The nation celebrates the 52nd Victory Day today, recalling the heroic freedom fighters, who made their supreme sacrifices to free the country from the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971.

People from all walks of life will visit the National Memorial at Savar and other memorials across the country to pay tribute to the 1971 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Political parties, socio-cultural and professional organisations as well as educational institutions have taken elaborate programmes to celebrate Victory Day.

The national flag would be hoisted in all government, semi-government, autonomous, and private buildings to mark the day, which is a public holiday.

The day would be welcomed with 31 gun salutes at sunrise in the capital, districts, and upazilas.

Special prayers would be offered at mosques, temples, churches, and pagodas across the country, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyred and the peace and prosperity of the nation.

On Victory Day, an improved diet will also be served in prisons, hospitals, old homes, and orphanages across the country, he said.

On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani occupation forces launched a brutal onslaught on the Bengalis and committed genocide on the unsuspecting, unarmed people.

The War of Independence was preceded by 23 years of intense political struggle for democracy and national identity.

The commander of 92,000 marauding troops of the Pakistan army, Lieutenant General AAK Niazi, surrendered at Ramna Race Course, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka on December 16, 1971.

Marking the day, president Md Abdul Hamid issued a message claiming the aims of our independence were to attain political sovereignty and people’s economic emancipation.

‘On this joyous day, I extend my sincere felicitations and warm greetings to my fellow country people living at home and abroad,’ the message read.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said in a message congratulated the country people on the eve of Victory Day.

‘December 16 is our great Victory Day. This is one of the glorious days in the national life of Bangalees,’ she said.

 President Md Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital at the rise of the sun tomorrow.

The freedom fighters and their family members will then pay their tributes, led by liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque.

After that, foreign diplomats, leaders of different political and social organisations, institutions, and people from all walks of life will pay their tributes to the martyrs.

The president, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces division, will attend a parade marking the day at the National Parade Ground in the morning.

Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Coast Guard, Ansar, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh and Bangladesh National Cadet Corps will take part in the parade.

Important buildings will be illuminated and the national flag will be flown atop these buildings.

Newspapers will bring out special supplements and television channels and radio stations will air special programmes.

The ruling Awami League has scheduled programmes, including placing wreaths at the National Martyrs’ Memorial, at the portrait of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the capital’s Dhanmondi, and at the mausoleum of Mujib at Tungipara this morning.

Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party also chalked out programmes including hoisting the national and party flags in front of its Naya Paltan central office, placing floral wreaths at the National Martyrs’ Memorial and at the grave of BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman, and holding discussions and processions.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal factions, The Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Gono Forum, Ganosamhati Andolan, Bhashani Oikyajot, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, the Liberation War Museum, the National Press Club, Dhaka Reporters Unity, and other organisations have taken programmes to mark the day.

The Dhaka University authorities, the Teacher-Student Centre, and all socio-cultural organisations have chalked out various events to mark the day.

The programmes included hoisting the national flag, and placing wreaths at the national memorial at Savar, and other places.

Jahangirnagar University has also organised various programmes to mark the day.