The 46th Independence and National Day was observed in the capital, elsewhere across the country and also all Bangladesh missions abroad in a befitting manner amid different programmes.The nation paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War, particularly to the freedom fighters who made supreme sacrifices to free the dearest motherland from the clutches of the then Pakistani occupation forces in 1971. Hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life, who converged at the National Memorial at Savar since early morning to recall with gratitude the sacrifices of the martyrs, took a fresh vow to uphold the spirit of the Liberation War and build a happy, prosperous and digital Bangladesh.President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tribute to the martyrs of the War of Liberation by placing wreaths at the National Memorial here Saturday morning marking the 46th Independence and National Day. President Hamid first placed a wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the Prime Minister.After placing the wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971. A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion while the bugles played the last post. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, ministers, advisers, parliament members, chiefs of the three services, freedom fighters, diplomats and high civil and military officials were present on the occasion. Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the president of Bangladesh Awami League, laid another wreath at the National Memorial on behalf of her party.Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also paid her rich tribute to Father of the National Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreath at his portrait in front of at Dhanmondi Bangabandhu Bhaban. She as a president of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) also placed another wreath there in the morning.Subsequently, senior AL leaders- Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Advocate Sahara Khatun, Disaster Management and Relief affairs Minister Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Bir Bikram, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Satis Chandra Ray, Mahbub-Ul-Alam Hanif, Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Dr Abdur Razzak, Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Dr Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan Dablu, Advocate Afzal Hossain and Food Minister Advocate Quamrul Islam, among others, were present there. Besides, Chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Begum Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad also placed wreaths at the altar of the memorial at Savar as a mark of respect to the martyrs along with their senior party leaders respectively. On March 26, 1971, Bangabandhu declared Bangladesh’s independence following the crackdown on unarmed Bangalis by the Pakistan occupation forces.The call for independence was first raised on March 7, 1971, when Bangabandhu-during his historic 7th March speech at the Suhrawardy Uddyan (previously known as Race Course Maidan)– urged citizens to join the struggle for independence. “The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence,” Sheikh Mujib said in his 19-minute speech. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages greeting citizens on the occasion of Independence Day. The national flag was hoisted since sunrise atop all government, semi-government, autonomous and non-government buildings and different important buildings and establishments on the occasion.As part of marking the day, leaders and workers of different political and socio-cultural organisations like Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Bangladesh Awami Juba League, Swechchasebak League, Jatiya Sramik League, Mohila Awami League, Krishak League, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, Muktijoddha Foundation, Awami Muktijouddha Projanma League, Matswajeebee League, Hawkers League, Tanti League, Muktijouddha Janata League, Bangabandhu Soinik League, Ulema League, Jatiya Bidyut Sarmik League, Bangabndhu Ain Parishad and Dhaka-based Patuakhali Journalist Forum also paid rich tribute to the Father of Nation by placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Dhanmondi in the morning.The day was also observed in divisional cities, districts and upazilas, universities, colleges and schools, government and non-government institutions across the country. Our Chittagong Office reports: The 46th Independence and National Day was observed in the port city with renewed pledges to take the country forward in line with the spirit of Independence. Besides government programmes, different political parties, their associate organizations, educational institutions, professional and trade bodies and socio-cultural organizations observed the day through daylong programmes. Identical programmes were also organized in Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Barisal, Rangpur, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Comilla, Jessore, Kushtia, Pabna and Dinajpur as well as other districts.
