The Genocide Day-2024 was observed on Monday across the country commemorating the brutal attacks carried out by Pakistani occupation forces on unarmed Bengalis on the black night of March 25 in 1971.
To mark the Day, different programmes were organized in districts including Gaibandha, Gopalganj, Khulna, Panchagarh, Pirojpur, Rajshahi and Rangamati.
GAIBANDHA: The district administration organized different programmes in the town on the occasion of the Day at the directives of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs.
At around 10 am, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kazi Nahid Rasul and Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Kamal Hossain placed wreaths on the martyred tombstone located in Old DC office area of the town in phases.
District Awami League (AL), Gaibandha Pourashava, District Muktijoddha Sangsad, District Unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, and other socio-cultural organizations also placed wreaths on the martyred tombstone to pay their rich tribute.
Later on, a discussion meeting on the significance of the Day was held at the auditorium of District Shilpakala Academy in the town.
Gaibandha DC Kazi Nahid Rasul attended the function and addressed it as the chief guest with Additional DC (General) Dewan Moudud Ahmed in the chair.
SP Kamal Hossain, Civil Surgeon (CS) Dr Abdullahel Mafi, Principal of Gaibandha Government College Professor Khalilur Rahman, Mayor of Gaibandha Municipality Matlubour Rahman, and former commander of District Muktijoddha Sangsad Mahmudul Haque Sahzada, among others, also addressed the function.
Speaking on the occasion, DC Kazi Nahid Rasul in her speech said the genocide carried out by Pakistani occupational forces on March 25 of 1971 is a brutal and grievous incident in the history of Bengali Nation. The atrocities that started on the black night of March 25, 1971, and at least 10,000 unarmed Bengalis of Dhaka city were killed on that night, she also said.
SP Kamal Hossain said on March 11, 2017 the Jatiya Sangsad unanimously adopted a resolution to observe March 25 as the National Genocide Day and accordingly, the Day is being observed in the country.
The SP also said the Pakistani occupational forces swooped down on unarmed Bangalees on the night of March 25 and they along with their local collaborators carried out atrocities that continued for night month at a stretch.
As many as 30 lakh people were killed and two lakh women lost their chastity during the Liberation War, the SP added.
A large number of people including district level officials, NGO activists, political leaders, cultural personality, teachers, students and journalists attended the programme.
Similar programmes were also held in other six upazila headquarters of the district marking the Day.
GOPALGANJ: To mark the Day, different programmes were organized in the district.
Wreaths were placed at the Martyred Memorial Monument located on the bank of Joy Bangla Pond adjacent to Sadar Upazila Parishad in the town.
Deputy Director (DD) of Local Government Department Azaharul Islam, on behalf of the district administration, placed a wreath on the monument at first at around 10:30 am.
Then SP Ayesha Siddiqa, District AL, Sadar Upazila administration and various socio-cultural organizations paid tribute to the martyred of March 25 of 1971.
A one-minute silence took place and then, a munajat was offered there seeking the eternal peace for the departed souls of the martyred.
Later on, a discussion meeting was held in the Sadar Upazila Parishad auditorium.
DD of Local Government Department Azaharul Islam, SP Ayesha Siddiqa, and District AL President Mahabub Ali Khan, among others, spoke at the programme.
At around 12 pm, a photography exhibition was arranged at local poura park in the town.
Meanwhile, a one minute lack out was also observed in the district from 10pm to 10:01pm.
KHULNA: The district administration, City and District Units of AL and various socio-cultural organizations organized different programmes on the occasion of the Day.
The district administration organized a discussion meeting at the auditorium of DC Office in the city.
Khulna Divisional Commissioner Md Helal Mahmud Sharif addressed the meeting as the chief guest with Khulna DC Khondokar Yasir Arefin in the chair.
Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mozammel Haque, Additional Deputy Inspector General of Khulna Range Police Md Hasanuzzaman, SP Md Sayedur Rahman, former commander of City Unit Muktijoddha Sangsad Professor Md Alamgir Kabir, and former commander of District Unit Muktijoddha Sangsad Md Mahbubur Rahman were present at the programme as special guests.
The speakers said the genocide carried out by Pakistani occupational forces on March 25 in 1971 is a black chapter in the history of the Bangalee Nation.
"The Pakistan military committed one of the worst genocides in modern history in the then eastern wing of Pakistan, now Bangladesh, from March to December in 1971. As many as three million people were killed, thousands were raped, and some 10 million people were displaced and had to flee the country," they said.
A symbolic black-out was observed for one minute from 11pm to 11:01pm. Apart from this, a photo exhibition was held at Khulna District Shilpakala Academy on the occasion of the Genocide Day.
Marking the Day, the Department of Press Information Office screened a film on Genocide and Liberation War at Shaheed Hadis Park in the city.
