President, PM attend Victory Day parade

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today attended the parade at the National Parade Ground marking the Victory Day.

The president, also supreme commander of the armed forces division, took salute and inspected the parade on the celebration of 50 years of Bangladesh's victory, coincided with the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On the occasion, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, who is on his maiden three-day visit to Dhaka, joined the parade as the "Guest of Honor" at the National Parade Ground.

The parade was organized and conducted by the 9th Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army under the supervision of Armed Forces Division with the directives of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.

President Hamid, accompanied by Major General Mohammad Shaheenul Haque, the parade commander and also General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 9th Infantry Division and Area Commander of Savar Area, riding an open jeep inspected the parade and took the salute.

Bangladesh Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Coast Guard, Ansar, paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Bangladesh National Cadet Corps participated in the parade.

Besides, armed forces personnel of foreign countries including a total of 122 members of Indian armed forces also attended the parade on the 51st Victory Day.

President Abdul Hamid, accompanied by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also exchanged greetings with the commanders of the contingents who took part in the parade before departing from the ground.

The parade ground was decorated with the images of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, four national leaders and seven Birshreshthas.

Apart from this, the nearby road of the parade ground was also decorated with banners and festoons highlighting the spirit of the Liberation War and the Victory Day.

The invited guests also witnessed armoury acquisitions of different regiments and contingents of the armed forces, a spectacular fly-past conducted by army aviation, helicopters of anti-crime elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), navy aviation, parachute landing by army paratroopers and the air force of Bangladesh and India.

Later, a well-decorated motorcade of mechanized column of different ministries and departments of the government also ensured their presence on the parade ground.

At last stage of the programme, a spectacular aerobatic display was exhibited on the occasion.

Thousands of people from all walks of life also witnessed the spectacular parade that lasted for over two hours.

Earlier, on his arrival along with his wife Rashida Khanam at the parade venue at about 10:30 am, Abdul Hamid was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, parliament members and the chiefs of the three services and senior officers of armed forces division.

Younger daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, cabinet members, political leaders, lawmakers, foreign diplomats, several Indian freedom fighters, senior civil and military officers were present on the occasion.

Fifty years back, the country achieved victory through the nine-month War of Liberation against Pakistani occupation forces on this day.

On this day in 1971, Pakistani military conceded defeat to the allied forces and commanding officer of Pakistani forces general A A K Niazi surrendered arms with all members of his forces.

Source: BSS