President, Chief Adviser pay homage to Liberation War martyrs on Victory Day

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser of the interim government Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus on Monday paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial on the outskirts of the capital marking the 54th Victory Day.

The head of the state laid the wreath at the altar of the National Memorial with the rise of the sun at around 6:30am. After the president, Chief Adviser Professor Mohammad Yunus placed a wreath there at around 7:10am. Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta accompanied him at this moment.

After placing the wreath, they stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971.

A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion when the bugles played the last post.

Later, Chief Adviser signed the visitors’ book kept there.

Various political parties, social organizations and people from all walks of life paid their rich tributes to the memories of Liberation War martyrs after the National Memorial was open for all.

Fifty-three years back on December 16, 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country in exchange for the sacrifice of three million martyrs and the honour of 200,000 women.

The Victory Day is a national holiday. It is celebrated on December 16 every year to commemorate the victory of Bangladesh against the Pakistani occupation forces in the Liberation War in 1971.

The Pakistani occupation army surrendered to the joint forces of Bangladesh and India ending the ninth-month blood-stained Liberation War to make Bangladesh an independent state.

Along with the government, different socio-political, educational and cultural institutions and organizations have chalked out a series of programmes to celebrate the day.