Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus's press wing has clarified that his recent remarks on "pressing the reset button" in an interview with Voice of America is being misinterpreted by some people.  "He (Prof Yunus) did not mean wiping out Bangladesh's proud history," chief adviser's press wing said in a statement on Thursday. When the Chief Adviser Prof Yunus spoke about pressing the reset button, he meant making a new start from corrupt politics, which destroyed all Bangladesh's key institutions, pushed the economy to the brink of collapse and robbed the rights to vote and civil liberties of tens of millions of people, said the press wing. Dr Yunus praises Russian cooperation in power, energy sectors "When you press the reset button, you reset the software to start all over again. It doesn’t change the hardware. The 1971 Liberation War created the hardware of Bangladesh," said the statement. When he arrived in Dhaka on August 8 to take over as the chief adviser of the interim government, Prof Yunus told reporters at the Hazrat Shahjalal Airport that July-August student-led mass uprising was their "Second Liberation" -- the first liberation being the country's glorious war of independence in 1971. Prof Yunus was an assistant professor at Middle Tennessee State University when the independence of Bangladesh was proclaimed. Dr Yunus among world's most influential Muslims in 2024 "He formed the Bangladesh Citizens Committee immediately after the independence of Bangladesh was announced and launched a US-wide campaign to persuade the US government to recognize Bangladesh," the statement reads. Prof Yunus published  the Bangladesh Newsletter to inform the world about the genocide in Bangladesh perpetrated by the Pakistani army, according to the press wing statement.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday expressed firm conviction to build the country as developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh by 2041 to repay the blood debt of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “He had paid the debt (of people’s love towards him) by his blood. Now it’s our turn to repay his blood debt. And we’ll be able to repay the blood debt when every homeless person gets home and we can make the country a developed and prosperous one by ensuring food, cloth, home, healthcare and education  for the people of Bangladesh,” she said. The premier said this while participating in the discussion on a resolution brought in the House to pay tribute to Bangabandhu and take a vow for building his dream ‘Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal), marking his historic Homecoming Day after the 1971 Liberation War. Awami League lawmaker Mostafizur Rahman (Dinajpur-5) placed the resolution under the section 147 of the Rules of Procedure, which was adopted unanimously by a voice vote following the discussion over the proposal.  Hasina said the people of Bangladesh had taken up arms in their hands responding to the call of the Father of the Nation and shed their blood and made the country an independent one. So, the Father of the Nation in his historic speech delivered in then Race Course maidan returning home on January 10, 1972 promised to repay the debt of this Bengali nation’s love toward him anyhow even with his blood, she said adding that he repaid the debt with his blood. The PM said her government has successfully implemented its Vision-2021 and turned the country into a developing country in 2021 during the golden jubilee of the country’s independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation. She said her government has implemented the pledges whatever her party Awami League made in the 2008, 2014 and 2018 election manifestos.  “We’ll build a develop-prosperous-golden Bangladesh by 2041 after completing Bangladesh's graduation into a developing country by 2026,” she said. Read more: Homecoming Day of Bangabandhu: PM pays tribute at Dhanmondi-32 Noting that her government turned the country into a Digital Bangladesh, the premier said, “We’ll build the country as a hunger-poverty-free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by the Father of the Nation, which would be smart Bangladesh having the population equipped with modern technological knowledge. Then it would be repayment of the blood debt of the Father of the Nation,” she added.  Hasina elaborated the lifelong struggles and sacrifices of the Father of the Nation for establishing an independent Bangladesh and bringing smiles on the faces of the people. AL lawmakers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, advocate Qamrul Islam and Nurul Islam Nahid, Jatiya Party MPs Kazi Firoz Rashid, Sayed Abu Hossain and Rowshan Ara Mannan, Jasod lawmaker Hasanul Haq Inu and Workers Party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon joined the discussion. In the resolution, Mostafizur Rahman said, "Parliament is in the opinion that the historic homecoming of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10 is a special glorious day in the national life of Bengalis. Sheikh Mujib, the undisputed leader of Bengalis, returned home on January 10, 1972 after being freed from Pakistan's captivity 24 days after the victory in the Liberation War……. On this day, let us remember the greatest Bengali of all time and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and take a firm oath for building the golden Bengal as dreamt by him in line with the spirit of the Liberation War by bearing his ideology in hearts.” The proposal also reads that the Pakistanis had taken various plans to kill Bangabandhu during his incarceration at that time. Bangabandhu was not only tortured, but also taken to the gallows. But the Pakistani rulers had to bow down ultimately to the popularity of Bangabandhu at home and abroad, and his indomitable courage. In the absence of Bangabandhu, the Bengali nation continued the bloody war following the path and ideology of Bangabandhu. