Historic Mujibnagar Day today
The historic Mujibnagar Day will be observed across the country today, marking the oath-taking ceremony of Bangladesh's first government at Baidyanathtola mango grove in Meherpur.
Baidyanathtola, mainly a mango orchard, was later renamed Mujibnagar in honour of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was declared president of the government-in-exile, and supreme commander of the armed forces.
Following the Pakistan army's genocide on March 25, 1971, senior leaders of the Awami League assembled at Baidyanathtola in Meherpur on April 17 to form the provisional government of independent Bangladesh.
Bangabandhu was arrested and flown to Pakistan after the Pakistan army swooped on the Bangalees on March 25. Bangabandhu was declared the first president of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, while vice president Syed Nazrul Islam became the acting president.
The Pakistan army massacred thousands of unarmed Bangalees in Dhaka and elsewhere on the night of March 25.
At the Mujibnagar ceremony, a contingent of police presented a guard of honour to the acting president. He received the salute and hoisted the national flag of independent Bangladesh.
The Mujibnagar government with Tajuddin Ahmed as prime minister led the country's nine-month Liberation War that ended in surrender of the Pakistani forces on December 16, 1971.
Capt M Mansur Ali, AHM Qamaruzzaman and Khondoker Moshtaque Ahmed were cabinet members.
The ruling Awami League and its associate bodies will observe the historic Mujibnagar Day amid due enthusiasm and importance as various programmes have been chalked out to mark the day. National and party flags will be hoisted at all party offices across the country, including at its central office and Bangabandhu Bhaban premises at 6:00am today.
Tribute will be paid to Bangabandhu on the Bangabandhu Bhaban premises around 7:00am.
Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages.
They urged the countrymen to work together for building a non-communal, hunger- and poverty-free, developed and prosperous "Sonar Bangla" as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
In his message, President Hamid extended his heartiest greetings and congratulations to all Bangladeshis on the occasion of the historic Mujibnagar Day.
On the 52nd anniversary of Mujibnagar Day, the prime minister urged all to uphold the spirit of the country's independence and the ideals of Bangabandhu.
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