A statue of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the mould of the Statue of Liberty in the US will be constructed to commemorate his birth centenary, said Minister for Liberation War Affairs AKM Mozammel Haque.
“A year-long programme will be implemented to celebrate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. All the ministries, organisations and the forces for the liberation of the country will work together to reach that goal,” he said in a statement on the 2020-21 ‘Mujib Year’ celebrations released on Thursday.
“The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs will pay the utmost importance to the commemoration of Mujib Year with the help of other relevant bodies. The government will construct a statue of the Father of the Nation, similar to the Statue of Liberty.”
An international tender will be floated soon for the construction of the statue, said Ministry of Liberation War Affairs officials, reports bdnews24.com.
It has initially been decided to set the massive statue beside the Marine Drive in Cox’s Bazar, they added.
A scholarship will be awarded to 500 children of the Mitra Bahini as part of the Mujib Year celebrations, said the minister.
“We will never be able to repay the Father of the Nation for his contributions in earning the independence of Bangladesh from the oppressive Pakistani rulers. Celebrating his birth centenary will be a beautiful occasion for the nation.”
The celebrations will also include the ‘largest ever’ conference of freedom fighters, said the minister.
“Throughout the year, the national days related to the Liberation War will be celebrated highlighting the vibrant life and career of the Father of the Nation. There will be Mujib Fair organised in different parts of the country.”
A 102-strong national committee headed by the prime minister was formed on Feb 14 to oversee the birth centenary celebrations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Another 61-member implementation committee headed by National Professor Rafiqul Islam and eight subcommittees have been formed to organise the programmes.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was born at Tungiparha in Gopalganj on Mar 17, 1920. He spearheaded the Bengalis’ liberation struggle resulting in Bangladesh’s emergence as an independent country in 1971.
Bangladesh will celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation as Mujib Barsha or Mujib Year through year-long programmes.
A year after his 100th birth anniversary, Bangladesh will celebrate the golden jubilee of independence on Mar 26, 2021.