Bangladesh today celebrates the 50th anniversary of its national victory, remembering the valiant freedom fighters who fought and made the supreme sacrifice to free the country from the Pakistani occupation forces.

 
Victory Day this year coincides with the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country’s independence.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate, military contingents from Russia, India and Bhutan will participate in the Victory Day march-past at the National Parade Ground while observers from the United States and Mexico will attend the event.

Sheikh Mujib’s birth centenary celebration national implementation committee has taken up a two-day special programme titled ‘The Great Hero of the Great Victory’ at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad on December 16 and 17.

At the beginning of the first day’s programme today at 4:30pm, prime minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to administer an oath to the nation as part of the celebrations.

At the second session of the programme, a discussion will be held with the prime minister in the chair.

President Md Abdul Hamid will be present as the chief guest while his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind, who arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday on a three-day visit, will be the guest of honour at the discussion.

On December 17, a cultural function will be held on the parliament premises at around 5.30pm.

All programmes marking the national celebrations will be held maintaining the health guidelines amid the Covid pandemic.

The Victory Day events will include a 31-gun salute, placing wreaths at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar to pay homage to the independence war  martyrs, hoisting the national flag atop all government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices across the country.

The victory day programmes will also include decorating city streets with miniature national flags and colourful festoons and illuminating important buildings and establishments, roads and street islands at night.

President M Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the Savar national memorial on the outskirts of the capital with the rise of the sun today.

This event will be followed by the placing of wreaths by family members of the Bir Sreshthos, wounded freedom fighters and freedom fighters led by liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque.

Afterwards, foreign diplomats, leaders of the Awami League and different political and social organisations and people from all walks of life will pay tributes to the martyrs of the war.

Contingents of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force as well as freedom fighters, para-military forces, law enforcement agencies and various ministries of the government will participate in the parade to be held at the National Parade Ground in the city at 10:30am.

President Abdul Hamid will be present there and take salute while prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inspect the parade.

The day is a public holiday.
The national dailies will bring out special supplements while the Bangladesh Postal Department will release commemorative postage stamps on the occasion.

The state-owned and private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes highlighting the liberation war.

 
Marking the day, improved diets will be served to the inmates of jails, hospitals, orphanages and vagrant homes across the country.

Besides, various political, social and cultural organisations, including Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, National Museum, Liberation War Museum, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, will celebrate the day with various programmes.

A discussion on the best use of digital technology and upholding the spirit of the independence war in building the Golden Bengal as dreamt by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be held on the occasion.

Besides, receptions will be held in the metropolitan cities, district towns and upazila headquarters for freedom fighters and family members of the martyrs.

In accordance with the health guidelines, special prayers will be offered at mosques and other places of worship, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the war martyrs and peace, progress and prosperity for the country.

Similar programmes will be held at the district and upazila levels as well as Bangladesh missions abroad highlighting the significance of the day.

Meanwhile, the ministry of liberation war affairs has requested the people not to cause any damage to the flower garden at the National Memorial at Savar while placing wreaths at the memorial.