President, prime minister pay homage to Martyrs

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid tribute to martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Memorial in Savar to mark the 44th anniversary of Independence Day.

They laid the wreaths around 5:45am on Thursday. Armed forces personnel provided Guard of Honour. Cabinet members, Justices, top brass of the armed forces and key government officials were present at that  time.

Hasina paid her tributes for a second time as the leader of the ruling party and leader of the opposition, Raushon Ershad, followed in doing so .

Freedom Fighters, foreign diplomats, dignitaries and  various organisations paid tribute after the president and prime minister left the venue around 6:15am. People from all walks of life had crowded  the memorial since early hours to pay their tributes.

The day marks the beginning of the fight by Bengalis in erstwhile East Pakistan for freedom.

On the night of Mar 25, 1971, the Pakistan Army launched "Operation Searchlight", a brutal and barbaric military assault on an unsuspecting population to crush the Bengali movement for rights and justice that had turned to a fight for freedom after persistent denials.

The nation’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was detained that night. Before he was picked up, he had proclaimed independence.