The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington DC today celebrated the 52nd Independence and National Day of Bangladesh with a renewed vow to materialise the dreams of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the martyrs of the great Liberation War.

The day’s programmes began with hoisting of the National Flag by Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States M. Shahidul Islam on the Chancery premises.

Later, the Ambassador, accompanied by the Embassy officials, placed a floral wreath at the bust of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

After laying the wreath, they stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the great leader.

The messages issued on the occasion by the President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam were read out.

Later, a discussion session was held at the Bangabandhu Auditorium of the Embassy.

Taking part in the discussion session, Ambassador Shahidul Islam termed the great Independence Day as a glorious day of Bangladesh and extended his heartfelt greetings to all Bangalees across the USA on the occasion.

He also paid deep homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and three million martyrs of the War of Liberation.

The Ambassador recalled the bloody massacre in Dhaka perpetrated by the Pakistani military junta, breaking the silence of the night of 25 March in 1971 as they mercilessly killed hundreds of thousands of innocent sleeping Bangalees, including teachers, students, police members, soldiers, pedestrians and rickshaw-pullers.

Ambassador Islam said in the wake of the Pakistan army’s barbaric attack on the unarmed Bangalees, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of 26th March in1971.

The nation, he said, soon launched the War of Liberation at the call of the Father of the Nation, and under his fearless leadership, Bangladesh achieved long-cherished independence on December 16 in 1971 after the nine-month bloody war against Pakistan.

The Ambassador said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman fought throughout his life for transforming Bangladesh into a peaceful and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal).

But Bangabandhu could not materialise his cherished dream as he was brutally assassinated by the anti-liberation elements on the black night of 15th August in 1975, Ambassador Islam continued.

“So we have to work unitedly and ceaselessly to turn Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous country being imbued with the ideology of the Father of the Nation and the spirit of the War of Liberation,” he concluded.

The programmes ended with offering a special prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the Father of the Nation and the martyrs of the Liberation War.