Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 104th birthday, National Children's Day, and historic March 7 have been celebrated in a festive atmosphere on the initiative of the New Zealand Bangabandhu Parishad and the Bangladesh Consulate.
A discussion meeting, children's drawing competition, prayer ceremony and iftar were held at the Auckland Consulate office in New Zealand on Sunday to mark the occasions.
New Zealand Bangabandhu Parishad President Engineer Dr Md Abdur Rashid presided over the programme, which was moderated by General Secretary Engineer Afzalur Rahman Roni.
Honorary Consul Engineer Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan (Anu) of Bangladesh Consulate in Auckland, New Zealand attended as the chief guest.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the national flag was hoisted in the consulate premises through the national anthem. Later, a children's drawing competition was held in collaboration with Manisha Jahan Mila and Sarmen Seren Rodrika.
In the main discussion, agriculturist Jahan Hasnat Mukul, Chishti Hussain, Mohammad Saiful Islam Khan, Zakir Hossain, Dr Abul Kashem, Engineer Mirza Rakib, Manisha Jahan Mila and Honorary Consul Engineer Safiqur Rahman Bhuiyan (Anu).
Speakers in the meeting discussed the historic March 7 speech, Bangabandhu's birthday on March 17 and the significance of celebrating Children's Day.
Speakers said Bangladesh would not have existed if Bangabandhu had not been born. Bangabandhu was a big hearted man on the side of the exploited. He is our Bangabandhu, the best Bangali in a thousand years.
Bangabandhu, the meritorious child of a Bengali mother, is the country’s identity. Bangabandhu's ideology is the path to establish a developed society without exploitation and corruption.
In the closing speech, Dr Engineer Md Abdur Rashid highlighted the simple life of Bangabandhu in celebrating his birthday on the basis of Bangabandhu's prison diary and various historical facts.
He said, “Bangabandhu, like all other leaders, never celebrated his birthday with the intention of a showdown. The main goal of his life was the total liberation of the oppressed and humiliated Bengalis rather than celebrating his birthday.
“So as long as Bengalis exist, Bangladesh exists, all the Bengalis of the world will remember this great man with gratitude and humble respect from generation to generation.”
Prizes were then distributed among the winners and participants of the children's drawing competition.
Honorary Consul Engineer Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan (Anu) led the prayers seeking forgiveness of the departed soul of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu just before Iftar. After 2 rounds of prayer break and Iftar, the event was announced at 9pm.
Mahbooba Aziz Khan, Manisha Jahan Mila, Syed GM Zulfikar Haider, Sarmen Seren Rodrix Shamama Shahreen and Elora Zakir all assisted in organising the entire event and iftar with everyone's collective contribution.
Members of the New Zealand Bangabandhu Parishad and Bangabandhu lovers of Bangladesh community spoke on the occasion.
