National
President, PM Sheikh Hasina, Bhutanese King Honor Liberation War Martyrs on 54th Independence Day
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid heartfelt tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by laying wreaths at the National Martyrs’ Memorial on the outskirts of the capital early this morning, marking the 54th Independence and National Day.
Accompanying them, Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, currently on a four-day official visit to Bangladesh at the special invitation of President Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the 54th Independence Day celebrations, also honored the Liberation War heroes by placing a wreath at 5:57 am.
In a solemn ceremony, the President led by placing the first wreath at the memorial altar around 5:56 am, followed by the Prime Minister and then the Bhutanese King.
Bhutan holds a significant place in Bangladesh’s history as the first country to recognize its independence on December 6, 1971. After 11 years, King Wangchuck, accompanied by his wife, visited Dhaka to partake in Bangladesh’s Independence Day festivities.
After the wreath-laying ceremony, a moment of profound silence was observed by the President, the Prime Minister, and the Bhutanese King as a mark of respect for the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971. Meanwhile, a smartly turned-out contingent from the Bangladesh Army, Navy, and Air Force rendered a state salute, accompanied by the solemn sound of bugles playing the last post.
Following the ceremony, the Head of State, the Head of Government, and the Bhutanese King and Queen Jetsun Pema penned their respects in the visitors’ book placed on the memorial premises.
Flanked by her party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of the Bangladesh Awami League, paid glowing tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by laying another wreath at the National Memorial on behalf of her party.
A diverse assembly including representatives from the parliament, the judiciary, ministers, advisers, senior politicians, leaders of the AL-led 14-party alliance, members of parliament, valiant freedom fighters, chiefs of the armed forces, diplomats, representatives of different development partners, and high-ranking civil and military officials gathered to honor the occasion.
Each year, March 26 serves as a poignant reminder of one of history’s darkest episodes, marking a nine-month bloody struggle that began on the night of March 25, 1971, culminating in the long-awaited independence on December 16 of the same year, attained at a great cost.
In response to the military crackdown by the then Pakistan occupation force, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh through the East Pakistan Rifles wireless at 00:30 hours on March 26, 1971, from his historic residence at Road-32 in Dhanmondi.
This day holds profound significance and sentiment for the Bengali Nation, commemorating its hard-fought journey towards freedom and sovereignty.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
