The nation is set to celebrate the 51st Victory Day, the most precious day of the Bangalee people, today as the country was liberated from the Pakistani occupation forces on the day 50 years back after a nine-month-long bloodstained war.
On December 16 in 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country at the cost of supreme sacrifice of three million people and the honour of nearly half a million women.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate messages on the occasion, paying glowing tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War in 1971.
Marking the two celebrations, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee has taken up a two-day special programme titled 'the Great Hero of the Great Victory' at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad in the city from December 16 to 17.
At the beginning of the first day's programme, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to administer an oath to the nation at 4:30pm today as part of the celebrations.
At the second session of the programme, a discussion will be held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
President M Abdul Hamid will be present as the chief guest while his Indian counterpart Ram Nath Kovind will be the guest of honour at the discussion.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will speak at the event while Chief Coordinator of the implementation committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury will deliver the welcome speech.
On the occasion, Bangabandhu's younger daughter Sheikh Rehana will present the "Sraddha Smarak- Mujib Chironton" to the guest of honour.
On December 17, a cultural function will be organised on the Sangsad premises around 5:30pm.
All programmes marking the giant celebrations will be held maintaining the health guidelines in face of the global pandemic COVID-19.
Besides, the programmes taken at national levels marking the 'Victory Day' will also include a 31-gun salute, placing of wreaths at the monuments to pay homage to martyrs, hoisting of the national flags atop all government, semi-government and private offices as well as offices of autonomous bodies across the country.
The victory day programmes also include decorating city streets with miniature national flags and colourful festoons, and illumination of important buildings and establishments, roads and street islands at night.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar on outskirts of the capital with the rise of the sun today.
This will be followed by the family members of Bir Sreshthos, wounded freedom fighters and Bir Muktijoddhas while Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque will lead them.
Later, foreign diplomats, leaders of Awami League and different political and social organisations and people from all walks of life will pay tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War.
