The nation is set to observe the 'Genocide Day' on Sunday in remembrance of the brutality carried out by Pakistani Army on the unarmed Bengalis on the black night of March 25 in 1971.
The Jatiya Sangsad on March 11, 2017 unanimously adopted a resolution to observe the March 25 as the ‘Gonohotya Dibos’ (Day of Genocide). Subsequently, the cabinet division in a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair endorsed the decision on March 20 last year.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the "Genocide Day".
In his message, the President said the genocide carried out by Pakistani occupation forces on March 25 is a brutal and grievous incident in the history of the Bengali nation.
"The decision of observing the day as 'Genocide Day' is a milestone in the history of the country and the nation," he said.
Terming the black night as a brutal genocide in the twentieth century, the President said they (Pakistani occupation forces) just wanted to stop the movement of Bangalee police, EPR, students and the people in the name of 'Operation Searchlight'.
Abdul Hamid urged all, irrespective of caste and creed, to establish a non-communal and democratic country imbued with the spirit of the Liberation War.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the Pakistani occupation forces swooped on unarmed Bangalees on March 25 night and they along with their local collaborators, including Rajakar, Al Badr and Al Shams, carried out atrocities.
The atrocities that started on the black night on March 25 continued for nine months. As many as 3.0 million people were killed and two lakh women were raped.
The country is set to stage a one-minute blackout from 9:00pm to 9:01pm on March 25 recalling the horror of the March 25, 1971 black night when the Pakistanis launched genocide on Bangladesh soil.
Besides, the Liberation War Affairs Ministry will hold a discussion along with photographs on the "Gonohotya Dibos" (Day of Genocide) at 10:00am at Suhrawardy Udyan.
On the day, Awami League will hold a discussion at 4:00pm at the Bangabandhu International Conference (BICC). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to chair the programme, reports BSS
