They turned up the streets with a great enthusiasm and aspiration of building a nation free from corruption, nepotism, deprivation and economic disparity for which they fought nine months against Pakistan in 1971.
On Thursday, the nation started their day saluting the valiant sons and daughters of the soil who made their supreme sacrifices for the cause of independence in 1971 with a dream of building a democratic state. They are gathering at various monuments to pay tributes to the national heroes.
Today is a public holiday and the national flag has been hoisted atop all government, semi-government and other important establishments.
People carrying banners of different political, social, cultural and professional organisations in the capital city along the whole country and singing patriotic songs.
The valiant people of the then east Pakistan under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and responding to the proclamation of Bir Uttam General Ziaur Rahman decided to see the then East Pakistan as an Independent Bangladesh.
The brave people with their very simple weapons fought against Pakistan to win against autocracy and for democracy only.
Till now, the unquestionable democracy where peoples mandate would be cent per cent visible without any conspiracy is a mere dream to the countrymen, Shahid Khan told this to this reporter while speaking this morning.
President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia have given separate statements marking the day.
The start of the day was marked by 31 cannon fires at the Old Airport premises in Tejgaon at the Heart of the Capital City in the very morning.
The president in his statement said, "One of the main objectives of our Liberation War was to achieve political sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency as well as to build a nation based on equality and equity."
"We could not yet attain that objective after four decades of independence. The anti-liberation force as well as the vested quarters created obstacle in the way of democracy and development by killing Father of the Nation."
"Our democratic advancement has been jeopardized afterwards in absence of a people's government. As a result, we lag far behind in anticipated development"
He went on to say that democracy has been re-established and expressed hope that the country will be able to fulfill the main objectives of the war.
The Prime Minister of the country said in her statement, "Thirty nine years have passed since independence but the desired dreams and aspirations of independence are yet to be achieved."
"The defeated forces of the 1971 snatched away the people's right through killing, coup and politics of conspiracy after the assassination of the Father of the Nation along with his 18 family members on August 15and the four national leaders inside the Dhaka Central jail on the November 3 in 1975."
"Through the killings, the defeated forces wanted to undo the greatest achievements of the War of Liberation-the constitution, democracy, humanity, culture and development."
"The nation which has earned its independence through bloodbath reestablished democracy and rights of the people through a long struggle and unfathomable sacrifice," she added.
The opposition leader said in her statement, "Even though our motherland was freed from enemies in 1971, their sharp eyes are still on us".
"An imperialist force is working to turn us into a subjugated race. We will have to unite nationally to fight it."
On this day in 1971, Pakistani occupation forces representative Martial Law Administrator Zone B and Commander Eastern Command (Pakistan) Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi along with 91,549 troops surrendered to the General Officer Commanding in Chief India and Bangladesh Forces in the Eastern Theater Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora at 4.31 pm in the afternoon at Sahrawardi Udyan in Dhaka of Bangladesh.
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