City and District units of AL also observed the Day in the party office with City Unit AL President Talukder Abdul Khaleque in the chair.
Special prayers were offered in all the religious institutions in the city in memory of the martyrs on the night of March 25, 1971 after Johr prayers.
PANCHAGARH: To mark the Day, different programmes were organized in the district.
Wreaths were placed on the Genocide Monument in the district town at around 9:30 am.
Panchagarh DC Md Zahurul Islam, Zilla Parishad Chairman Abdul Hannan Sheikh, SP SM Sirajul Huda, CS Dr Mustafa Zaman Chowdhury, District AL, District Muktijoddha Sangsad, District Shilpakala Academy, and various social, cultural and political organizations paid tribute to the martyrs of March 25, 1971 there.
Then, a special munajat was offered seeking the eternal peace for the departed souls of all the martyrs including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and for the welfare of the nation.
Later on, a discussion meeting was held in the DC office conference room in the town.
DC Md Zahurul Islam presided over the meeting.
Zilla Parishad Chairman Abdul Hannan Sheikh, SP SM Sirajul Huda, CS Dr Mustafa Zaman Chowdhury, Freedom Fighter (FF) ATM Sarwar Hossain, and District AL Vice-President Abu Toybur Rahman, among others, spoke on the occasion.
Besides, a cultural programme with the participation of the artistes of District Shilpakala Academy and Shishu Academy was also arranged there.
District Information Office screened documentary and exhibited rare photographs on the massacre of March 25 in 1971 at important places
Meanwhile, a symbolic lack out was also observed in the district from 10pm to 10:01pm.
At 7 pm, candles being lit up at the monument remembering the martyrs.
PIROJPUR: In this connection, the district administration organized a discussion meeting at Shahid Abdur Razaque-Saif Mizan Memorial Auditorium of the DC office in the town in the morning.
Pirojpur DC Mohamed Jahedur Rahman was present as the chief guest while ADC (General) Madhubi Roy presided over the meeting.
SP Mohammad Shariful Islam, PPM, attended the programme as the special guest.
Associate Professor of Pirojpur Government Suhrawardi College Shahin Reza, District Imam Samity President Mawlana Faruqe Abdullah, FF Goutam Chowdhury, and Medical Officer Dr Farida Yasmin, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
RAJSHAHI: On this occasion, the district administration organized different programmes including placing wreaths at Shaheed Minar and other martyred memorial plaques and holding discussion meetings.
Bangladesh Shishu Academy in Rajshahi 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.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) led by its Commissioner Biplob Bijoy Talukder paid rich tribute to the martyrs of Bablaban genocide through placing wreaths.
He said the genocide committed by the Pakistani occupation forces with the help of their collaborators at different areas of the city in 1971 still reminds of heinous atrocities and crime against humanity.
RMP Additional Commissioners Rashidul Hassan and Hemayetul Islam were also present there.
Rajshahi College, Rajshahi New Government Degree College and Rajshahi Government Womens College observed the Day through placing wreaths at their respective Shaheed Minars paying rich tribute to the martyrs.
Valiant FFs Dr Abdul Mannan and Mustafizur Rahman Khan, Principals of the colleges Prof Abdul Khaleque, Prof Kala Chand Shil and Zubaida Ayesha Siddiqua addressed the meetings.
They stressed the need for creating consensus among the people at home and abroad to earn international recognition of the Genocide Day.
Like the Liberation War, the incident of genocide is marked permanently in the history of Bangladesh and the young generation needs to work for a due recognition of the Day, they added.
Bagha Upazila Parishad also arranged a discussion meeting at its conference hall marking the Day. Upazila Parishad Chairman Advocate Layeb Uddin and Bagha Municipality Mayor Akkash Ali, among others, spoke on the occasion.
District Information Office screened documentary films at different points and road crossings. Special prayers were arranged at the citys mosques and different places of worship, seeking divine blessings for peace for the departed souls of the martyrs.
Local units of AL and its front organisations, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad, Sector Commanders Forum, Rajshahi Press Club, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi University of Science and Technology, Rajshahi Medical University and Rajshahi Medical College observed the Day through different programmes.
Besides, different educational institutions, political parties and socio-cultural organizations also observed the Day through various programmes.
RANGAMATI: To mark the Day, different programmes were organized in the district.
The district administration organized a discussion meeting in the DC office conference room in the town in the morning.
Rangamati DC Md Mosharraf Hossain Khan presided over the meeting.
SP Mir Abu Tauhid, ADC Saiful Islam, Additional District Magistrate Abdullah Al Mahmud, Additional SP Jahidul Islam, Regional Parishad Member Hazi Kamal Uddin, FF Ruhul Amin, and Journalist Sunil Kanti De, among others, were also present at the programme at that time.
The speakers discussed on the significance of the Day in their speech at the meeting.
