Staff Correspondent
Tens of thousands of people thronged the National Martyrs Memorial to pay homage to the liberation war heroes on Tuesday, while veterans called for the war criminals of 1971 to be brought to justice.
Celebrating the nation‘s 38th Victory Day, they also urged the electorate to refrain from voting for war criminals, some of whom have become politicians and are running for national elections set for December 29.
The people in general vowed for restoration of a democratic system, ending nearly two years of military-led emergency rule through the general elections.
The Bangladesh Sector Commanders’ Forum – a group of war veterans campaigning for prosecution of those who committed crimes against humanity during the war – has said 14 candidates contesting the polls were identified as war criminals, among more than 11,000, after the independence.
Most of them are contesting the polls on the tickets of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, a religion-based party that opposed the independence and is now a major partner in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led electoral alliance.
‘I want the collaborators to be tried for their crimes’, said Maleka Begum, the mother of Birshrestha Mostafa Kamal. She joined the human stream to place wreaths at the memorial at Savar.
A rally of war wounded freedom fighters chanted slogans asking the government to execute war criminals. They also urged the people not to vote for the war criminals, whichever party they belonged to.
Three million people were killed and more than 2,00,000 women were violated by the Pakistani forces and their local collaborators during the nine-month armed struggle that ended with the surrender of the occupation forces on December 16, 1971.
The war ended with the emergence of independent Bangladesh led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of the country.
On this day in 1971, the chief of the Pakistani occupation forces, general AAK Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered after being defeated by the joint forces of Mukti Bahini and Indian army, led by general Jagjit Singh Aurora at the then Race Course maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka.
At Tuesday’s ceremony, president Iajuddin Ahmed, chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, and liberation war veterans joined thousands of people to pay homage to war heroes who had laid down their lives for the nation’s independence.
The day’s programmes began with 31 gun salutes at the old airport in Tejgaon.
The president and the chief adviser placed wreaths at the Savar memorial in the morning followed by the members of the council of advisers, foreign diplomats, politicians and people in general.
Representatives of various political, social and cultural organisations visited the memorial to pay respect to the liberation was martyrs. People from all walks of life streamed into the memorial complex all day long.
The president and chief adviser greeted the people on the occasion. The day was a public holiday. Important establishments were illuminated in the night while national flag was hoisted atop of almost all buildings.
All state-run and private media, both electronic and print, undertook special programmes to highlight the day. The government served special meals at the hospitals, orphanages and jails on the occasion.
Awami League president Sheikh Hasina placed flower at the martyrs’ memorial at about 7:00am, before starting her journey to southern districts for electioneering.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia paid her tribute to the martyrs in the afternoon on her way back to Dhaka from election campaigns in the southern districts. She later placed flowers at the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP.
Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed inaugurated the Victory Day rally and parade of children and juveniles at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. He also hoisted the national flag and took salute from boys and girls who took part in the Victory Day parade from different institutions.
Different organisations took up elaborate programmes, including discussions, essay and drawing competitions, concerts and fairs to mark the 38th Victory Day.
Courtesy: newagebd.com
