Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the countdown to the observance of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary at the Tejgaon Old Airport in the city on January 10 where Bangabandhu landed in the freshly liberated and sovereign Bangladesh on January 10, 1972.
Through the inauguration, the countdown will begin simultaneously in every district, upazila and all public gathering places across the country.
The information was revealed today at a press conference marking the inauguration of countdown to the observance of birth centenary at the International Mother Language Institute in the city.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury and Chairman of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Professor Rafiqul Islam attended the press conference.
Chief Coordinator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury briefed journalists regarding different aspects of the inauguration of countdown and celebration of the birth centenary.
Kamal Chowdhury said the countdown to the observance of the birth centenary will begin through creating a symbolic atmosphere of the return of Bangabandhu, the undisputed leader of the nation, to the sacred soil of independent Bangladesh.
As January 10 is a historic day for the nation, he said, they are going to start the countdown from the day.
On January 10 in 1972, Bangabandhu returned to the sacred soil of independent Bangladesh via London and New Delhi, after 290 days of captivity in Pakistan jail.
Kamal Chowdhury informed that devices for countdown are being set up in different public gathering places in the city, divisional cities, districts, city corporations and upazilas across the country.
He said around 10 to 12 thousand people will take part in the countdown inauguration function through registration. The interested people can apply through filling up digital registration form of the website on www.event.mujib100.gov.bd, he added.
He said the registration process will be started from January 6 at 3pm which will continue till January 7 at 12 midnight.
The chief coordinator said the invitation will be provided through email and everybody will have to show their print copy of the invitation card in the entry gate of the function. If need, the registration schedule is likely to be extended, he added.
Bangladesh, Kamal Chowdhury said, is going to celebrate the birth centenary for presenting the life and works of Bangabandhu before the people, especially new generation, and accelerating development activities and services for building a hunger and poverty free ‘Sonar Bangla’.
“Our goal is not just to celebrate the birth centenary, but to add a new dimension in the country’s development activities and services for building ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu,” he added.
The chief coordinator said different socio-cultural and political organisations from grassroots to national level, ministries and divisions are taking programmes to celebrate the birth centenary.
“Many programmes are being taken marking the Mujib Year. We have already selected around 299 proposals of programmes, came from home and abroad. We are providing necessary supports to implement the programmes. We have also formed eight subcommittees for ensuring smooth implementation,” he added.
Kamal Chowdhury said there will be an inauguration programme on March 17 this year where eminent personalities from home and abroad will attend.
