The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will jointly celebrate ‘Mujib Year’ with Bangladesh in 2020, marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced this while presiding over a preparatory meeting on celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation held at Ganabhaban on Wednesday (Nov.27) evening.
Disclosing the information in the meeting, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said the UNESCO took the decision unanimously to celebrate ‘Mujib Year’ jointly with Bangladesh at the plenary session of its 40th General Assembly held in the UNESCO Headquarters, Paris on November 25.
The Education minister said UNESCO Secretary General Audrey Azoulay and General Assembly President Altay Cengizer as well as Chairpersons of different committees and commissions were present at the plenary session.
It was informed at the preparatory meeting on celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation that the opening ceremony of the yearlong national program on ‘Mujib Year’ will be held at the National Parade Square in the capital on March 17.
Addressing the meeting, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said, ‘The function will have to be linked with our culture and heritage.
At the outset of the meeting, Chief Coordinator of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury highlighted various aspects of the birth centenary program of the Father of the Nation through a power point presentation.
He said the inaugural function will begin at 4 pm on March 17 at the National Parade Square.
The function includes fly past under the Armed Forces Division, performing instrumental songs by 100 artistes, performing of theme songs in Bangla and English, 55-minute cultural function and laser show, Kamal said.
He said, “Sraddha Smarak” will be handed over to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana.
Kamal said President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will deliver their speeches at the opening function and later the Premier will inaugurate the program of the Mujib Year.
Besides, he said, some heads of state and government will address the function.
After the power point presentation, the Prime Minister gave various directives to make the Mujib Year program successful.
National Professors Dr Rafiqul Islam and Professor Anisuzzaman, former finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim, PM’s Advisers HT Imam, Dr Gowher Rizvi, Dr Towfik-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Salman Fazlur Rahman, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division Lt Gen Md Mahfuzur Rahman and other members of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee were present at the meeting.