17 March 2021:

The Bangladesh Consulate in Sittwe, Rakhine celebrated the 101^st Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children’s Day on 17 March 2021 with due dignity and festivity.

The day’s program began by flag hoisting followed by placing of floral wreaths in front of the portrait of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Chancery by the Head of Mission and officers and members of the staff of the Mission and members of the expatriate Bangladesh community living in Sittwe. The wreath laying was followed by a prayer where all present prayed for the salvation of the departed soul of Bangabandhu and for his martyred family members as well as the eternal peace of the souls of martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the glorious War of Liberation in 1971. Doa was also sought for a peaceful and prosperous Bangladesh to and for the realization of ‘Sonar Bangla’ as envisioned by Bangabandhu. This was followed by reading out of the messages of the Hon’ble President, Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble Foreign Minister and Hon’ble State Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The programme also included a short discussion session chaired by the Head of Mission where highlights from the life of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were read out. The speakers’ discussion focused on various aspects of Bangabandhu’s life, particularly his youth and his contribution to the politics of Bengal at his early age. In the concluding speech, Head of Mission recalled the Father of the Nation with profound respect and requested all the audience for materializing the secular, developed and digital ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu.

At 10:00 am, a drawing competition was arranged with around two hundred students of Winner International School. Apart from prizes, token gifts were distributed among all the students. A cake was cut on this occasion. All the audience joined in a luncheon.

Besides the two programs, Bangladesh Consulate arranged a similar drawing competition in a local orphanage. Token gifts were distributed among the orphans. The program concluded with a thanks giving speech of Head of Mission Mohammad Barikul Islam and serving of traditional cuisine. Though the inhouse program was downsized due to the threat of COVID-19 outbreak, Bangladesh Consulate will continue its effort to celebrate the “Mujib Year 2020-21” with due festivity.