DHAKA, March 11, 2020 (BSS) – The government has decided to observe a one-
minute “blackout” on the Night of March 25, marking the Genocide Day for the
fourth consecutive year.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal came up with the information after an
inter-ministerial meeting at the conference room of the ministry in
observance of the Genocide Day on March 25 and Independence Day on March 26.
Like previous years the home minister said , the “blackout” programme will
be observed for one minute from 9 pm to 9.01pm on the night of March 25
across the country to pay homage to those who were killed in ‘Operation
Searchlight’ launched by Pakistani occupation forces on dreadful Night of
March 25 in 1971.
” Everyone will switch their lights off, as a symbolic protest against the
genocide. However, establishments of emergency services will remain out of
the purview of the programme, ” said Asaduzzaman.
Additional security measures will also be taken on the occasion of the
blackout observance as well as the Genocide Day and the Independence Day, he
said.
Kamal urged the nation for taking necessary measures to observe the
blackout programme across the country .
In 2017, the government officially declared March 25 as “Genocide Day”,
commemorating “Operation Searchlight” — carried out by the Pakistani
military junta to stop independence struggle of the Bangalees.
Besides, strict security measures will be taken to ensure security on the
occasion of the Independence Day on March 26 at National Martyrs’ Mausoleum ,
Savar, where President and the Prime Minister will respectively pay homage ,
he said.
“The government discourages public gathering on the Independence Day and
we will not allow cultural events in open sky,” Kamal said.
The minister, however requested the Ministry of the Liberation War Affairs
for performing simultaneous firing of canons that will herald the
Independence Day across the country.