Raise voice against anti-Liberation War forces: Qauder

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday urged the countrymen to raise their voices against anti-Liberation War forces.

"The anti-Liberation War forces are still prevailing in the country in various forms even after 52 years of independence," he said.

Quader made the call during an exchange of views with journalists after paying tribute at the National Memorial in Savar on the occasion of Independence and National Day in the morning.

He said anti-Liberation War forces challenged the independence of the country through communalism and militancy. 

"So these forces should be eliminated from the country to continue the trend of development."

Calling BNP the "spokesman of Pakistan," the Awami League general secretary said BNP is speaking in the "language of Pakistanis" about the genocide in 1971.

Marking the Independence Day, the national and Awami League party flags were hoisted at Bangabandhu Bhaban along with central and party offices across the country in the morning immediately after sunrise.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina along with its senior leaders paid tribute at the National Memorial in Savar at 5:54am.

Leaders and workers paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 around 6:45am maintaining health guidelines.

Special prayers were arranged at mosques across Bangladesh including Baitul Mukarram National Mosque after Zuhr prayers.

Christian community members arranged special prayers at Tejgaon Church at 8am and Mirpur Baptist Church at one minute past zero hours. Buddhist community members arranged prayers at the International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda at 10am and Hindu community members at Dhakeshwari National Temple at 11am.

Alongside, a delegation from Awami League placed a wreath at the grave of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj around 11am while doa and milad mahfil was arranged there.

The delegation members included Presidium member Lt Col (retd) Muhammad Faruque Khan, Central Working Committee member Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Presidium member Shajahan Khan, Organising Secretary SM Kamal Hossain and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan.

Awami League will hold a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka on March 27 where Sheikh Hasina will chair and take part in the discussion.