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces were forced to surrender, it said. Read more: PM thanks JaPa for playing positive role in parliamentary democracy Bangabandhu returned to the country on January 10, 1972 via London and New Delhi after being freed from Pakistan prison. On that day, he returned to an independent  and sovereign country. 10th January is a special day in the life of the Bengali nation, it added.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has said Bangladesh genocide committed in 1971 by the Pakistani military is one of the most heinous crimes in human history and regretted that the Bangladesh genocide is yet to be recognised by the international community to the extent the genocide warrants. “We do not know of another instance of such barbarism of such intensity and mayhem,” Momen said while speaking at a virtual seminar as the chief guest. The Foreign Minister said on 25 March 1971 the Pakistan junta undertook the cruel and enormous mayhem of innocent civilian people of Bangladesh in order to suppress the nation's democratic aspirations by sheer force of fear and terror. He informed that Bangladesh declared 25 March as the Genocide Day and Bangladesh is working for getting the date recognized as the International Genocide Day by all the countries in the world. Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momenn said 1971 has been the most significant year in the history of Bangladesh. In one hand, Bangladesh achieved her independence in this very year, on the other hand, the nation experienced the ugliest chapter of brutality, atrocities, indiscriminate killing, raping, looting, and arson to achieve independence, he said, adding that the world witnessed genocide within three decades of the Second World War. Read: Momen in NY: No specific info given by US on Rab sanctions The High Commission for Bangladesh in Canada and the Bangabandhu Centre for Bangladesh Studies (BCBS) in Canada, Liberation War Museum, Bangladesh, Genocide Studies Centre, University of Dhaka, Refugees Resilience Centre and Rotary Club Canada jointly organized the day-long seminar on remembering and recognition of the case of Bangladesh Genocide on 1971 at the Human Rights Museum, Winipeg, Canada on September 21. High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Canada and the Chief Patron of the BCBS in Canada Dr Khalilur Rahman and Dr Kawser Ahmed, Chief Coordinator of the BCBS, Canada, delivered introductory remarks. Dr. Gregory Stanton of Genocide Watch delivered the keynote speech. David C Newman, Rotarian and Peace-Builder and Canadian Patron of the BCBS, Dr. James Waller, Cohen Professor of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies of Keene State College, New Hampshire, USA, Dr. Adam Muller, Professor and Director of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Manitoba, spoke at the seminar. In addition, Dr. John Adam of University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada, gave a verbal illustration of the Bangladesh Genocide which pictures the heinous crimes committed in Bangladesh in 1971. Joining virtually, Mofidul Hoque, Trustee, Liberation War Museum of Bangladesh, and Director of Centre for the Study of Genocide and Justice explained the case of genocide in Bangladesh in 1971. His statement was followed by presentations by post-genocide generation researchers. Professor Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Director of Center for Genocide Studies, University of Dhaka, presented a paper delineating the Bangladesh genocide. Professor Ahmed said that the Bangladesh genocide fulfills all criteria declared by the UN to get the global recognition. Some members of the victim families of the Genocide also spoke at the Seminar. Professor Dr. Nuzhat Chowdhury described the abduction of her father Dr Alim Chowdhury by collaborators of the Pakistan military, the Rajakars, and his subsequent brutal killing just before the independence of Bangladesh. Read: Myanmar’s shelling inside Bangladesh “unintentional mistake”, Momen says in NY She explained the international politics behind the dilemma of getting Bangladesh Genocide recognised and urged for end to such realpolitik. Dr Towheed Reza Noor, son of Sirajuddin Hossain, described his father's abduction and killing. Martyr Mr. Sirajuddin Hossain was a prominent journalist. He described how the Bengali intellectuals were made victim of genocide committed by Pakistani military. Asif Muneir, son of Professor Munir Chowdhury, gave the description of his father's abduction and killing during the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971 by the collaborators of Pakistan military, Rajakar, Al Badr and Al Shams.

