President for courageous, relentless effort to build 'Sonar Bangla'.

President Md. Abdul Hamid called upon the countrymen to make relentless effort with courage for building the 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In a message Saturday on the eve of the Homecoming Day of Bangabandhu, he said on the historic January 10th in 1972, the Father of the Nation returned to independent and sovereign Bangladesh after nine months and 14 days of captivity in Pakistan jail. Paying profound homage to Bangabandhu, the President said: 'Though we achieved ultimate victory on December 16 in 1971 through armed struggle but the true essence of victory came into being upon the Father of the Nation's return home'. He said Bangabandhu, a visionary leader, led the nation in every movement including the All Party State Language Movement Council in 1948, Language Movement in 1952, Jukta-Front Election in 1954, movement against Martial Law proclaimed by General Ayub Khan in 1958, Movement against Education Commission in 1962, Six- Point Movement in 1966, Mass Upsurge in 1969 and the General Election in 1970, where Awami League won landslide victory. Abdul Hamid said though Awami League had won absolute majority in the 1970 general election, the Pakistani rulers were reluctant to hand over power and therefore, the freedom-loving people of the country started non-cooperation movement under the leadership of Bangabandhu. On March 7, 1971 Bangabandhu delivered a historic speech at Race Course Maidan which was the indirect declaration of independence, he said. The President said at the mammoth gathering Bangabandhu uttered in his thunderous voice, 'The struggle this time is a struggle for emancipation. The struggle this time is a struggle for independence'. On the fateful night of March 25, 1971, the invading army of Pakistan, as part of their blueprint, committed genocide by launching 'Operation Searchlight' with a view to destroying Bangali nation, he said. Against this backdrop, Bangabandhu declared independence in the early hours of March 26 and called upon the countrymen to take part in the war of liberation and continue fighting until the final victory is achieved, he added. The President said immediately after the declaration, the Pakistani Junta arrested Bangabandhu from his Dhanmondi residence of road number 32 and confined him to Pakistan jail. In absence of Bangabandhu, the liberation war was being carried out under his leadership and on December 16, 1971 the Bangali nation...