V-Day celebrated amidst fresh patriotic zeal

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A group of dancers presenting a sequence at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the city on Victory Day Wednesday. — FE photo

The nation celebrated the 39th glorious Victory Day Wednesday amidst patriotic zeal and a louder pledge for trying the war criminals of 1971, reports UNB.
Tens of thousands of people - men and women, young and old - visited the National Mausoleum from early morning paying floral tributes to three million martyrs who made their supreme sacrifice for the long-cherished independence of Bangladesh.
As the day was heralded by a 31-gun salute at dawn, President Zillur Rahman led the nation in paying homage to the martyred war heroes at the monument. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now attending the global climate conference in Copenhagen.
On the great occasion of cheerfulness blended with gory memories of the war, people imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War 1971 joined colourful rallies on city streets and cultural soirees where patriotic songs were rendered to kindle fresh hopes for the desired national advance.
Revellers, wearing colourful headbands or caps, joined functions of mirth and funs. Ruling Awami League units brought out car rallies expressing joy and happiness at the hard-earned victory.
At many places the ruling-party units played the historic 7th March speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman calling on the nation to prepare for the guerrilla warfare to liberate the country from Pakistani occupation.
A spectacular national juvenile rally was staged at Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Speaking at the rally President Zillur Rahman expressed the hope that the government would be able to present a prosperous Bangladesh during the golden jubilee of national independence through implementing its declared roadmap and urged all to work to that end.
Saying that Bangladesh was now advancing on the path of democracy as a country of huge potentialities, the President said, "The potential should be properly utilised through relentless efforts towards building a prosperous country."
He told the rally that it was the responsibility of all to build the juveniles as patriotic and competent citizens through giving them transparent concept about the country's correct history of great liberation war, national traditions and culture.
The President gave away 'Dhaka District Administrator Victory Day Award-2009'. The awardees are Dr Sanjida Khatun in culture, Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique in education, Abed Khan in journalism, Prof Dr Muhammad Jafar Iqbal in Science and Information Technology, M Abdul Mubarak in public administration and cricket-star Shakib al Hasan in sports.