To pay tribute to the freedom fighters, a group of 16 athletes walked 51km Saturday. "Hatahati – the Walks," a group of walkers, observed the programme marking the 51st Victory Day. They started at the zero point of the capital at Friday midnight and walked on through Dhaka–Mawa–Dhaka highway till 1.30pm. At the endpoint of the programme, the walkers paid respect to the freedom fighters of 1971 and took an oath to serve the nation with sincere and responsible citizenship. Read more: Bangladesh’s Victory Day celebrated in Dubai with ‘Bijoy Art Exhibition’ Hatahati – the Walks motivates people and shares information about the necessity and usefulness of walking. They also organise walkathons and long-distance walking or hiking programmes. The walkers' group organised a 71km Dhaka-Valuka walkathon last year to observe 1971, the year of Bangladesh's independence. To pay respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth centenary they also arranged a 100km walking programme from Dhaka to Cumilla.

The nation is set to celebrate the 51st Victory Day on Thursday, 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. People from all walks of life will join various programmes on Thursday to pay deep homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the country during the Liberation War 50 years back. Read: Victory Day programmes: DMP commissioner stresses onus on security 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 at home and abroad will also celebrate the day. This year’s Victory Day has special significance as it coincides with the celebrations of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country's independence. The day’s programme will begin with a 31-gun salute.