Strange it may appear, but a well-known politician in Narail district has embarked on a plantation drive to commemorate the 1971 Liberation War. BM Bartak Ullah, the chairman of Khashial Union Parishad of Kalia upazila, intends to plant 1971 saplings in the upazila -- at least  71 in each ward -- with financial assistance from his friends. The politician kicked off the drive on Friday -- planting saplings along Borodia-Kalia Road leading to Khashial union. Students of many educational institutions of the union also took part in the programme. “The aim is to commemorate the Liberation War,” said BM Barkat. "Saplings will be distributed to all houses, and all roads of the union will be brought under the plantation programme," he said.

The International Crimes Tribunal in Moulvibazar on Thursday sentenced three men to death for their involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. The three-member Tribunal, led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, handed down the punishment to Abdul Aziz alias Habul, Abdul Mannan alias Monai and Abdul Matin, after holding them guilty of murder, rape, looting, arson, torture and kidnapping. Of them, Matin was tried in absentia. Also read: Dhaka urges London to repatriate convicted war criminals Lawyers M Sarwar Hossain and Abdus Sattar Paloyan appeared for the convicts, all residents of the district, while prosecutors Muklesur Rahman Badal and Sabina Yasmin Khan Munni represented the state. According to the prosecution, the investigation agency of the tribunal started a probe against the three convicts on October 16 in 2014. On November 14 in 2016, the investigation was completed. On February 29 of that year, the tribunal issued arrest warrants against the three. Also read: 6 war crimes suspects held in Jashore Police arrested Abdul Mannan and Abdul Aziz on March 1 of the same year. On the following day, the two were produced before the Tribunal and sent to judicial custody. In November 2016, the tribunal's investigating agency submitted the chargesheet against the three accused. On May 15 of the year, the tribunal framed charges against them and started the trial.

Commemorating the life and works of the iconic French photographer Marc Riboud, best known for his photojournalistic works in Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War, a month-long solo photography exhibition titled ‘Bangladesh 1971: Mourning and Morning’ was inaugurated on Saturday at the Liberation War Museum (LWM), Agargaon in the capital. Jointly organised by LWM and Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD), the opening ceremony of the exhibition was joined by Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen as the chief guest. French Ambassador to Bangladesh Jean-Marin Schuh attended the inaugural event as the guest of honour, while AFD’s newly appointed director François Grosjean, LWM trustee and member secretary Sara Zaker, exhibition co-curator Mofidul Hoque and LWM trustee Dr Sarwar Ali joined the programme as special guests. Lorène Duret, the other curator of the exhibition, alongside Catherine Chaine Riboud, widow of Marc Riboud, virtually joined the inaugural event from France. “This is surely a remarkable day for us, as we are celebrating the never-seen-before magnificent photographic works of Marc Riboud during our 1971 Liberation War. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs will always be there if any sort of support is needed, for the acceleration of this wonderful exhibition,” FM Dr Momen said at the ceremony. He added, “As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we have been implementing initiatives such as Economic Diplomacy which demonstrates the roadmap of our economic activities and achievements, and Public Diplomacy, to let the world know about the remarkable progress of Bangladesh that we achieved in the past 12 years. We have established a ‘Bangabandhu Corner’ in each of our diplomatic missions, to let the world learn about the sacrifices our Father of the Nation made; as well as the unique and tragic sacrifices of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.”

The 96th birth anniversary of Tajuddin Ahmad, the first Prime Minister of independent Bangladesh and one of the four national leaders, was observed on Friday. Tajuddin, a great man and a political logician to the core, was born on this day in 1925 at Dardariya village in Kapasia, Gazipur.  Since the 1947 partition, Tajuddin Ahmad played a very important role in all movements from anti-communalism to the Language Movement to the 1971 Liberation War. A close confidante of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Tajuddin was the general secretary of the Awami League in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  Always actively associated with politics for the emancipation of people, he coordinated with Awami League’s election campaign in 1970, in which the party won a historic parliamentary majority to form the government. Read: Tajuddin Ahmed’s 95th birth anniversary observed Tajuddin had led the wartime provisional government during the Liberation War of Bangladesh 1971.  On December 22, 1971, Tajuddin returned to Dhaka after the war. After the independence of Bangladesh, Tajuddin served as the Prime Minister till the historic return of Bangabandhu to his homeland on January 10, 1972. Later, he served as the Minister of Finance and Planning in the cabinet of the Bangabandhu government. He resigned from the cabinet on October 26, 1974. On November 3, 1975, four national leaders and heroes of the country’s Liberation War -- Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain Mansur Ali and AHM Quamruzzaman -- were assassinated inside the Dhaka Central Jail. The strong and unbending role Tajuddin had played during the Liberation War and the supreme sacrifice he made will always be remembered by this grateful nation. Read: Tajuddin Ahmad's 95th birth anniv: LWM and Radio Shadhin to host online event Liberation War Museum arranged a 48-hour online programme from Friday at 8pm, marking the 96th birth anniversary of Tajuddin Ahmad. Filmmaker Tanvir Mokammel will deliver a speech on this virtual event, titled "Jonmodine Tajuddin Ahmad: Nisshongo Sarothi" and there will be a question-answer session at the end of the discussion. Link to watch the documentary: vimeo.com/liberationwarmuseum Zoom link for the discussion: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8520693449

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Thursday sentenced three people of Gafargaon upazila in Mymensingh to jail unto death for their crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.

British lawmakers and diplomats stationed in London have paid their profound homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and expressed solidarity with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s commitment to upholding Bangabandhu’s secular, progressive and pluralistic values in sustaining Bangladesh’s growth and prosperity.

The nation is observing the Martyred Intellectuals Day to commemorate those intellectuals killed systematically by the Pakistan occupation forces and their local collaborators at the fag-end of the country’s Liberation War in 1971.