Bangladesh celebrates Independence Day today

Bangladesh is celebrating its 50th Independence Day today with remarkable socio-economic progress.

This year’s Independence Day bears more significance as the country is celebrating the golden jubilee of independence alongside the birth centenary celebration of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

A 10-day special programme marking the 50 years of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu that started on March 17 at the National Parade Square will end today.

Indian Prime Minister Modi will join the celebrations.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering also attended the 10-day special programme in person.

Many global leaders, including Queen Elizabeth II, Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Unesco Director General Audrey Azoulay sent messages, marking the celebrations.

On March 26, 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared Bangladesh’s independence following the crackdown on unarmed Bangalees on the midnight of March 25 by Pakistani occupation forces.

After a nine-month War of Liberation with the supreme sacrifices of three million people and the honour of 200,000 women, Bangladesh finally achieved its independence on December 16, 1971.

The day will begin with a 50 gun-salute which is a public holiday.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages extending heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to the people of the country at home and abroad.

President Abdul Hamid, in his message, said, “On the eve of ‘Mujib Barsho’ and the golden jubilee of our independence, with the joint efforts of all, may our beloved motherland become a developed country free from hunger and poverty—this is my expectation on the great Independence Day.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said, “The independence earned through the supreme sacrifices of millions of people is the greatest achievement of Bangalee Nation. To ensure that the achievement remains meaningful, all have to know the true history of our great Liberation War and respect the spirit of independence. The spirit of the Liberation War has to be propagated from generations to generations.”

“Let’s vow on this auspicious occasion of the Golden Jubilee of independence- imbued with the spirit of the Great War of Liberation, we all together will build hunger- poverty- and illiteracy-free Golden Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” she added.

National dailies will bring out special supplements while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television, private radio stations and television channels are airing special programmes highlighting the significance of the day.