Victory day (Bengali: বিজয় দিবস Bijôy Dibôs) is a national holiday in Bangladesh celebrated on December 16 to commemorate the victory of the Allied forces High Command over the Pakistani forces in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. The Commanding officer of the Pakistani Forces General AAK Niazi surrendered with his forces to the Allied forces commander Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, which marked ending the 9 month-long[1] Bangladesh Liberation War and 1971 Bangladesh genocide and officially secession of East Pakistan into Bangladesh. Today is National Victory Day. The 43rd anniversary of victory earned through sacrifice of enormous bloodshed. The day of emergence of Bangladesh as an independent sovereign state to this world. After a long 9 month of armed struggle, sacrificing a lot of lives and huge bloodshed, valiant Bengalis claimed the victory on this very day. After oppressing the freedom seeking of this land the Pakistani attacking force surrendered to the people on this very day. With this surrender of the Pakistani forces it came to an end of a two and a half decades of exploitation and deprivation of the Pakistanis. The nation got free from persecution and oppression. Everyone is now analyzing the gains and expectations of the 43 years spent after independence. In this 43rd anniversary of Victory the departed souls of the freedom fighters having peace – the heinous war criminals gradually being punished. The whole nation will commemorate the millions of martyrs who sacrificed themselves with utmost homage and love. For the supreme sacrifices of these great souls we got an independent and sovereign Bangladesh. At the same time strong commitment will be expressed to make Bangladesh a prosperous future oriented one. To observe the occasion many programs would be celebrated by the government and non-government initiatives. All government and non-government institutions will hoist the National flag today. Various political parties, social and cultural organizations and the educational institutes will hold programs. Honorable Prime Minister will commence the day’s programs by offering floral wreaths at the Jatiya Smrity Soudha. The important roads and road islands are decorated with National and colorful flags to mark this day. Special featured pages are published by the national dailies explaining the tenor of the day. Radio and television channels will host special programs. Special prayers and monajats will be offered at the mosques, temples and other religious places of worship, wishing peace and prosperity. At the very moment of sunrise, gun salutes with blasting cannons 31 times will initiate the days programs. There would be a sea of gathering of common people at the Jatiya Smrity Soudha who would come to pay homage to the great monument. Overflowed with the emotion of victory, Jatiya Smriti Soudha and Shaheed Minars will be covered by the flowers, floral wreaths of the common people everywhere. That thunderous voice of Bangabandhu would be heard across all over the country. The sun of independence that was set at the Palashi’s mango orchard on 1957, has again risen up on this 16th December on 1971. The glorious moment of victory was initiated in this day. 91 thousand 549 Pakistani soldiers surrendered in the broad daylight. The Chief of Eastern regional wing of Pakistan army Lt. General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi signed the surrender document to the supreme commander to the Eastern regional wing of the Allied forces Lt. General Jagjit Sigh Aurora at the historical Race Course Ground (well known as Suhrawardi Uddyan today). Not through negotiations, not through somebody’s kind favor, a victory through the struggle sacrificing sea of blood, which defeated the Pakistan forces and were bound to surrender with heads all down. World beholds the birth of a new independent state. And the glorious leader who guided and lead the nation to this victory, is perpetually unfading and luminous, the greated Bangali in thousand years, the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Delight comes in many ways to life. But being able to observe the victory through sacrifice of million bloodshed earning freedom of motherland from oppression of alien forces has no comparison at all! The glorious and victorious sun has risen to this land of 55 thousand square miles on this day. The freedom crazy Bangalis snatched this sun smashing the oppression and subservience. The sun that glow with the blood stains of the sacrifices the color of victory. This color of blood and victory along with the greenery of Bengal makes our National Flag. That sun of that victory day had the visions of the future, for which 3 million people sacrificed their lives. After a long 9 months of suffering the pains in the belly, a new country was born, an independent and sovereign Bangladesh. In fact the glorious moment of independence of Bangladesh did not come just in a day. Behind this lies the history of sweaty struggles of the nation. And if anyone would be thought as the great commander of these struggles the name of the greatest Bengali of thousand years the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would always be there. Bangabandhu means Bangladesh. Bangabandhu means freedom. Bangabandhu means our new entity. His existence belongs every inch of the 55 thousand square miles of the land. Bengalis gave their blood in the British colonial age. Struggled against oppression, exploitation and deprivation. In the struggles and movements of about 200 years, this Bengali nation has sacrificed the most bloods. On 1947, Bangali nation’s efforts were there in establishing a state called Pakistan. Bengalis were the main architect behind the making of Pakistan. But it took only a few years to get out of the disillusion. The oppression and exploitation, for which they had driven away the British, the same came to their lives in Pakistan in a few years. That begun the struggles of a new era. Pakistanis considered the people of this land their underlings. Bengalis were being relived in terms of economically and politically and in every aspect. They even refused to accept the electoral results. The turning points of history against them came in the form of 52’s Language movement, 66’s Historical 6 point demand movement and 69’s mass revolt etc. The final blow was the result of the election of 1970s. A new chapter begun. On the glorious day of 7th March, Bangabandhu declared in his thunderous proclamation, “Struggle of this time, is the struggle for freedom, this struggle is our struggle for independence”. This proclamation brought new enthusiasm to the nation, brought craziness for the desire for freedom. About 90 thousand Pakistani soldiers accepted the defeat through surrender on this day at the Race Course Ground. To observe the glorious Victory day Bangladesh is decorated as new. Whole country is decorated with the Red and Green flags. At the dawn of this morning a 31 times gun salute will be done through cannon fires initiating the day. Today is government holiday. National flags will be hoisted with glory on every buildings of the country today. Honorable President Mohammad Abdul Hamid Advocate and Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate speeches marking the day. The programs by Bangladesh Awami League marking the glorious Victory Day 16 December 16 December 2014, Tuesday At Sunrise: Hoisting of National and party flags at party’s Central office, Bangabandhu Bhaban, countrywide offices of the party. 6:34am : Offering floral wreaths to the Jatiya Smriti Soudha (as soon as the sun rises) (Will be synced with Honorable President and Honorable Prime Minister’s schedules) 8:00am : Paying homage to the mural of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabhaban. 10:00am : Offering floral wreaths, Jiarat, dua and Milad Mehfil to the graveyard of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara where he eternally resting in peace. Bijoy Rally The leaders of all thana branches of the Metropolitan Dhaka City Awami League and the Members of National Parliament will come in parades from their own localities to the place of surrender of the Pakistani Attacking forces the Suhrawardi Udyan and gather together at the Monument of Shikha Chirantan, and will pay homage at 4:20pm when the Pakistan Army actually surrendered at this time on 1971. After paying homage they will start towards the Dhanmondi 32 with Bijoy Parade. Also mentionable that, 10am in the morning the Central Program would be observed where the presidium member of the Central Executive committee Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim MP, Kazi Zafar Ullah, Organizing Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim MP, Secretary of International Affairs Lt. Col. Muhammad Faruque Khan MP, Secretary of Salvation and Social Welfare . Faridunnahar Laily, Secretary of Religious Affairs Alhajj Advocate Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Secretary of Labor and Manpower Habibur Rahman Siraj, Member of Central Executive Committee Abdur Rahman MP et al and leaders would be present at the occasion. 17 December 2014 Wednesday 3:00pm : Discussion meeting. Venue: Krishibid Institution Auditorium Chief Guest : The President of Bangladesh Awami League and Honorable Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh the People’s leader Sheikh Hasina MP. Chaired by : Presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League and Deputy leader of the National Parliament Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury MP. Will speak on the discussion: National leaders and renowned intellectuals.