Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Bangabandhu was a champion of human rights and freedom, and also a hero for all Indians too, reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid homage to ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his birth anniversary and said that he is a hero for all Indians as well.
Bangladesh is celebrating the birth centenary of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who is known as the father of the nation. He was born on March 17, 1920.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Modi said, “My heartfelt homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a champion of human rights and freedom, on his birth anniversary. He is a hero for all Indians too. It will be my honour to visit Bangladesh later this month for the historic #MujibBorsho celebrations.”
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A Bangla translation of Modi’s remarks was also posted on his Twitter account.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh is all set to welcome world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to take part in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the country’s independence and also the birth centenary of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first foreign visit since the coronavirus pandemic broke out more than a year ago.
The celebrations, which will take place from March 17-27, will also be attended by Presidents Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Bidya Devi Bhandari of Maldives and Nepal, respectively, as well as Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
While, Modi, Solih and Rajapaksa will meet Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bhandari and her counterpart Md Abdul Hamid will hold bilateral talks.
Bangladesh government has chalked out elaborate programmes to be held at National Parade Square in the capital,.
Also read:Freedom@50: Indian Navy in B’desh
All the four leaders will deliver separate speeches from the National Parade Ground, which will be live streamed.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Kamal Khan on Saturday morning told IANS that they will avoid large-scale public gatherings in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He added that there will be strict security measures in place during the programmes.
The invited guests at the in-person events have to undergo Covid-19 testing and carry a negative report to attend. The certificate of the test will remain valid for 48 hours.
About 500 guests from home and abroad will be invited to the National Parade Ground event.
The invitees will attend the programme in-person for four days, while the events of the other six days will be broadcast live.
Special arrangements will be made for the heads of state and governments attending the celebrations.
As per the schedule, Solih will be in Bangladesh from March 17-18, Rajapaksa from March 19-20, Bhandari from March 22-23 and Modi from March 26-27.
High officials at the Prime Ministers’ Office and the Foreign Ministry said Bangladesh has been in close contact with the governments of the four nations on signing instruments on various issues.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the US, Canada, China, France and several other high-profile dignitaries are expected to send video messages to mark the occasion.
Prime Minister of Bhutan also expressed his desire to join the celebrations, Foreign Ministry officials said. China wishes to send a top ranking leader, who will carry the message of President Xi Jinping on the occasion.
Prime Minister of Canada and President of France will also send messages.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador in Dhaka Earl Miller during a meeting with Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said a high-level dignitary from the Washington government is likely to visit Bangladesh in the near future to join the year-long celebrations.
Navy warships in B’desh
Two Indian Navy warships — INS Kulish and INS Sumedha, were at Bangladesh’s Mongla Port to celebrate the birth centenary of ‘Father of the Nation’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the country’s 50th year of Independence.
A band of Bangladesh Navy playing musical instruments greeted the two Indian Navy warships. Captain M. Mosharraf Hossain, commander of Bangladesh Navy’s Mongla Naval Base, welcomed the captains of the two Indian warships with flowers. High-ranking officials of the Bangladesh Navy, including a representative of the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh, were also present on the occasion.
During the visit, top Indian Navy officer Commodore Mahadeva Gobardhan Raju, and the captains of the two ships, paid homage at the tomb of Bangabandhu at his birthplace in Tungipara, and laid a wreath at the tomb of Bangladeshi Navy official Ruhul Amin, who was posthumously awarded ‘Bir Sreshtho’ — Bangladesh’s highest bravery award for his service during the 1971 Liberation War.
They also paid a courtesy call to Bangladesh Navy’s commander of Khulna Naval Area and Commander Flotilla West, and exchanged views with the Naval commandos and freedom fighters who participated in the Liberation War of 1971.
The Naval officers of the two neighbouring countries hope that this goodwill visit of the two Indian warships will play an important role in further strengthening the friendly relations between Bangladesh and India.
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