On the occasion of the great Independence and National Day, I convey my heartfelt greetings and congratulations to my countrymen at home and abroad.
The historic Independence and National Day is a glorious day in our national life. On this solemn day, I recall with deep respect and pay my homage to the martyrs of the liberation war who made supreme sacrifices for our independence in 1971. I pray for the salvation of the immortal souls. I also pay my profound respect and gratitude to the valiant freedom fighters, organizers of the liberation war and people from all walks of life who rendered their dedicated efforts and extended enthusiastic support that expedited the achievement of our long-cherished independence. On this day, I also recall with deep respect the national leaders, who played significant roles in awakening the sense of nationalism and independence through their prolonged movement and inspiration.
One of the prime objectives of our hard-earned independence was to build a happy prosperous and self-reliant Bangladesh. Keeping that in mind, our untiring efforts have been advancing in that direction. With a short span of time, we have achieved significant progress in the fields of education, agriculture, industry, communication, rural infrastructure, health care services, empowerment of women, etc.
Our achievements are significant not only in national life but also in international arena. In UN peacekeeping missions, the members of our Armed Forces and Bangladesh Police have been acclaimed by the world community for their professional excellence. The expatriate Bangladeshis are also making significant contributions to our national economy. Despite attaining these developments, we have to go a long way for achieving the cherished goals of independence.
On this great Independence and National Day, I urge the citizens, home and abroad, to work unitedly with continued efforts aimed at expediting the overall economic self-reliance and democratic advancement. On this day, I wish a happy and prosperous Bangladesh. May the Almighty Allah be with us.
Allah Hafez, Bangladesh Zindabad
Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed
President of Bangladesh
The glorious Independence and National Day is an auspicious occasion in the history of our nation. On this joyous occasion, I convey my heartfelt congratulations to my fellow citizens and Bangladeshis living abroad.
On this great day, I pay deep respect to the martyrs of the liberation war for their supreme sacrifices, I solemnly remember all the national leaders, organizers, freedom fighters, people who lost their loved ones and freedom-loving people of all strata for their supreme sacrifices and extraordinary contribution. We express our gratitude to friendly countries for their support and cooperation in the war of independence.
The glorious liberation is our greatest national achievement. For this achievement to be meaningful, sustainable and effective, it is very important to bring the fruits of independence to all citizens. It is equally important to establish social justice and good governance and to improve the living conditions of the people.
Establishing a modern, progressive and exploitation-free democratic country is the demand of the day. To achieve this, we should play due roles from our respective positions with dedication, sincerity and honesty, imbued with the spirit of liberation war and patriotism.
It is my firm conviction that the nation will succeed in reaching the goal of establishing a knowledge-based and just society free from corruption, mal-governance and poverty with the combined effort and active cooperation of all people.
It is the fervent expectation of the people that a benevolent government and a meaningful democratic system will be established through free, fair, impartial and acceptable national elections.
To fulfill this aspiration, I urge upon all citizens irrespective of their affiliation to any group or opinion for united and committed efforts.
Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Adviser, Government of Bangladesh
On the occasion of our Independence and National Day, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to all our countrymen, home and abroad. On this auspicious day, the entire nation pays tribute to the valiant freedom fighters and to those countless martyrs who laid down their lives for a free and independent Bangladesh. The government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed is relentlessly working in realizing the dreams of the freedom fighters through reforming institutions for ensuring free and fair elections, rule of law, good governance, sustainable democracy and economic emancipation.
The central focus of Bangladesh’s foreign policy is to maintain friendly relations with all countries, advance the country’s interest, project her image and rich culture abroad and help fulfill the aspiration of her people.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our missions abroad are committed to carry out these foreign policy objectives. Bangladesh plays an active role in regional and multilateral diplomacy with particular emphasis on peacekeeping under the UN auspices, interests of the Least Developed Countries, regional cooperation and issues related to development, environment and human rights. Bangladeshi peacekeepers have earned respect and acclamation by the international community.
I deeply appreciate the role of Bangladeshi expatriates living abroad for their immense contribution to different spheres of national development. Their most notable contribution is foreign exchange remittance. Bangladeshi expatriates are our good-will ambassadors and we immensely value their support to the caretaker government and contribution in projecting the image of Bangladesh abroad.
I wish all Bangladeshis peace, prosperity and happiness.
Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury
Adviser for Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh
On the occasion of Independence and National Day of Bangladesh, it gives me immense pleasure to extend my warm greetings and felicitations to all Bangladeshis living in the Kingdom. The day is being observed in Bangladesh and by all Bangladeshis all over the world with due fervor, solemnity and a fresh vow to take the country to the path of peace and development. On this day I respectfully remember the contribution of all the freedom fighters and pay homage to all those who made supreme sacrifices for the liberation of the country. On this auspicious day I have the pleasure and honor to convey my sincere greetings and best wishes to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque King Abdullah and the leadership of the Kingdom for their role in the sustenance and development of the existing friendly relationship between our two countries.
Bangladesh, the third largest Muslim country of the world with 150 million people enjoys a special relationship and understanding with Saudi Arabia. The prudent, pragmatic and liberal policies of the Kingdom made it possible for the employment of a large number of Bangladeshis in the Kingdom who not only provide cost effective human capital for various development projects, but also establish the linkages between the two people at different levels of the society to exchange and strengthen common values and tradition, thus cementing the bonds of friendship and brotherhood. The common faith and shared values are the hallmark of the relationship between the two countries.
