47th Independence and National Day celebrated [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

47th Independence and National Day celebrated

Local March 27, 2017

People flock to the national memorial at Savar and other monuments across the country to pay homage to the brave freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the liberation of the country on Sunday as the nation celebrated the 47th Independence and National Day.
Gun salute, parade, discussions, film show, cultural programme and others also features the celebrations of the Independence Day amid beefed up security.
People streamed to memorials since day break and took a fresh vow to institutionalise democracy and establish a just society based on rule of law and secularism.
Bangladesh’s independence was formally declared on March 26, 1971 with the people taking up arms against Pakistani forces, who carried out one of the worst genocides in modern history.
The nine-month war culminated in the independence of Bangladesh on December 16, 1971 after the supreme sacrifice of three million people.
The day is observed as the Independence Day since 1971 and in 1980, the government decided to observe it as the National Day as well.
A pre-dawn 31-gun salute heralded the Independence Day celebrations.
People queued up at the National Memorial at Savar, built at about 35km north-west of Dhaka, at the daybreak.
President Abdul Hamid led the nation placing first wreaths at the National Memorial followed by prime minister Sheikh Hasina. They stood in solemn silence as bugles played the Last Post.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia also paid tributes to martyred freedom fighters at the memorial.
Wreaths were laid at the National Memorial by the speaker, deputy speaker ministers, lawmakers, chiefs of three services, diplomats, civil and military officials, freedom fighters and other dignitaries.
Thousands, many donned in green and red dresses and carrying miniatures of the national flag, went to the National Memorial. The altar of the memorial was bedecked with flowers as people filed past it. Families of Bir Shreshthas and the war wounded freedom fighters also paid tributes to martyrs.
Wreaths were laid at the memorial by leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jatiya Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Gana Sanghati, Gana Forum, Liberal Democratic Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Democratic Revolutionary Party, Revolutionary Workers Party, Ganatantrik Biplabi Party, Jatiya Ganatantrik League, Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad, student organisations, professional groups and socio-cultural organisations.
On the occasion of the Independence Day, the president hosted a reception at Bangabhaban.
The prime minister took salute at a children’s parade in the capital organised by the Dhaka district administration. Speaking on the occasion, she urged those wasting their lives in suicide attacks to return to the right path and assured them of doing whatever necessary to ensure their rehabilitation. Hasina urged all to remain vigilant so that no one could foil the spirits of the War for Independence.
After placing wreath at the National Memorial, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that democracy was one of the spirits of Bangladesh’s War of Independence and democracy was grounded now. Fakhrul urged all to unite under the leadership of Khaleda to restore democracy.
People also thronged to Parade Square where Armed Forces Division hosted a military hardware exhibition and Bangladesh National Museum and museum at Suhrawardy Udyan to watch film shows on the liberation war.
They also witnessed and heard buglers from the three services performance in different city points such as Crescent Lake of National Parliament, Farmgate Park and Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium at Mirpur.
Navy ships remained open to public in ports of Sadarghat and Pagla, Chittagong, Mongla, Khulna and Barisal.
The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the Bangla Academy and the Liberation War Museum held programmes marking the day.
The national flag was hoisted atop buildings marking the day, which was a public holiday. Important public and private buildings and road islands were decorated with flags and festoons.
The state-run and private radio and television channels aired special programmes. Newspapers and periodicals brought out supplements highlighting the significance of the day.
Improved diets were served at hospitals, jails, orphanages, vagrant homes, Muktijoddha Kendra and charity homes.
Special prayers were offered at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas, seeking divine blessings for the departed souls of the martyrs as well as for peace, stability and progress of the country.