Today, November 21, is Armed Forces Day. The day will be celebrated with due dignity and enthusiasm. The program of the day will begin with prayers at all cantonments, naval bases and installations and air force base mosques of the country wishing for the welfare and prosperity of the country and the future development and progress of the armed forces after Fajr prayers.
On the occasion of the day, the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Sahabuddin and Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence on the night of March 26, 1971 by motivating and preparing the Bengali nation for independence. Bengali army, students, and common people together formed a military force. Durbar Liberation War begins.
November 21 is a great day in the context of freedom struggle. The Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force jointly launched an offensive against the occupying Pakistani invasion forces from 21 November 1971. From the mid-eighties, a collective decision was taken to observe November 21 as Armed Forces Day.
According to the ISPR, the President and the Prime Minister will lay wreaths at the Dhaka Cantonment flame on the morning of November 21, paying tribute to the memory of the members of the armed forces who sacrificed their lives in the 1971 Great War of Independence. After that, Army Chief General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Navy Chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hasan and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan will lay wreaths on behalf of their respective forces.
The Security Adviser to the Prime Minister and the three service chiefs will pay courtesy call on the Prime Minister at the Armed Forces Department and the President at Banga Bhavan.
On the occasion of ‘Army Day – 2023’, the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister will felicitate the heirs of Vir Shrestha and a select number of decorated freedom fighters and their heirs at the Army Multipurpose Complex in Dhaka Cantonment. At this time, five army, three navy and three air force personnel will be awarded the peacetime rank for the year 2022-23 by the prime minister.
Minister of Liberation War Affairs, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Security Affairs, Army Chief, Chief of the Navy, Chief of the Air Force, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Department, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Secretary of the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs and civil and military officials will be present on the occasion.
On the occasion of celebrating the day, the Prime Minister will organize a reception on November 21 at 4 pm at Senakunj, Dhaka Cantonment. Among the notable invited guests in this reception are Speaker of National Parliament, Chief Justice, Former President, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Former Chief Adviser, Ministers and Ministerial Ministers, State Ministers and Ministerial Ministers, Deputy Speaker, Foreign Ambassadors to Bangladesh, International Organizations Chief, Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioner, Justice, Cabinet Division Secretary, Principal Secretary, Member of Parliament (Dhaka area), Ex-military officer, Ex-Chief of Army, 2023 Sports, Cultural, Independence Award and Ekushey Medalist, Journalist, Educationist, Political and eminent persons, heirs of all heroes of the war of independence, titled officers and their heirs living in Dhaka area during the war of independence and post-independence, high-ranking civil officers and serving and retired officers of the three forces. Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the program live.
On the occasion of Armed Forces Day, the three army chiefs will felicitate the decorated freedom fighters of their respective forces and their successors. Apart from Dhaka, reception programs will be organized in Barisal, Cox’s Bazar, Bogra, Sylhet, Ghatail, Chittagong, Jessore, Rangpur and Khulna cantonments/bases under the management of the respective area headquarters.
To celebrate the day with due dignity, various programs have been taken up in other army garrisons, naval ships and installations and air force bases outside Dhaka.
Specially equipped Navy ships at Dhaka, Khulna, Chandpur, Barisal and Chittagong will be positioned/anchored at nearby docks for public viewing from 2pm to sunset on November 21.
