Bangladesh begins Mujib birth centenary, golden jubilee of independence celebration

President M Abdul Hamid, prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the Maldives president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, first lady Fazna Ahmed and Sheikh Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana attend a gala event organised in celebration of the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, National Children’s Day and the golden jubilee of the country’s independence at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on Wednesday. — Focus Bangla photo

The 101st birth anniversary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was observed in the country on Wednesday while the 10-day special programme marking his birth centenary and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh began at the National National Parade Square in the capital on the day.

The theme of the 10-day event is Mujib Chirantan, or The Eternal Mujib, while there are ten separate subthemes for the events of ten days. Vengechho Duar Esechho Jotirmoy, or Breaking the Door Open Emerged the Radiant, was the theme of the March 17 event.

The programmes were telecast live by different television channels, radio stations and social media platforms.

The Mujib Year, which will witness yearlong celebrations marking Mujib’s birth centenary, began on his 100th birthday on March 17, 2020 with a limited number of programmes as most of the programmes went through revisions due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

President Md Abdul Hamid, speaking at the inauguration of the 10-day special programmes, urged politicians to take lessons from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s ideals and devote themselves selflessly in serving the country.

The president said that contrary to examples set by the country’s founder politicians, Bangladesh now seems to have taken a different course with some opportunists taking up politics as a ‘profession’ to serve their narrow interests.

He said that the country’s founding president worked since his school life absolutely for people’s welfare, caring little about his personal and family happiness.

Addressing the event as the chair, prime minister Sheikh Hasina vowed to advance the country further by overcoming all hurdles, calling upon all to join the efforts to build a developed Bangladesh by 2041.

‘Now it is time to move forward. There is no scope for us to look back … overcoming all obstacles, we shall establish this country as Bangabandhu’s exploitation- and deprivation-free, hunger-poverty-illiteracy-free, non-communal Sonar Bangladesh, [or Golden Bangladesh],’ the prime minister, also Sheikh Mujib’s eldest daughter, said.

She simultaneously cautioned the countrymen about anti-liberation forces, saying that they are still out to foil the country’s achievements.

Speaking as the guest of honour, Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a symbol of democracy and freedom, whose efforts were instrumental in securing an independent destiny for Bangladesh’s people.

He said that Bangabandhu will remain a source of inspiration for many in the generations to come.

Despite the tragic circumstances of his death, president Solih noted that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will always have a place of honour in the hearts of those who yearn for democracy and freedom.

In a pre-recorded speech played in the event, Chinese president Xi Jinping said that he would work with president Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina to strengthen the complementarities between two development strategies, advance Belt and Road cooperation, and take the strategic partnership of cooperation to a new height.

‘We must always remember what the leaders of the older generations did for the growth of China-Bangladesh relations, and we shall pass the baton of the China-Bangladesh friendship to future generations,’ he said.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, in a video message, said the independent and democratic Bangladesh was built based on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s love for his people.

In his video message marking the celebration, Japanese prime minister Yoshihide Suga said that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had made tremendous efforts to strengthen the bilateral ties after the independence of Bangladesh.

Famous British journalist Mark Talley also sent congratulatory messages on the first day of the function.

Mujib’s birth centenary celebration national implementation committee chief and national professor Rafiqul Islam delivered the welcome address at the event.

The programme began with the national anthem sung collectively by 100 young children. A cultural function followed.

Sheikh Mujib’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana attended the event, among others.

Marking Sheikh Mujib’s birth centenary, Bangladesh Air Force on Wednesday paid glowing tributes to the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by showing an aerial display with a hundred salutations in the sky marking the leader’s birth centenary.

Besides the government, the ruling Awami League, its alleys, associate and like-minded organisations, different socio-cultural and professional organisations, non-governmental organisations, as well as different educational institutions, organised different programmes across the country to mark the 101st birthday of Sheikh Mujib.

The day was celebrated in all the foreign missions of Bangladesh.

Mujib’s birthday is also National Children’s Day and a public holiday.

On this day in 1920, Mujib was born at Tungipara of Gopalganj in Faridpur.

Mujib with his courage, uncompromising leadership and ceaseless struggles to establish people’s rights inspired the Bangali nation to fight exploitations and repression by the Pakistani ruling elite and led the country to achieve independence after a nine-month-long war in 1971.

On August 15, 1975, Mujib was assassinated along with all but his two daughters who were then abroad by a group of disgruntled army personnel.

Maldives president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih arrived in Dhaka on Wednesday morning and joined the launch programmes. Besides Solih, four other state dignitaries are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka to join the special programmes.

The Maldivian president arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning and placed a wreath at National Memorial in Savar at about 9:45am.

He paid homage to Sheikh Mujib by placing a wreath at the great leader’s portrait on the premises of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi in Dhaka at about 10:30am.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday tweeted calling Sheikh Mujib ‘a hero for all Indians’.  Modi is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on March 26 to join the concluding ceremony of the 10-day special programmes.

In the morning, president Md Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina paid homage to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by laying wreaths at the portrait of Mujib in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 in the capital.

After laying the wreaths, they stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to Sheikh Mujib.

A contingent made up of members of the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy, and Bangladesh Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion when the bugles played.

The country’s founding president’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain were present.

The ruling Awami League, its associate organisations as well as different political and socio-cultural and professional organisations later placed wreaths there.

In Tungipara, a special programme for children was chalked out on the premises of Mujib’s mausoleum, which the prime minister addressed virtually at 10:30am.

Wreaths on behalf of the president and the prime minister were placed at the grave of Sheikh Mujib there. A team representative of the AL placed wreaths there in the morning.

Special prayers were arranged at the mosques across the country after Juhr prayers while the Christian community arranged special prayers at Tejgaon Church at 8:00am and Mirpur Baptist Church at 9:00am.

Buddhist community members held prayers at International Buddhist Monastery at Merul Badda at 10:00am while Hindu community members arranged prayers at Dhakeshwari National Temple at 11:30am.

New Age correspondent in Dhaka University reported that DU observed the day by placing wreaths at the portrait of Mujib and holding a discussion on the importance and significance of Mujib’s life and works at the university’s Abdul Matin Virtual Classroom with DU vice-chancellor professor Md Akhtaruzzaman in the chair.

Our Correspondent in Patuakhali reported that sand sculptures were erected on the sandy beach of Kuakata which was open for public viewing to mark Mujib’s birth centenary, the golden jubilee of independence. The sculpture exhibition will continue till March 26.

New Age correspondents in all districts reported that the day was observed in all districts, upazilas and unions in a befitting manner.