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Bangladesh community marks country’s Independence Day
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Posted on Mar 25 2008
The Bangladeshi community on Saipan is inviting the public to join in the celebration of their Independence Day at the Garapan Central Park. The ceremony will start at 6pm this evening.
Bangladeshi Cultural Group organizers Raki Bul Islam, Habib Ullah Badal, and Bip Lab Miah said that people of all nationalities are invited to this event.
“There will be food, music, inspirational speeches, just to name a few. We hope to see many people there,” Islam said.
The Bangladesh Independence Day was formally declared on the eve of a nine-month-long war of Independence with Pakistan that led to the emergence of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation.
After many years of exploitation, both politically and economically, the Bengali national sentiments led to the massive victory of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League in the Pakistan national elections of 1970.
The ruling oligarch in the then West Pakistan balked at having to give up the reigns of power to East Pakistanis. They stalled the installation of the newly elected parliament, and on the dark night of March 25, 1971, embarked on a genocidal reign of terror aimed at extinguishing all signs of Bengali nationalism.
In the face of this, the inevitable declaration of independence was proclaimed, and the fight was on for the people of Bangladesh to achieve independence.
The Bangladeshi community has been celebrating their Independence Day in the CNMI since 1995, during which close to 400 Bangladeshis come together to celebrate this event.
