The 10-day celebration of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary coinciding with the golden jubilee of independence has begun in Bangladesh in a magnificent grand ceremony at the National Parade Square in Dhaka.
The occasion from March 17 to March 26 comes at a time when Bangladesh under Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership earned global kudos for the country’s socio-economic progress in the last one decade.
As one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, the United Nations also announced the graduation of the country from a least developed country (LDC) to a developing one. The GDP growth rate stood at 7 to 8 percent per year while life expectancy is now 72 years. The primary school enrolment rate is close to 100 percent. The country is also the top contributor to the peacekeeping mission of the UN.
The world community also hailed the leadership of the prime minister by sheltering over a million of Rohingya refugees, who fled ethnic cleansing in Myanmar's Rakhine state.
President Md Abdul Hamid, his wife Rashida Khanam, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the celebration at the National Parade ground along with visiting Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his spouse Fazna Ahmed. Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana was also present.
The grand opening began with the rendition of the national anthem collectively by 100 children. The children then sang several songs of world poet Rabindranath Tagore, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and others, in chorus.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and famous British journalist Mark Talley also sent congratulatory messages on the occasion.
Video footages of Bangabandhu's historic addresses and comments were also displayed at the function where nationally renowned singers along with young artists sang the Mujib Year's theme song ‘Tumi Banglar Dhrubo Tara’.
"Overcoming all the obstacles, we shall establish this country as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's exploitation-deprivation-free, hunger-poverty-illiteracy-free, non-communal Golden Bangladesh," Prime Minister Hasina said in her speech.
Maldives President Solih said that Bangabandhu will “remain a source of inspiration for many generations to come”.
“Despite the tragic circumstances of his death, his legacy will not be forgotten. He will always have an honoured place in the hearts of those who yearn for democracy and freedom,” he said.
Terming Bangabandhu as an old friend of China, President Xi Jinping in his speech said under his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country entered “a fast lane of growth”.
“With a GDP growing more than six percent every year for year running, Bangladesh has bettered the lives of its own people and made important contributions to poverty reduction in the world. As a friendly neighbor, China rejoices at a prosperous and progressing Bangladesh,” he said.
“Fifty years ago, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman founded the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. A man who devoted his whole life to his country and people, he is fondly remembered by the people in Bangladesh to this day,” he remembered.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will visit Bangladesh on the occasion later on March 26 tweeted on Wednesday to pay heartfelt homage to the Father of the Nation.
“My heartfelt homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a champion of human rights and freedom, on his birth anniversary. He is a hero for all Indians too. It will be my honour to visit Bangladesh later this month for the historic #MujibBorsho celebrations,” he tweeted.
As the celebration will end on March 26, more leaders from South Asia will join.
Sri Lankan’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will arrive on a two-day tour on March 19 followed by Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari who will be in Dhaka on a two-day tour from March 22. Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will be in Dhaka on March 24 and 25. Then, the Indian Prime Minister will come.
“This is a very unusual time due to Covid, but heads of state and government of our neighbouring countries are coming here to show their tribute to our Father of the Nation,” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, earlier, said.
All the foreign leaders would visit the National Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the independence martyrs, Bangabandhu Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay tribute to Bangladesh’s founding father, watch special military parades and join state banquets.
Indian PM Modi’s visit would be an extended one which would take him to three places outside Dhaka - Bangabandhu shrine in Tungipara, and two Hindu temples— one in Gopalganj and the other in Satkhira.
The temples are places of worship, particularly of the Hindu Matua community, a large part of them being residents of India’s West Bengal state. Bangladesh is also expecting to sign at least three MoUs with India during the visit.
