In a special commemorative event titled ‘Mujib the Eternal’, Bangladesh High Commission, London celebrated on Wednesday the 101st Birthday of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day with reading from Bangabandhu’s ‘Unfinished Memoir’, artworks on ‘Bangabandhu and Britain’ by 300 British-Bangladeshi children and a special musical performance, ‘Jatir Pita’, by over hundred children.
Commemorating the Day, High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland Saida Muna Tasneem unveiled a life size portrait of Bangabandhu at the chancery by renowned British-Bangladeshi artist Asad Ullah and placed floral wreaths at the portrait together with senior diplomats of the Mission with maintaining social distancing and Covid health guidelines.
The virtual programme was joined by diplomats, UK Foreign office representative, British academics and journalists, and members of the British-Bangladeshi diaspora, including hundreds of British-Bangladeshi children who paid their deep tribute to Bangabandhu on his glorious birthday.
Attending the special programme as the chief guest, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, MP, said, “Bangabandhu always wanted the best future of children and his visionary daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also taking every measure to protect and unlock the full potential of every child of the country.”
Bangladesh High Commissioner Saida Muna Tasneem said, “Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a very befitting manner has declared 17 March Bangabandhu’s Birth Day as the National Children’s Day so that every Bangladeshi child in home and abroad can learn about Bangabandhu’s progressive, democratic and secular values and ideals.”
Bangladesh Shishu Academy Chairman Lucky Inam attached the highest importance on Bangabandhu’s affection, vision and initiatives for children for securing their better future.
Referring to the first post-Covid foreign visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh on 26 March, Indian High Commissioner to the UK Ms Gaitri Issar Kaur said that this visit reflects how much importance India has attached to the 50th years of Bangladesh independence. She highly praised remarkable socio-economic progress in Bangladesh that has been achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Paying deep tribute to Bangabandhu, UK FCDO Director for South Asia Lisa Bandari said, “Sheikh Mujib’s founding vision of a democratic, free, secular and inclusive Bangladesh is a truly inspiring one, which will continue to guide Bangladesh during the 50th anniversary celebration and beyond.”
Chaired and moderated by the High Commissioner, eminent journalist and columnist Abdul Gaffar Choudhury, UK-based Asian Affairs Editor Duncan Bartlett, renowned BBC journalist Asish Ray, organiser of the Bangladesh’s liberation war movement in the UK Sultan Mahmud Sharif and noted British-Bangladeshi community leader Sayed Sajidur Rahman Faruk also spoke on the occasion.
A documentary on the Father of the Nation was screened. Dedicating to Bangabandhu, noted singer Fahmida Nabi performed a song and theatre activist and singer Shampa Reza recited a poetry. Earlier on the day, the High Commissioner along with senior diplomats of the mission raised the national flag at the chancery. Messages from President, Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and State Minister for Foreign Affairs were readout.
