The nation observed Genocide Day across the country on Saturday, commemorating the barbaric mass killing and cowardly attacks carried out by Pakistan army on the unarmed Bangalees on the night of March 25 in 1971 under the infamous ‘Operation Searchlight’.
People from all walks of life and different social, political, and cultural organisations organised various programmes, demanding effective move to get international recognition of the genocide.
On the occasion, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages, highlighting the importance of Genocide Day. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs took various programmes to observe the day at state level with due respect.
As part of the programmes, one-minute symbolic ‘blackout’ was observed from 10:30pm to 10:31pm throughout the country.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Liberation War Museum organised a special event at 10:00am on the day at Liberation War Museum in the capital.
The Islamic Foundation arranged a special discussion at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the capital on the occasion. Special doa and munazat were also offered there, marking the day.
Theatre troupe Prachyanaut arranged a special procession named Lal Jatra on the Dhaka University campus in remembrance of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on the day.
Special munazat was offered at mosques after Zohr prayers and other places of worships also organised separate programmes, seeking eternal peace for martyrs who were killed on March 25, 1971.
Similar programmes were organised at a district-upazila level and Bangladesh missions abroad.