Abbas pays homage to '71 martyrs, Bangabandhu

Visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who flew to Dhaka yesterday afternoon on his three-day official visit, today paid homage to the martyrs of Bangladesh's Liberation War by placing floral wreath at National Mausoleum on the outskirts of Savar.

Subsequently he also visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and paid respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi 32 no here.

Palestine President placed wreath at the Savar National Mausoleum at Nabinagar at 1:57 pm. He observed there a one-minute silence in honour of the martyrs who made their supreme sacrifices during the 1971 Liberation War.

Abbas also signed visitors' book and planted a sapling of 'Bakul Flower' there.

Earlier Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haque and local lawmaker Doctor Enamur Rahman received the Palestine President at Savar.

Then President Abbas visited the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 no and paid his respects to country's founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was brutally assassinated along with most of his family members on the fateful night on Aug 15, 1975 in this house.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Radwan Mujib Siddiq, son of Sheikh Rehana, received President Abbas at the museum at 2:50pm.

Palestine President arrived here by a special flight, at the invitation of the President Abdul Hamid, yesterday afternoon.

President Abdul Hamid and senior ministers in the cabinet received him as a 21-gun salute heralded his arrival, as part of state ceremony meant for VVIPs, after a special aircraft carrying him touched down Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 4:50 pm.

Two children - grandson and granddaughter of President Hamid -- Jeem and Namira - presented bouquet to the Palestine President as he came down from the aircraft.

This is the first official visit of the Palestine President to Bangladesh. But earlier he made a brief stopover in Dhaka in February last year on his way to Japan from Jordan.

The Palestine President is now staying at the Hotel Le Meridien. He will leave Dhaka tomorrow afternoon.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali will see him off at the Hazrat Shahjalal (Rah) International Airport tomorrow 2:45 pm, said foreign ministry sources.

Source: BSS