The nation has taken all out preparations to celebrate the 48th Independence and National Day today, refreshing the resolution to uphold the spirit of the War of Liberation and build a “Sonar Bangla” as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
This year the nation is celebrating the Day amid much enthusiasm, fanfare and pride as the historic 7th March speech of Bangabandhu, which was the effective deceleration of the country’s independence, got the prestigious place in the world’s documentary heritage. In October last year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) included the speech in the Memory of the World International Register – a list of the world’s important documentary heritage. This recognition has taken the country’s status to a new stature in the global context. The country this year has also achieved a milestone progress in socio- economic development. The Committee for Development Policy (CDP) of the United Nations on March 15 officially declared the eligibility of Bangladesh for graduating from the Least Development Countries (LDCs).
The nation is also celebrating the success in festivity, which will continue till March 28 across the country.
Amid this success and festivity, glowing tributes will be paid to the martyrs and veterans of the War of Liberation on the Independence and National Day today. The National Memorial at Savar will be the main venue of the celebration of the day where President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths early in the morning as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs.
Families of Bir Shreshthas, war wounded freedom fighters, members of the diplomatic corps, leaders of different political parties, social, cultural and professional bodies and people from all walks of life will also lay wreaths at the national memorial in the morning. Every year, March 26 brings the most tragic reminiscence of the history’s blackest episode that heralded a nine-month bloody ordeal from the night following March 25, 1971 in achieving the long-cherished independence on December 16 the same year at the cost of a sea of blood.
In the wake of the military crackdown, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who became the undisputed leader of the then Pakistan following the massive victory of his party, Awami League, in the 1970 general elections, declared independence of Bangladesh through the then EPR (East Pakistan Rifles) wireless at 00-30 hours on March 26 (the night following March 25) in 1971 at his historic Road-32 residence at Dhanmondi here. The great leader also called upon the people to build up strong resistance against the Pakistani barbaric occupation forces. The Pakistani military junta, in a bid to stop the legitimate movement of the Bangalees, arrested Bangabandhu on that night following his declaration of independence.
