Staff Reporter :
The national anthem was sung for the first time across the country simultaneously as the country celebrated its 48th Independence and National Day on Monday with renewed vigour to build a happy, prosperous and peaceful Bangladesh.
The students, teachers, government employees and politicians across the country stood up, faced the national flag and started singing the national anthem “Amar Sonar Bangla Ami Tomay Bhalobashi” in chorus.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the nation in singing the national anthem at a rally of children and juveniles at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the capital at 8:00am on the day as part of celebration the 48th Independence and National Day with due respect.
Earlier, the Prime Minister hoisted the national flag before a huge audience comprising cabinet members, students of different educational institutions and their parents. She inaugurated the rally by releasing balloons and pigeons.
Marking the day President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the nation in paying rich tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar in the morning.
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.
On her return from the Mausoleum at Savar, the Prime Minister paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi.
She also released a commemorative postage stamp, a first-day cover and a data card, marking the Independence Day.
Sheikh Hasina greeted the freedom fighters of the country on the occasion.
The Prime Minister, like other occasions, sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters and members of the martyred freedom fighters’ families at Martyred and War-wounded Freedom Fighters’ Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-1) at Mohammadpur’s Gaznavi Road in the city.
President Abdul Hamid and his wife Rashida Khanom hosted a reception at Bangabhaban marking the day.
The Prime Minister, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, former President HM Ershad and Sheikh Rehana, the younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, joined the reception held at the lawn of the presidential palace.
BNP paid homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar.
On March 26, 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh’s independence following the crackdown on unarmed Banglalees on the midnight of March 25 by the Pakistani occupation forces.
After the nine-month War of Liberation, Bangladesh achieved its cherished independence on December 16, 1971 with the supreme sacrifices of three million people.
This year, the nation celebrated the day amid much enthusiasm as the historic 7th March Speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got the prestigious place in the world’s documentary heritage.
On October 30 last, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognised the Bangabandhu’s historic 7th March Speech as a world documentary heritage.
Besides, 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 day was a public holiday.
The national flag was hoisted atop government and private buildings while the government and semi-government buildings and other public places were illuminated on the auspicious occasion.
Search engine giant Google created a new doodle on its homepage, marking the Independence Day of Bangladesh.
National dailies brought out special supplements while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, private radio stations and television channels aired special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.
Special prayers were offered at all mosques, temples, churches and other places of worship across the country seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of the departed souls of Father of the Nation, four national leaders, martyrs of the War of Liberation and all other patriotic sons of the soil.
Improved diets were served to the inmates of hospitals, jails, old homes and other public institutions marking the day.
Different political parties as well as socio-cultural and professional organisations observed the day with various programmes.
Jahangirnagar University campus wore a colourful look as the country’s longest Alpona was drawn there, marking the Independence and National day.
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) exchanged greetings and sweetmeat at the Hili border in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur district.
A colourful cycle procession tilted ‘Independence Day Ride-2018’, participated by thousands of cyclists of different ages, was brought out in the city on the occasion.
