The birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially kicked off with a stunning fireworks display.
The event took place at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital city at 8pm on Tuesday, marking the moment of Bangabandhu’s birth on March 17 in 1920.
The Centre for Research and Information (CRI) streamed the fireworks program live on their Facebook page.
The fireworks were followed by nationwide broadcasts of President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s addresses.
From March 17, 2020 to March 26, 2021, which has been dubbed “Mujib Borsho” or Mujib Year, the country will mark Bangabandhu’s birth centenary through various programs.
Under the supervision of Unesco, birth centenary programs will also be held around the world.
Through the celebrations by the United Nations, the history of Bangabandhu’s long struggle and his great sacrifice for Bangladesh and its people will be projected before the world.
Bangabandhu had delivered his momentous March 7 speech at the then Ramna Race Course ground, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in 1971, leading the Bangali nation to the Liberation War and eventual independence.
The countdown for the celebration’s opening had started on January 10, coinciding with Bangabandhu’s homecoming in 1972 from a Pakistan jail after the War of Independence.
Although the authorities had earlier planned large-scale events to mark the Mujib Year, they later scaled down the inauguration fanfare by revising the schedule because of the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Most of the programs were rearranged for indoors to avoid public gatherings. The original plan for the grand Mujib Year inaugural ceremony on Mar 17 at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka was also postponed.
A number of heads of government of different countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, were invited to join the Mar 17 ceremony.
However, they will be invited again when a fresh schedule is finalized, said officials, adding that other programs would continue throughout the year on a small scale.