President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the War of Liberation by placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar on the outskirt of Dhaka on Friday morning marking the 51st Independence and National Day.

President Hamid first placed a wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the Prime Minister.

After placing the wreaths, the President and the Prime Minister stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971.

A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute on the occasion while the bugles played the last post.

Later, the President and the Prime Minister signed the visitors’ book there on the occasion.

Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, senior Awami League leaders and high civil and military officials, among others, were present there.

Due to pandemic COVID-19 outbreak, the state ceremony is being celebrated in a limited scale maintaining the health guidelines and social distancing.

Subsequently Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain also paid tribute to the martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Memorial here.

Ruling Awami League led by party General Secretary Obaidul Quader also paid tribute there by placing wreaths in presence of some senior party leaders.-BSS