 | Independence Day today
26 March, 2006
The nation will celebrate the 35th Independence and National Day today with patriotic zeal and fervour at home and abroad.
The people of Bangladesh will renew their vow to preserve its sovereignty, consolidate democracy and achieve development and prosperity of the nation.
On this day in 1971, the War of Independence was announced by the late President Ziaur Rahman, then a Major of the East Bengal Regiment of Army, through radio on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The announcement triggered armed resistance against the occupation Pakistani forces, who brutally cracked down on unarmed people of Bangladesh, the erstwhile East Pakistan on the dead of the night on March 25. Since the isolated Pakistani army organised the worst genocide in world history till their surrender on December 16, 1971.
Bangladesh emerged as an independent and sovereign country on December 16 after a nine-month bloody war in which about three million people made their supreme sacrifice by embracing martyrdom and over two hundred thousands women, including minor girls sacrificed their modesty in the hands of the occupation forces and their armed collaborators.
Like the previous years the day will be observed officially. Programme of the day began with 31 gunsalute at 12.01am last night. The day is a national holiday.
The government has taken up tight security measures across the country so that armed militants do not mar the Independence Day festivity. Earlier, the law enforcement agencies, including the elite RAB and paramilitary BDR, were asked to maintain "Red Alert", the highest security caution on the occasion. This is for the first time the Independence Day is being observed amid highest security alert against the backdrop of the recent arrest of two top leaders of the militant JMB.
President Prof Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion paying rich tributes to the martyrs of the War of Independence.
They also expressed gratitude to the war veterans-Freedom Fighters-and felicitated the people of the country.
National flag, will be hoisted atop government and private buildings to mark the occasion while government and semi-government buildings as well as other public places will be illuminated with colorful lights in the evening.
The government, political parties, educational institutions, students and professional bodies and socio-cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day in a befitting manner across the country. Programme includes hoisting of the National Flag atop offices of political parties and all others buildings, memorial discussion meetings, feeding the destitute and musical soirees.
Release link:http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_26670.shtml
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