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Published : 26 Mar 2026, 09:58 AM
A military parade is being held at the National Parade Square at the old airport grounds in Tejgaon to mark the 55th anniversary of Bangladesh’s independence.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin attended the Independence Day parade on Thursday and received salutes.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the three heads of the Armed Forces, Cabinet members, senior government officials, diplomats, and Bangladesh and foreign guests were in attendance.
The parade is being supervised by the Armed Forces Division under the direction of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and the management of the 9th Division.
After the BNP government led by Tarique came to power, preparations began at the parade grounds from the start of Ramadan to arrange a grand event for Independence Day. A “final rehearsal” for the parade was held on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reached the parade grounds at 9:55am and was welcomed by Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan, State Minister Ishraq Hossain, and the heads of the Armed Forces.
President Shahabuddin arrived around 10am, escorted by a decorated motorcade of the Military Police.
The ceremony was also attended by other members of the cabinet, senior government officials, ambassadors of various countries, as well as Bangladeshi and foreign guests.
The national anthem then played. Afterwards, President Shahabuddin, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, was given a guard of honour.
He inspected the parade in an open jeep, accompanied by parade commander Maj Gen SM Asadul Haque as the band played the song “Jonmo Amar Dhonno Holo” (I Am Blessed to Be Born).
After the president inspected the parade for about 15 minutes, the parade captain mounted his horse once again and thanked the head of state.
He then asked the president for permission to conclude the parade and rode forward. He then led each group in the parade to come forward and salute the president.
The groups marched vigorously in step, as they moved in sync in a confident demonstration on the parade grounds.
The event even featured an air drop by 26 paratroopers, who descended from 10,000 feet above the main stage on both sides of the parade ground while carrying the national flag and the flags of the different forces.
The Air Force’s training jets then put on a show, flying in different formations.
The event is being held as part of Independence Day proceedings for the first time in 18 years, since 2008.
During the 16 years of Awami League rule, the parade was held on Victory Day, Dec 16, instead. After the Sheikh Hasina-led administration was ousted by a student-led mass uprising in 2024, the interim government that took power suspended parades and similar exhibitions.
