Staff Reporter :The nation celebrates the 44th Victory Day today (Wednesday) with due solemnity to pay deep homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives to liberate the country.Different political parties, socio-cultural organisations and people from all walks of life will throng the National Mausoleum at Savar since morning to place wreaths there in honour of the martyrs.The grateful people will pay rich tributes to the 30 lakh martyrs for their supreme sacrifice for the freedom of the country with a renewed call for justice against the war criminals. Besides, two lakh women also fell victim to physical torture, including rape, by the Pakistani occupation forces and their local collaborators — Razakars, Al-Badar and Al-Shams.On this day in 1971, Pakistani occupation forces surrendered after a nine-month bloody war resulting in a free, independent and sovereign Bangladesh. On December 16 in 1971, the Commanding Officer of the Pakistani Forces, General AAK Niazi, surrendered with 93,000 soldiers to the Allied Forces Commander, Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, at Suhrawardy Udyan (former Race Course Maidan), marking the end of the nine-month long country’s Liberation War. Apart from country, the Bangladesh missions abroad will also celebrate the Victory Day by paying homage to the martyrs for their supreme sacrifice for the long-cherished independence of the homeland.The government and various political, social and cultural organisations have drawn up elaborate programmes, including discussion, rally, procession, drama, photo exhibition, painting competition and cultural function, to mark the day.This year, however, there is a new dimension to the celebrations as some of the war criminals have already faced justice and some more are awaiting it.On November 22, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed were hanged for crimes they had committed against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War while Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat was executed on April 11 the same year at Dhaka Central JailEarlier on December 12 in 2013, notorious war criminal Abdul Quader Mollah, better known as ‘Kasai Qader’ was executed for his crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation in 1971. Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia have issued separate messages on the occasion.The day is a public holiday. President Md. Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will place wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar in the early hours to pay homage to the martyred freedom fighters.The national flag will be hoisted atop all government and private buildings, while the government and semi-government buildings and other important public places will be illuminated and roads and islands will be decorated with flags and festoons in all cities of the country on the occasion. The day will start with a 31-gun salute. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreath at the National Memorial at Savar in the early hours.They will be followed by freedom fighters, invited former Indian army officers involved in the Liberation War, foreign diplomats and people from all walks of life.Marking the day, a colorful parade will be held at the National Parade Square in the Old Airport area at 10.30am with the participation of valiant freedom fighters, armed forces and law enforcers.The President will attend the function as chief guest and will take salute at the parade. The Prime Minister will attend the function.Important roads and road islands have already been decorated with miniature national flags, colourful festoons and digitized banners portraying the memorable moments of the nation’s victory in the war of liberation.The state-owned and private television channels and radio stations have started airing month-long special programmes since December 1 highlighting the significance of the great Liberation War. Different organizations, including Shilpakala Academy and Bangladesh Shishu Academy, will organize discussion and display Liberation War-related documentary films while the Postal Department will release commemorative stamps on the day.Improved diets will be served in jails, hospitals, orphanages and vagrant homes across the country. Destitute children will be allowed to visit the children’s park in the capital on the day free-of-cost.Special prayers will be offered in mosques and other places of worship seeking salvation of the souls of martyrs of the Liberation War, and peace, progress and prosperity of the country.Bangladesh missions abroad will hoist the national flag and organise discussions, cultural functions and receptions to mark the day.Awami League has chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day. National and party flags will be hoisted at the party’s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue at dawn.Awami League leaders and workers will place wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar at the same time. It will bring out colourful victory rally across the county, including capital Dhaka. “We have decided to take out colourful victory rally in capital Dhaka as well as throughout the county. We are calling upon the all tiers of leaders and workers of the party and people of the country to celebrate the Victory Day and take part in victory rally,” AL joint secretary general Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif told journalists after a joint meeting at party president’s Dhanmondi office on Tuesday The ruling party leaders will also pay tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi in the city in the morning. The major political party BNP will celebrate the Victory Day with various programmes across the country. BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia along with her party leaders and activists will pay rich tributes to martyrs by placing floral wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar at 8:00am. She will later place wreaths at the graveyard of late President and BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital around 9:00am. The leaders and workers of BNP will take out a victory rally from the party’s central office at Nayapaltan in city at 2:00pm. Parading different city streets, the victory rally will be terminated at Malibagh crossing.
