50th Victory Day celebrated in Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Shamim Ahmad, Washington D.C., 16 December 2020: The 50th glorious Victory Day was celebrated at Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, D.C. Wednesday amid patriotic zeal to materialize the objectives of the War of Liberation and establish Golden Bangla free from hunger and poverty.

The Day’s program began with the ceremonious hoisting of the national flag and playing of the national anthem on the embassy premises.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the U.S.A. Mohammad Ziauddin hoisted the national flag. All officers and employees of the embassy attended the flag hoisting ceremony.

Later, the Ambassador accompanied by officers and employees of the embassy placed a wreath at the bust of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of respect for the great leader.

Video-recorded V-Day messages of the Hon’ble President and Hon’ble Prime Minister were screened while messages of Hon’ble Foreign Minister and Hon’ble State Minister for Foreign Affairs were read out. Minister (Political) Dewan Ali Ashraf and Commercial Counsellor Md Salim Reza read out the two messages respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador briefly recalled the history of Bangladesh’s liberation war. He said after losing the political battle against Bangabandhu’s Awami League, the Pakistani occupation army launched brutal genocide on 25^th March, 1971 against the unarmed Bengalis to silence the Bengali nation from seeking a liberal, democratic and secular society. 

“The ruthless brutality of the genocide stunned the conscience of the world,” he said, adding in the USA, the American people took the side of the brutalized Bengalis. He mentioned the names of Senator Edward Kennedy, former US consul general in Dhaka Archer Blood, famous musician George Harrison and poet Allen Ginsberg, along with many other personalities, who played an active role in support of Bangladesh’s independence.

The Ambassador said on the 49^th anniversary of the Victory day, “We need to reflect on how far we have advanced in fulfilling the aspiration of Bangabandhu. Today, we need to recognize our failings and renew our vow to exert honest and sincere efforts to achieve what we had promised to the Father of the Nation.”

The V-day programs were conducted by Md. Mahmudul Islam, First Secretary & HOC.

At the end a special prayer was offered seeking divine blessings for the departed souls of the Father of the Nation and members of his family assassinated on August 15, 1975, the four national leaders and martyred freedom fighters.