Honoring Heroism: Armed Forces Day 2024 Celebrates Sacrifice and Service

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Publish : 21 Nov 2024, 09:27 AM

Photo: Collected

On the occasion of the Armed Forces Day 2024, the President and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Md. Shahabuddin, and the Chief Adviser, Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, have issued separate messages. This information was shared in a press release by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The ISPR states that, in honor of the members of the Armed Forces who sacrificed their lives in the great Liberation War of 1971, the President and the Chief Adviser will lay wreaths at the Shikha Anirban (Eternal Flame) in Dhaka Cantonment on Thursday morning (November 21).

Afterward, the Chief of Army Staff, General Waker-uz-Zaman, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hasan, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, will each lay wreaths at the Shikha Anirban on behalf of their respective forces.

Additionally, the Chiefs of the three Armed Forces will meet the Chief Adviser at the Armed Forces Division and the President at the Bangabhaban in courtesy calls.

On Armed Forces Day 2024, the Chief Adviser will honor the awarded freedom fighters and their heirs at the Army Multipurpose Complex in Dhaka Cantonment. During this time, the Chief Adviser will distribute tokens of appreciation and exchange greetings with the awarded freedom fighters.

The ceremony will be attended by the Advisor to the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, the Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant (Defense and National Integration Development), the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Principal Secretary to the Chief Adviser, the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, the Secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, and other senior civilian and military officials.

The ISPR further reported that, to mark the day, the Chief Adviser will host a reception at the Sena Kunjo in Dhaka Cantonment at 4:00 PM on November 21. Notable guests at the reception will include the Chief Justice, former Presidents, former Chief Advisers, Advisers, and high-ranking individuals, foreign ambassadors, heads of international organizations, judges, the Secretary of the Cabinet Division, the Chief Secretary, former Chiefs of the Armed Forces, retired military officers, recipients of the Independence Award and the Ekushey Padak, journalists, academics, political and prominent figures, the coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, heirs of all Bir Shrestho (heroes) of the Liberation War, awarded officers and their heirs residing in Dhaka after the war, senior civilian officials, and serving and retired officers of the Armed Forces. The event will be broadcast live by Bangladesh Television.

In addition to Dhaka, similar reception programs will be organized at military garrisons or bases in Barisal, Cox’s Bazar, Bogura, Sylhet, Ghatail, Chittagong, Jessore, Rangpur, and Khulna under the management of the relevant Area Headquarters.

Meanwhile, to observe the day with due respect, various programs will also be held at military garrisons, naval ships and installations, and air force bases across the country. Specially decorated naval ships in Dhaka, Khulna, Chandpur, Barisal, and Chittagong will be anchored at nearby docks for public viewing from 2:00 PM until sunset on November 21.

To highlight the significance of Armed Forces Day, Bangladesh Television aired a special program titled "Bishesh Anirban" after the 8:00 PM Bengali news on Wednesday (November 20). Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the “Bishesh Durbar” program at 7:30 PM on Thursday (November 21). Additionally, the "Bishesh Anirban" program will be broadcast later on private TV channels.

On the occasion of the day, special supplements have been published in various national newspapers in both Bengali and English on November 21. Furthermore, writing and drawing competitions have been organized in educational institutions run by the Armed Forces.

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