Bangladesh celebrates 36th Independence and National Day

Dhaka, Mar 26 (UNI) Bangladesh today celebrated its 36th Independence and National Day, paying rich homage to the liberation war martyrs and pledging afresh with patriotic feelings to consolidate democracy and attain faster economic progress.

All roads led to National Mausoleum at Savar for paying tributes to the Liberation War martyrs with 31-gun salute at dawn.

President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia laid wreaths at the National Mausoleum at sunrise to start paying homage. The Prime Minister along with other key leaders of her party placed another wreath as the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) chairperson.

Speaker Jamir Uddin Sircar and Deputy Speaker Akhter Hamid Siddique also paid tributes to the Independence martyrs followed by Deputy leader of the opposition, Awami League (AL), Advocate Abdul Hamid on behalf of opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, now in the US.

The party general secretary Abdul Jalil along with key party leaders too payed their homage to the martyrs on behalf of the party.

Before going to Savar, the opposition also paid tributes to the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.

In the afternoon, they brought out a colourful procession from Suhrawardi Uddyan to Bangabandhu Bhaban.

Political parties, including the ruling BNP and AL and their front organisations, political leaders, diplomats, socio-political organisations, professional organisations, eminent personalities, freedom fighters and family members of freedom fighters, war-wounded freedom fighters, people from all sections of the society also paid homage.

After placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum, the President took salute and reviewed parade by the armed, auxiliary and civil forces, including the freedom fighters, at the National Parade Square in the morning. Begum Zia was also present at the national parade programme.

The government arranged tight security for all the venues, as also across the country, for celebrating the Independence Day in a befitting manner.

A group of 35 freedom fighters and family members of the martyred freedom fighters carried 35 torches in a march brought out from the Central Shaheed Minar to mark the Independence Day.

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