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President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have paid rich tributes to the martyred members of Bangladesh Armed Forces on the occasion of the Armed Forces Day 2018.
Both the president and the PM paid their respects separately by placing wreaths at the Shikha Anirban (flame eternal) in Dhaka Cantonment on Wednesday morning.
The President, also the Supreme Commander of Armed Forces, placed a wreath at the altar of Shikha Anirban (eternal flame) at 8:00am and stood there in solemn silence for a while as a mark of respect to memories of the martyrs, reports BSS.
Later, a smartly turned out contingent of the Army, Navy, and Air Force presented a salute on the occasion. President Hamid also signed the visitors’ book there.
Earlier, on his arrival at Shikha Anirban, Chiefs of the three services and the Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division received the President.
The Prime Minister also paid the homage by placing a wreath at the Shikha Anirban (flame eternal) at Dhaka Cantonment this morning.
After laying the wreath, she stood in solemn silence there for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs, who made the supreme sacrifice during the War of Liberation in 1971.
A smartly-turned out contingent drawn out from Army, Navy, and Air Force presented a guard of honour at that time, while the bugle played the last post.
Earlier, on her arrival at Shikha Anirban, the Prime Minister was received by Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Masihuzzaman Serniabat and Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division (AFD) Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman, according to a UNB report.
After the wreath-placing ceremony, Sheikh Hasina, also in-charge of the Defence Ministry, went to the Armed Forces Division (AFD) where the chiefs of the three services made a courtesy call on her.
On her arrival at the AFD, the Prime Minister was received by the PSO and director generals of the AFD.
On this day during the War of Liberation in 1971, the Bangladesh Armed Forces comprising Army, Navy and Air Force, came into being and launched an all-out attack on the Pakistani occupation forces which sped up the victory in the Liberation War.
This historic day is observed as the Armed Forces Day every year since the independence of the country.