The nation yesterday celebrated the 40th anniversary of independence with utmost honour to the valiant sons of the soil who made the supreme sacrifice to liberate Bangladesh from the Pakistani occupation forces in 1971.
Amid enthusiasm and gaiety, thousands of people, who thronged the National Mausoleum to salute the martyred heroes, called for expediting the trial of war criminals and formation of political unity to protect national interest through the banners and posters they were carrying.
Roads near the National Mausoleum were flooded with people carrying banners with patriotic slogans in their hands and chanting patriotic songs.
However, the day's celebrations were stained when activists of Awami League and BNP clashed in front of the mausoleum.
The capital had a festive look since early morning. Many buildings, vehicles, thoroughfares and median strips were decorated with the national flag and banners. The national flag was hoisted atop all government, semi-government and other important establishments.
Many demanding trial of war criminals carried effigies of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders Matiur Rahman Nizami and Ghulam Azam with shoes and noose around the necks. Students and teachers of different schools, colleges and universities brought out colourful precessions with patriotic lines written on festoons and banners.
Dressed in red and green, men, women and children flocked various monuments, parks, the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, Dhaka University campus and other public places to celebrate the day.
The celebrations of Victory Day, a public holiday, began with 31 gunshots at the National Parade Square in the capital at the break of dawn.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed a wreath at the National Mausoleum at 6:30am, while Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia placed her wreath around 7:00am. Hasina also placed a separate wreath as the president of the ruling Awami League.
Cabinet members, lawmakers, Awami League leaders, the chiefs of three defence services, foreign diplomats, high-ranking civil and military officials were present.
Later, Hasina placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi.
Hasina, who stood in for the president during the Victory Day parade, received the salute from the armed forces at the National Parade Square. President Zillur Rahman could not attend the programme due to ill health.
The parade, a part of the day-long programme to mark the Victory Day, was attended by the Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Bangladesh National Cadet Corps, Border Guard Bangladesh, Police, Rapid Action Battalion, Ansar and Village Defence Party, Coast guard, and Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel.
Tanks, canons, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, recoilless rifles, MiG-29 fighter planes and helicopters showed a glimpse of the nation's military might.
In the afternoon, President Zillur Rahman hosted a reception at the lawn of Bangabhaban, which Hasina and veteran freedom fighters attended.
After placing a wreath at the National Mausoleum, Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam reiterated that the trial of war criminals will be completed within the tenure of this government.
However, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged that the government has taken initiatives to secure its political purpose.
On December 16, 1971, Pakistani occupation forces chief Lt Gen AAK Niazi along with 93,000 troops surrendered to the joint forces of Mukti Bahini and Mitra Bahini at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.
The nation, under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, finally clinched independence on December 16 after the nine-month-long war that took the lives of 30 lakh people.
The Awami League also placed a wreath at Shikha Chironton at Suhrawardy Udyan at 4:21pm, the exact time on December 16, 1971, when the Pakistani forces surrendered there.
Hundreds of people including veterans of the Liberation War also gathered at the Suhrawardy Udyan yesterday, which used to be called Race Course Maidan.
In the capital, popular patriotic songs were played on loudspeakers on many streets and shops throughout the day as pedestrians and bystanders hummed along.
While the city streets seemed deserted in the early morning, later in the day heavy traffic was seen on many thoroughfares as enthusiastic people flooded the streets singing patriotic songs and carrying banners of different political, social, cultural and professional organisations.
Marking the glorious day, newspapers published special supplements while television channels and radio stations broadcast special programmes.
Meanwhile, supporters of Awami League and BNP clashed in front of the National Mausoleum early yesterday over tearing of banners and festoons when the prime minister was in the mausoleum.
The clash ensued when activists of pro-Awami League student body Chhatra League's local unit chased rival Chhatra Dal accusing them of tearing off festoons and banners, some eyewitnesses said.
There were some scattered clashes across the country too, mostly over placing wreaths at memorials.
News Source: The Daily Star