ZCZC
BSS-45
CELEBRATION-CENTENARY-INDEPENDENCE LEAD
Nation begins 10-day Bangabandhu Birth Centenary, Independence Golden
Jubilee celebrations
(updates with more information)
DHAKA, March 17, 2021 (BSS) – The nation today began a 10-day nationwide
celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Birth
Centenary coinciding with the Golden Jubilee of 1971 Independence with a
grand ceremony at the National Parade Square.
President Abdul Hamid, his wife Rashida Khanam and Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina joined the ceremony along with visiting Maldivian President Ibrahim
Mohamed Solih and his spouse Fazna Ahmed while the national anthem sung
collectively by 100 young children marked the grand opening of the
celebrations at the Parade Square.
The children then sang in chorus several songs of Biswa Kabi Rabindranath
Tagore, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and several others at the function,
joined among others by Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, chaired
by Sheikh Hasina, the elder daughter of the country’s founder.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and famous British journalist Mark
Talley sent congratulatory messages on the first day function at the Parade
Square where verses of the Holy Quran and scripts of followers of other
faiths were recited.
Presentation of video footages of Bangabandhu’s historic addresses and
comments were displayed at the function where national-level singers along
with young artistes sang the Mujib Year’s theme song titled “Tumi Banglar
Dhrubo Tara and Banglar Batighar” authored by poet Kamal Chowdhury and
composed by Nakib Khan.
Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana also joined the chorus.
Apart from the Bangladesh president and the prime minister, the Maldivian
president and Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, Chairman of the
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary
Celebration National Implementation Committee National Professor Rafiqul
Islam were present on the decorated dais.
Professor Rafiqul Islam gave the welcome speech, while former minister and
eminent cultural personality Asaduzzaman Noor moderated the function.
Chief Coordinator of the Committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury presented
“Sraddha Swarak” (souvenir of tributes) to the Bangladesh president, prime
minister, the Maldivian president, Sheikh Rehana and Professor Rafiqul Islam.
Earlier, function’s chief guest President Abdul Hamid along with his wife
arrived at the venue at 4.30pm and were received by Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina.
Guest of Honour Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih along with his
wife reached the venue later and were received by President Abdul Hamid and
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at the venue with her younger sister
Sheikh Rehana at 4.27pm.
Chairman of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s
Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee National
Professor Rafiqul Islam and Chief Coordinator of the Committee Dr Kamal Abdul
Naser Chowdhury received them.
A recorded video of the eye-catching flying past of the Bangladesh Air
Force was showed, while a bust of Bangabandhu sent by the Chinese president
as a gift was also displayed.
The first day’s programme ended with colorful cultural function and
spectacular fireworks and laser shows.
MORE/BSS/AHJ/KUC/SH/AR/1930 hrs