V-Day celebrated

Mokidunnesa, mother of Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rob, places wreath at National Memorial at Savar yesterday in tribute to the countless martyrs on the occasion of Victory Day. This was her first visit there.Photo: STAR

The nation celebrated 36 years of independence yesterday, saluting the gallant sons and daughters of the soil who had unflinchingly sacrificed their lives in the Liberation War of 1971 to translate the national dream of an independent motherland into a reality.
Imbued with the spirit of independence, thousands of people congregated at the National Memorial in Savar to pay their homage to the liberation war martyrs amid growing demands for trial of the war criminals.
Because of the prevailing state of emergency, the celebration was on a rather limited scale this year, which began with 31 gun salutes at dawn in the capital.
President Iajuddin Ahmed set off the official commemoration by placing a wreath at the National Memorial in the morning, followed by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed.
They stood in solemn silence for a few minutes there showing respect to the liberation war martyrs while the last post was being played through bugles.
A contingent drawn from the three armed forces performed a guard of honour as a mark of respect to the martyred freedom fighters.
Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar along with Deputy Speaker Akhter Hamid Siddiqui, Chief Justice Md Ruhul Amin, advisers to the caretaker government, the chiefs of three armed forces, freedom fighters, families of the Birsreshthos, diplomats, and top civil and military officials later placed wreaths at the memorial.
Leaders of different political parties including Awami League (AL), BNP, Jatiya Party, the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party, and Bikalpadhara Bangladesh also placed wreaths at the memorial.
Different socio-cultural organisations, rights groups, organisations of professionals, educational institutions, and a cross-section of people also placed wreaths at the memorial.
Bangladesh proclaimed its independence on March 26, 1971 and stopped being East Pakistan after 23 years of struggle for self-determination by its people, bringing down the erstwhile West Pakistani armed forces' genocidal wrath on its people the night before.
The invading Pakistani military carried out one of the cruellest genocides in recent history of mankind in the nine months preceding their defeat at the hands of the allied forces of Mukti Bahini and the Indian armed forces on December 16, 1971.
Celebration of the 36th Victory Day yesterday adorned the government, semi-government, and private buildings in the capital and elsewhere in the country with the green and red national flag, while many vehicle owners also sported the flag on their vehicles.
Drawing people from all walks of life, the National Memorial was the main celebration site yesterday, as this year's Victory Day came amid a state of emergency barring public gatherings by political parties.
The number of outdoor public celebrations was rather limited this year due to the restrictions imposed by the state of emergency.
Thoroughfares and road dividers were decorated with miniature flags and buntings while some government buildings were illuminated also.
Schoolchildren sported a colourful parade at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the capital where scouts, a band of the Ansar-VDP, and horse-mounted cops entertained the crowd with their performances.
Meanwhile, freedom fighters and pro-liberation political parties boycotted a reception at Bangabhaban in the capital by President Iajuddin Ahmed, protesting his move to invite Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.
Newspapers published supplements, and television channels broadcasted special discussion and cultural programmes on the occasion.
Special prayers were offered in all mosques in the cantonments across the country seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of the country and development of the armed forces.
Members of the armed forces joined the nation in observing the day by waking up the residents of the capital with 31 gun salutes at dawn from the Old Airport.
Bangla Academy, Shilpakala Academy, and Bangladesh Shishu Academy organised cultural programmes including film shows and painting competitions on their premises.
AL leaders also placed wreaths at the portrait of the leader of the liberation struggle Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the morning after laying wreaths at the National Memorial.
While leaders and activists of both factions of BNP also visited the mausoleum of late president Ziaur Rahman -- the founder of the party who was also one of the sector commanders during the liberation war.