People across the country on Monday observed the Genocide Day in remembrance of the brutality carried out by Pakistani Army on the unarmed Bangalees on the black night of 25 March 1971 under the infamous Operation Searchlight.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs took various programmes to observe the Genocide Day on 25 March at state level with due respect.
As part of the programmes, one-minute symbolic lackout was observed from 11.00pm to 11.01pm on 25 March throughout the country.
However, the key point installations (KPIs) and the essential establishments remained out of the purview of the programme.
Newspapers also published special supplements on genocide committed by the occupation Pakistani forces on the night of 25 March, 1971.
The liberation war ministry organized cultural programmes, including Geeti Natya (musical drama) based on genocide and Liberation War across the country.
Besides, discussions were held at all the educational institutions, including madrasahs, where heroic freedom fighters and noted personalities shared their memories with students.
Marking the genocide day, the ruling Awami Leagues Dhaka North and South City units organized a discussion meeting at its Bangabandhu Avenue central office.
Joining the meeting as chief guest, Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, said because of the opposition of BNP, Bangladesh has not yet got the international recognition of the genocide the Pakistani forces carried out during 1971 liberation war.
"BNP are agents. Because of them, we still haven got the recognition of the genocide. We have not got our fair dues from Pakistan. We have been bearing the burden of Pakistani citizens for many years. They did not take back their citizens despite giving promise to take them back," he said.
Quader said Pakistan never apologises for carrying out the genocide in 1971.
Even no government of Pakistan sought apology from Bangladesh for committing war crimes, he added.
A discussion meeting was arranged at the Liberation War Museum.
Rare photos and documentaries on mass killing were exhibited on the premises of all the city corporations, including Dhaka.
Special Munazat were offered at mosques after Zuhr prayers seeking eternal peace for martyrs who were killed on 25 March, 1971. Prayers were also offered at other places of worships.
Similar programmes were organized at all divisional, district, and upazila level and Bangladesh missions in abroad.
The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) unanimously adopted a resolution to observe the March 25 as the "Ganahotya Dibas" (Genocide Day) on 11 March, 2017. Subsequently, the cabinet division at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, unanimously endorsed the decision on 20 March in 2017.
Marking the atrocities and massacres committed by the Pakistani occupation forces on the innocent people on the Black Night of March 25 in 1971, people of Chattogram observed the Genocide Day.
Demanding the recognition of March 25 as Intl Genocide Day, Amra 71, a socio-cultural organization brought out human chain and candle lighting program at 11 places in the city at a time.
The speakers at the human chain programme called upon to the international community to give the recognition of March 25 as Intl Genocide Day.
Chattogram district administration chalked out elaborate programmes, including placing of wreaths at Shaheed Minar and discussion meeting at Shilpakala Academy to mark the day.
The Genocide Day-2024 was observed in Rajshahi and different parts of the district as elsewhere in the country in remembrance of the brutal killings carried out by Pakistani occupational forces on the innocent Bengalis on the black night of March 25, 1971.
To mark the day, local district administration chalked out elaborate programmes, including placing of wreaths at Shaheed Minar and other shaheed memorial plaques and discussion meetings.
Bangladesh Shishu Academy and District Shilpakala Academy organized various competitions of essay and painting, patriotic song and recitation on genocide and the great Liberation War followed by cultural functions.
The Genocide Day-2024 was observed in Khulna as elsewhere in the country commemorating the brutal attacks carried out by Pakistani occupation forces on the unarmed Bengalis on the black night of March 25 in 1971.
The District Administration and other socio-cultural organisations including Khulna city and district unit Awami League (AL) chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day.
Marking the day, the Department of Press Information (PID) Office has screened a film on "Genocide and Liberation War" in the citys Shaheed Hadis Park.
The city and district units of AL also organised a rally in the party office with city unit AL President Talukder Abdul Khaleque in the chair.
Speakers at a discussion called for working together to create world opinion to get global recognition of genocide in 1971.
The Pakistani occupation forces launched massive crackdown on armed people of Bangladesh on the fateful night of March 25, 1971 and they killed innocent Bangalees, they told the discussion on "Genocide of 1971:World Recognition at the Jatiya Press Club(JPC) in Dhaka.
The Jatiya Press Club organized the discussion marking the Genocide Day-2024.
Awami League Presidium Member Shahjahan Khan addressed the discussion as the chief guest with JPC President Farida Yasmin, MP in the chair.
Former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) Professor Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique, (BFUJ)- Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists President Omar Faruque, former President of BFUJ Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, former JPC President Saiful Alam, former Secretary General of BFUJ Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan and JPC Joint General Secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, among others, addressed the discussion.
Shahjahan Khan said on the night of March 25, 1971, Pakistani forces pounced on the sleeping people and they killed nearly one lakh people.
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