Foreign friends celebrate too

India yesterday extended greetings marking Bangladesh's 46th Independence and National Day and expressed confidence that relations would scale new heights.

President Pranab Mukherjee in a message to his Bangladeshi counterpart, Abdul Hamid, said, "on behalf of the government, the people of India and on my own behalf, it gives me immense pleasure to extend warm felicitations and best wishes to you and to the people of Bangladesh on the occasion of your National Day."

In a Twitter post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Independence Day greetings to the people of Bangladesh. We cherish our long-standing ties & am sure our relations will grow even further", reports our New Delhi correspondent.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a Facebook post, greeted Bangladeshis in Bangla, reports UNB.

"Today is glorious Independence and National Day of Bangladesh. On this occasion, I convey my heartiest greetings and congratulations to all Bangladeshi brothers and sisters," wrote Mamata.

She recalled all the martyrs and their family members with due respect, paid tributes to all who helped achieve independence through their supreme sacrifices and prayed for "stronger and sweeter ties" between Bangladesh and West Bengal.

She also tweeted in Bangla saying, "Tributes to martyrs. Joy Bangla. Joy Hindi."

Meanwhile, the day was observed at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, beginning with the hoisting of the national flag at the chancery by High Commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali and a special prayer seeking salvation of the martyrs. 

Messages of President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AH Mahmud Ali and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shariar Alam were read out.

Special supplements were published in three leading Indian newspapers -- The Indian Express, The Financial Express and Anandabazar Patrika.

Moreover, the Bangladesh flag was raised by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in Queen's Park, Toronto for the first time on March 23 marking the Independence Day.

The event was facilitated by Honourable Speaker Dave Levac, MPP; Percy Hatfield, MPP of New Democratic Party of Ontario; Sylvia Jones, MPP of Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario; and Arthur Potts, MPP of the Ontario Liberal Party.

The flag was hoisted by community leader, academic and The Daily Star columnist Dr Mozammel Khan and cultural personality Azizul Malik while hundreds of Bangladeshis waved smaller flags and Bangladeshi artists rendered the national anthems of Bangladesh and Canada.

The event was managed by Toronto's Bangladesh Centre and Community Services, led by the master of the ceremony, Hasina Quader, Dr Mahbub Reza and others.

Apart from the members of the provincial government, the programme was addressed by Barrister Chayanika Dutta, daughter of decorated freedom fighter Chittaranjan Dutta.