Countdown to Sheikh Mujib’s birth centenary begins Jan 10

The government is set to launch the countdown to the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 10.

The centenary will be celebrated on March 17.

A total of 83 countdown clocks will be installed in Dhaka and other places across the country to begin the countdown to the birth centenary.

‘We will set up countdown clocks at 83 spots in  53 districts and 12 cities. The clocks will also be installed at two upazilas — Tungipara, the birthplace of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — and Meherpur — where the Liberation War-time provisional government took oath in 1971,’ home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan told a press briefing after chairing the first meeting of a sub-committee on security issues on Wednesday at the secretariat. 

The sub-committee in the coordination meeting decided to request the authorities concerned to keep the International Trade Fair at Agargaon closed for January 10 as the main countdown programme would be held on the national parade ground at Tejgaon Old Airport, he said.

He said the venue for the countdown event was selected keeping in mind the return of Sheikh Mujib to independent Bangladesh on January 10, 1972 by plane that landed at the Old Airport. 

Asaduzzaman said the army would be in charge of overall security for the programme in the Old Airport area while police and other law enforcement agencies would assist them. 

He said the countdown programme would start at 3:00pm at the venue where prime minister Sheikh Hasina would unveil the birth centenary logo and the countdown clock.

He said 2,000 invited guests and 10,000 spectators, who would be able to get registered through mobile apps were expected to attend the programme. 

The minister said that the countdown clocks would be set up at 28 spots in 12 city corporations including Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation.

Heads of law enforcement agencies, among others, attended the security coordination meeting.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net