News Desk :
Bangladesh is celebrating the Mujib Year with added zeal and fervour with the addition of another momentous milestone for Bengalis: the golden jubilee of its independence.
A 10-day programme has been designed to mark the occasions, beginning on Bangabandhu’s birthday on Wednesday before drawing the curtains on Mar 26, the 50th anniversary of independence, reports bdnews24.com.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at the National Parade Ground, the venue for the celebrations in the afternoon.
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed joined Hamid and Hasina in celebrating the twin occasions.
A group of children kicked off the celebrations by singing the national anthem in chorus at the main venue around 4:30 pm. A total of 100 child artists performed verses from patriotic songs.
Bangabandhu’s youngest daughter Sheikh Rehana and President Hamid’s wife Rashida Khanam were also in attendance.
National Professor Rafiqul Islam, chairman of the committee on the celebrations later delivered a speech welcoming the guests. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga extended their greetings to the people of Bangladesh in video messages.
Celebrated British journalist Sir William Mark Tully, who was honoured by Bangladesh for his role in independence, also delivered a speech virtually.
A video of Bangabandhu’s bust, sent by China as a gift, was exhibited at the programme.
Bangabandhu’s principle of ‘friendship to all, malice to none’ remains the bedrock of Bangladesh’s foreign policy, Xi said.
“Sheikh Mujib was an old and good friend of the Chinese people,” Xi said, recalling that Bangabandhu’s two visits to China and meeting with Chinese leaders, including Mao Zedong, forged friendship.
Trudeau recalled his visit to Bangladesh when he was a child with his father and former prime minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau.
Suga reiterated Japan’s commitment to support Bangladesh for development.
“On this occasion, I particularly rejoice in my memories of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the great leader who led your country to independence,” said Tully.
Solih said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will remain a source of inspiration for many generations to come. Throughout his life, Bangabandhu was uncompromising for democracy and political freedom, the Maldivian president said.
President Hamid called for reviving Bangabandhu’s ideology of politics which revolved around the notions that the party is greater than a person and the country is greater than a party. “These days, however, politics is stepping backwards,” he said.
Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, highlighted the magnitude of Bangabandhu’s achievements, which set an impoverished nation on the path of economic prosperity.
“Our freedom is the fruit of the success of the continuous struggle for the status of mother language started by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib on March 11, 1948 with the ultimate target of political, economic and cultural emancipation of Bengalis,” she said.
The discussion ended with Hasina’s address. ‘Mujib Chirantan’ souvenirs were to be distributed among the guests afterwards.
Performance by Indian artists will be there along with the Bangladeshi ones in the second session.
A song will be sung with orchestra while a symbolic letter to Bangabandhu will be read out. A video of the celebrations will be played.
Singers Sadi Mohammad, Rafiqul Alam, Rezwana Choudhury Bannya and Shimul Yousuf will sing Bangabandhu’s favourite songs.
The first day’s programme will be capped off with a laser show and fireworks.
Besides Solih, Mahinda Rajapaksa, prime minister of Sri Lanka, Bidya Devi Bhandari, president of Nepal, Lotay Tshering, prime minister of Bhutan, and Narendra Modi, prime minister of India are joining the celebrations in person.
Due to the epidemic, a maximum of 500 invited guests will be allowed to attend the festivities during those five days. Attendees must get a negative COVID-19 test result before joining the ceremony.
Guests will not be allowed at the National Parade Ground for five days of the programmes. All performances will be beamed live on television and social media.
The event titled ‘Mujib Chirantan’, or ‘Eternal Mujib’, marks the continuity of Bengalis’ struggles for their rights as well as bring to the fore the story of the ‘dream journey’ the last 50 years have entailed.
