Government scraps planned one-minute 'blackout' for Genocide Day

The symbolic "blackout" has been a cornerstone to commemorate one of the darkest nights in Bangladesh’s history

The government has cancelled the planned one-minute symbolic “blackout” scheduled for Wednesday night to observe Genocide Day, reversing an earlier announcement made on Tuesday morning.

The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs issued a brief message Tuesday night confirming that the programme would not be held, without giving a specific reason for the decision.

Earlier on Tuesday, a government press release had instructed the nation to switch off all lights for one minute, from 10:30pm to 10:31pm on Mar 25, to commemorate the victims of the "Operation Searchlight" massacre launched by the Pakistani military in 1971.

The initial directive had exempted key point installations, emergency services, and foreign missions in Bangladesh from the blackout.

The symbolic blackout has been a cornerstone of Genocide Day observances for several years.

It is traditionally used to commemorate one of the darkest nights in Bangladesh’s history, known as the "black night" of Mar 25, 1971, when Pakistani forces began a systematic slaughter of Bengalis, eventually leading to the nine-month Liberation War.

The observance usually sees citizens standing in darkness, often holding candles, to honour the millions who lost their lives.