Bangladesh: Nation celebrating Victory Day

The nation is celebrating the 42nd Victory Day Sunday commemorating its cherished triumph in the nine-month bloody war against the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971. Being imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War, people are paying rich tributes to the heroic sons of the soil who sacrificed their lives to attain the independence. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia will also pay tributes to the martyrs of Liberation War by placing floral wreaths at the National Memorial on Sunday morning marking the Victory Day. President M Zillur Rahman would not place wreath at the National Mausoleum this time due to illness. The national flag will be hoisted atop all government, semi-government and other important establishments. Different political, socio-cultural, professional and academic organizations organize elaborate programs to mark the Victory Day. Special prayers will be offered at mosques, temples, churches and other worship places, seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of the country. As part of the day’s programmes, a colourful parade will be held at the National Parade Square at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the morning. Freedom fighters, army, navy, air force, BNCC, Border Guard Bangladesh, police, RAB, Ansar-VDP, Coast Guard, jail keepers and Fire Service and Civil Defense will take part in the parade. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will take salute at the Victory Day parade this year as President Zillur Rahman is ill and set to leave for the UK for treatment. Traditionally, the President takes salute at the Victory Day parade and the Prime Minister witnesses it as a guest. Ailing President Zillur Rahman would leave here for the UK at 9:30am on Sunday, said Bangabhaban sources. The President is leaving for London as a routine health checkup. Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Betar will broadcast elaborate programme marking the day. Apart from this, different private television channels will also air special programmes on the occasion. Special security measures are being taken to ensure smooth celebration of the Victory Day across the country. A four-tier security measures have already been taken by deploying thirteen thousand policemen in and around the National Mausoleum in Savar and Central Shaheed Minar in the city. RAB, SWAT (Special Weapon and Tactics) unit and detective branch of police will remain on active on the day. The security measures have been taken apprehending subversive acts on the victory day after recent violence, militant activities and threats of Jamaat-Shibir. Besides, police force was already deployed from Saturday in the important establishments of the country. On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani occupation forces, Gen AAK Niazi, along with 93,000 Pakistani troops, surrendered following a miserable defeat to the joint forces of Mukti Bahini and Mitra Bahini at Ramna Racecourse, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka. In one of the heinous acts of genocide in human history, the Pakistan army and their local collaborators launched a barbarous crackdown killing innocent and unarmed people in the erstwhile East Pakistan at midnight past March 25, 1971. The nation, under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, finally clinched independence on December 16 after the nine months’ War of Liberation.