Dhaka, Broadcasting News Corporation: Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has given the following Message on the occasion of the great ‘Victory Day’ :
“Today, 16 December, is our great Victory Day-an unforgettable and glorious chapter in the history of Bangladesh. On this day in 1971, following nine months of a bloodied Liberation War, we achieved our long-cherished victory. Through immense sacrifice and the bloodshed of countless martyrs, we secured our independent national identity and our red-and-green flag. On this occasion, I extend my warmest greetings to all Bangladeshis living at home and abroad.
I pay my deepest respect to the brave martyrs who laid down their lives during the Liberation War and throughout our long struggle for independence. Their supreme sacrifice strengthens our resolve to stand firm against injustice and oppression and guides us along the path of freedom in every crisis and struggle.
The dawn of independence that rose through the victory of 1971 has, over the years, too often been dimmed by the shadows of authoritarianism and misrule. Through the July uprising, we have once again gained the opportunity to establish a democratic system
free from discrimination, corruption and tyranny. The extensive reform initiatives undertaken by the present Interim Government to build a well-governed and progressive Bangladesh are now moving towards successful completion through the collective participation of our citizens. I hope that through these efforts, authoritarianism will be uprooted and transparency and accountability ensured, alongside people-centric and sustainable development in all spheres of the state.
May this Victory Day serve as a renewed call to national unity. Let it be a day on which we pledge to uphold, at any cost, our commitment to the true empowerment of the people and the democratic transformation that has begun, guided by the enduring spirit of the great Liberation War.
Let us work together to build a safe, happy and beautiful Bangladesh for the new generation, fulfilling the promise of the hard-earned independence we achieved through immense struggle. Let us move forward hand in hand-irrespective of religion, ethnicity, or community-on the path of peace and prosperity.”