On the occasion of the great independence and National Day, I convey my heartiest greetings to my countrymen and all Bangladeshis living abroad.

On this solemn day, I respectfully recollect Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, architect of Bangladeshi nationalism, who declared the war of independence. He gave a direction to the nation in the crisis following the genocide by the Pakistani forces on the fateful night on March 25th. He made a call to the people to take part in the war of independence of the country.

We achieved independence through a nine-month long sanguinary war of liberation. I pay my deep respect to the martyrs of liberation war and pray for the salvation of their souls. I congratulate the valiant freedom fighters and thank those who provided help and cooperation during our liberation war. The utmost sacrifice and unmatched valor of our freedom fighters, armed forces, political leaders, and activists, teachers, students and other professionals and organizers of liberation war are written in golden letters in the history of our independence.

With a view to making the independence, achieved through immense sacrifice, meaningful all will have to work selflessly from their respective positions to fulfill the basic needs of the people such as, food, clothes, shelter, education and medical treatment. A peaceful and congenial social environment is needed for achieving economic and social progress and for the expansion of education in all levels as well. It is desired that all will extend their cooperation in the efforts and initiatives of the government toward bringing the fruits of independence and the success thereby attained to the doorsteps of the people. I hope it will ensure us a prosperous society and welfare of the nation.

On this auspicious day, I urge upon the citizens, living at home and abroad, to work unitedly, forgetting hatred and malice, with a view to attaining social welfare and economic self-reliance. Our independence will be meaningful if the standard of living of the people is developed ensuing self-reliant economy and prosperity. In this way, we can pay our deep respect to the martyrs and immense sacrifices of the freedom fighters.

Bangladesh Zindabad

Allah Hafiz.