President, PM pay homage to Shikha Anirban

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid glowing tributes to the martyred members of Bangladesh Armed Forces on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day-2019.

The President, also the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, placed wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban (eternal flame) at 8:00 am while the prime minister paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Shikha at 8:15 am on Thursday, reports BSS.

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

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

Later, 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 Shikha Anirban, the premier was received by Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Abu Mozaffar Mohiuddin Mohammad Aurangzeb Chowdhury, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman.

After the wreath-placing ceremony, the prime minister went to the Armed Forces Division (AFD) where the three chiefs of the armed forces 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 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 observed as the Armed Forces Day every year.