Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President M Abdul Hamid paid tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial in capital's Savar on Friday morning, marking the 52nd Victory Day.
After placing the wreath, the president and the prime minister 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, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion when the bugles played the last post.
Flanked by senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina and Abdul Hamid laid another wreath at the National Memorial as the party chief.
The prime minister and the president also signed the visitor's book.
leaders of other political and sociocultural organisations placed wreaths at the National Memorial to show respect to the memories of the war martyrs.
Then, Sheikh Hasina went to Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital and laid separate wreaths as Prime Minister and President of the Awami League at the portrait of the Father of the Nation in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum there to pay homage to the Architect of the Independence Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the Father of the Nation.
President, PM attend Victory Day parade
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the parade at the National Parade Ground.
The president took salute and inspected the parade on the celebration of 51 years of Bangladesh's victory.
The parade was organised and conducted by the 9th Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army under the supervision of Armed Forces Division with the directives of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
Hamid, accompanied by Major General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, the parade commander and also General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 9th Infantry Division and Area Commander of Savar Area, riding an open jeep inspected the parade and took the salute.
Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Coast Guard, Ansar, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) participated in the parade.
Hamid, accompanied by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also exchanged greetings with the commanders of the contingents who took part in the parade before departing from the ground.
On the occasion, the parade ground was decorated with the images of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, four national leaders, seven Birshreshthas, different development works of the government, including the image of Padma Bridge and metro rail.
Apart from this, the nearby road of the parade ground was also decorated with banners and festoons highlighting the spirit of the Liberation War and the Victory Day.
The premier along with her daughter Saima Wazed Hossain Putul and grand-daughter Samaa Hossain, the invited guests also witnessed armoury acquisitions of different regiments and contingents of the armed forces, a spectacular fly-past conducted by army aviation, helicopters of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and navy aviation.
Later, well-decorated horse-mounted forces and dog squad team also ensured their presence on the parade ground.
At last stage of the programme, a spectacular aerobatic display was exhibited on the occasion.
Thousands of people from all walks of life also witnessed the spectacular parade through the television and different social media that lasted for over two hours.
Earlier, on his arrival along at the parade venue at about 10.30am, Abdul Hamid was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, parliament members and the chiefs of the three services and senior officers of armed forces division.
Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, cabinet members, political leaders, lawmakers, foreign diplomats, senior civil and military officers were present on the occasion.
Fifty-one years back, the country achieved victory through the nine-month War of Liberation against Pakistani occupation forces on this day.
On this day in 1971, Pakistani military conceded defeat to the allied forces and commanding officer of Pakistani forces general AAK Niazi surrendered arms with all members of his forces.
