President, PM pay rich tributes to armed forces martyrs

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid glowing tributes to the martyrs of the Bangladesh Armed Forces on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day 2023.

The President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, paid the tribute by placing a wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban (flame eternal) and stood in solemn silence for a while as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs.

The PM paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Shikha Anirban (flame eternal) in Dhaka Cantonment on Tuesday morning.

After laying the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the armed forces martyrs, who made supreme sacrifice during the War of Liberation in 1971.

A smartly-turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a guard of honour at that time, while the bugle played the last post.

The Head of the State signed the visitors’ book kept there. Earlier, on his arrival at Shikha Anirban, President Shahabuddin was received by Chiefs of the three services and senior officials of the Armed Forces Division (AFD).

Sheikh Hasina, also in charge of the Ministry of Defence, signed the visitors’ book kept on the premises of Shikha Anirban.

Earlier, on her arrival at the Shikha Anirban, the premier was received by Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Shaikh Abdul Hannan and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman.

After the wreath-placing ceremony, the prime minister went to the AFD where her Security Adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and chiefs of the three services made a courtesy call on her.

On her arrival at the AFD, Sheikh Hasina was received by the PSO and director generals of the AFD.

On this day during the War of Liberation in 1971, the Bangladesh Armed Forces, comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force, came into being and launched an all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation forces which sped up the victory in the Liberation War.

After the independence of the country, this historic day is being observed as the Armed Forces Day every year.

/KN/