The horrific ‘Genocide Day’ or the ‘Black Night March 25 is today (Saturday).
The Pakistani Army on March 25 in 1971 swooped on the unarmed Bangalees and carried out a brutal massacre during the night under the infamous "Operation Searchlight".
The Pakistani Army killed innumerous innocent and unarmed people showing their brutal capacity.
In remembrance of the brutality, the Bengali nation is set to observe the 'Genocide Day' and 'Black Night' through various programmes today in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.
The government has taken elaborate programmes in observance of the day at national level. Apart from ruling Awami League, different political parties and social and cultural organisations have also drawn up separate programmes to observe the day with due respect.
A symbolic ‘Black Out’ for one-minute will be observed across the country from 9:00pm to 9:01pm tonight on March 25 (Saturday) to mark the Genocide Day. However, Key Point Installations (KPI) and other emergency installations will remain out of the purview of the blackout programme, said the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs on Friday.
According to the statement, there will be no decorative lighting in any government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings or monuments in the country on the night of March 25 during the time of the blackout and throughout the night.
The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs has requested the government and non-government organisations concerned and the public to implement this decision.
Lyrical dramas and cultural programmes on genocide and liberation war will be organised all over the country.
Besides, a commemoration and discussion meeting on March 25 will be held in all educational institutions including schools, colleges and madrasas with the voices of eminent persons and heroic freedom fighters. It was also informed that rare photographs and documentaries on the genocide would be displayed in all the city corporations including Dhaka.
According to the statement, on the night of March 25, special prayers will be offered in all the mosques of the country and at other places of worship at convenient times to seek the peace of the souls of the martyrs of the night of 1971. Similar programmes will be held at district and upazila level and also at Bangladesh embassies abroad highlighting the significance of the day.
March 26 is the Independence Day of Bangladesh. The people of Bangladesh from that day in 1971 took part in a war against Pakistan for independence. Independence of Bangladesh was gained through a nine-month war against the Pakistan Army which resulted in the independence of Bangladesh on December 16 in 1971.
In remembrance of the day and horrific brutality of the Pakistani Army, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday issued separate messages highlighting the importance of Genocide Day.
Earlier on March 11 in 2017, the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) unanimously adopted a resolution to observe the March 25 as the "Gonohotya Dibos" (Genocide Day).
Subsequently, the cabinet division at a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, unanimously endorsed the decision on March 20 in 2017.