Bangladesh, a South Asian country, is recognized today as a model of liberal democracy where all segments of population of differing faiths enjoy complete political freedom, religious liberty and civil rights in an environment of excellent interfaith harmony. The present emergency rule invoked in accordance with the constitutional provisions to administer the country is a temporary phenomenon. The indomitable spirit and resilience of Bangladeshis to survive the vagaries of nature and challenges of life are known worldwide. Two consecutive natural disasters; a flood and a cyclone, during the later part of last year were new challenges to the sustenance of people and for the sustained development of the country.
I take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques and the people of the Kingdom for providing generous and immediate support by establishing air bridges to supply relief materials to the victims and by granting $150 million for relief and rehabilitation works.
The country has achieved steady progress in developing its institutions. The social, political, economic and military institutions of the country are being developed with the participation of people of all segments of the society in a free and competitive environment. The social and human development of Bangladesh has made a significant progress in education, health, poverty alleviation, women empowerment and other socio-economic sectors. The country has become a reference point for its innovative ideas in micro-credit and microfinancing for social business and poverty alleviation. The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Bangladesh’s Professor Mohammad Yunus, the banker to the poor and his Grameen Bank, was a fitting recognition of the country and its progress toward peace and development.
Bangladesh’s commitment to global peace and security can be identified by its contribution as one of the highest troop contributing countries to UN Peacekeeping Operation.
Geo-strategic location of Bangladesh between South and Southeast Asia, its abundant human resources of hardworking, semi-skilled and skilled labor force and proven energy resources and reserves of high quality natural gas and coal have given the country a competitive edge for economic development over many other developing countries. For the last two decades successive governments of Bangladesh have followed an open market policy and an export-oriented private sector led growth strategy which resulted in doubling the growth in industries and manufacturing sector. The economic growth of the country is being sustained at over 6 percent during the last few years. Today Bangladesh’s export earnings are over $15 billion while the total size of the economy is over $70 billion. Major export items of Bangladesh are textile and readymade garments including knitwear and woven garments, pharmaceuticals, leather and leather products, jute and jute products, frozen fish, tea, ceramics, handicrafts, agro-products, software and ICT products, electronics and light engineering and toiletries and cosmetics.
During the last few years Saudi-Bangladesh bilateral trade has been on the increase, albeit not achieving full potentials. I urge upon Saudi business personalities and trade delegations to undertake visits to Bangladesh to see for themselves what Bangladesh can offer in terms of trade and business. Such visits I hope will add momentum to the two-way trade between our two countries. The 9th Saudi-Bangladesh Joint Commission due to be held in Dhaka next month would discuss the whole gamut of bilateral relations including the ways and means to improve the bilateral trades.
Bangladesh today has become a coveted place for investment due to the successful implementation of an investment friendly regime by successive governments. An added attraction for investors is the duty free and quota free access for all Bangladeshi products, from being a least developed country to Europe and American countries. The list of attraction also includes readymade plots provided to the intending investors in the Export Processing Zones established with all infrastructural and service facilities, fiscal and nonfiscal incentives and the existing legal framework for the protection of foreign investment. Two bilateral agreements between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia; on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and on Promotion and Protection of Investment in our two countries, finalized after protracted negotiation of two years and approved by the respective Cabinets are to be ceremonially signed at an opportune moment. These along with other measures would, I hope, encourage Saudi investors to invest in Bangladesh.
On this auspicious occasion, I commend the Bangladesh community living in the Kingdom for their positive role in the development of the Kingdom and thus upholding the image and interest of our country which I am sure will further the cause of our relationship with better understanding and appreciation of common values and systems. I urge upon my fellow Bangladeshis to continue their good work with full respect to Saudi laws, customs and traditions. I am confident that Saudi-Bangladesh relationship will continue to develop and diversify in future.
Maj. Gen. (Retd) S.M. Ikramul Haque
Ambassador of Bangladesh
We, the Bangladeshis are exultantly celebrating our Independence and National Day — March 26, 1971 when Bangladesh was declared an independent country.
The achievement of independence through an armed struggle is the most glorious episode in the history of Bangladesh, for which millions had to make the supreme sacrifice of martyrdom. We pay tributes to the valiant freedom fighters who dedicated their lives for independence. We also appreciate the states and other entities of international community, who made valuable contributions to our liberation.
We are celebrating the event in a great country, Saudi Arabia. For it being the cradle of Islam, the Kingdom is naturally gifted with leading attributes of the Muslim Ummah. The Kingdom is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the land of revelation of the Holy Qur’an, the place of the Two Holy Mosques and other holy sites of pilgrimage. All this amounts to draw the heart and mind of each and every Muslim from all over the globe to converge to the country.
The tenets of Islam are entirely universal, which have placed the country in a unique position of leadership in the global arena as well. Added to it, is the wise leadership of the majestic family of Al-Saud, which has crowned with amazing successes in steering the Kingdom and the Ummah. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has indoctrinated new vision and exuberance in the nation toward multipronged development and ascertained his highest standing of prominence in the comity of nations.
Bangladesh genuinely values the Saudi leadership and is committed to further bolstering the bonds of relations with the Kingdom in all areas of mutual interests. The people of Bangladesh love the Kingdom so much that they are committed to go to any lengths for peace and security of the country, particularly for Holy Makkah and Madinah. We express our gratitude to the government of Saudi Arabia, which always stands by Bangladesh at times of crucial needs. It provides continued services to the Bangladeshi pilgrims and has employed a significant number of Bangladeshi workers. The people of Bangladesh specially recall with gratefulness the magnanimity of King Abdullah for his huge donation of $150 million to the victims of floods and cyclone that devastated Bangladesh last year.
We do pray to Allah for the martyrs and continued peace, prosperity and happiness of our peoples. May Allah bless Saudi-Bangladesh brotherhood.
Mohammad Ali Akbar
Consul General of Bangladesh