great Liberation War from generation to generation- “let this be our pledge on this victory.”