Nepal President pays tributes to national heroes

Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari today paid tributes to the memory of the martyred freedom fighters at National Memorial in Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka.

She paid homage to the national heroes by placing a wreath at the memorial this morning.

On her arrival at National Memorial, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 9 Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army Major General Shaheenul Haque and other government high officials welcomed Bhandari.

A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force gave her a guard of honour while the bugles played the last post.

The Nepal President planted a flower sapling named 'Uday Padda' on the memorial premises and signed the visitors' book on the occasion.

"I'm happy to have the opportunity to visit National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar built in memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of an independent Bangladesh. I express my heartfelt homage to the martyrs," she wrote in the visitors' book.

Bhandari said the martyrs are revered for their selfless contribution to the future of a nation.

"In the course of nation's history, contributions of martyrs are remembered as the source of strength and inspiration the generations that follow," she wrote.

Bhandari said sacrifices of the martyrs had not only helped create an independent nation of Bangladesh but also has inspired the people of Bangladesh to strengthen the nation's foundation and developed it rapidly.

"The progress achieved by Bangladesh in socio-economic development today reflects this reality," she added.

Bhandari said she feels happy to state that Nepal was the seventh country to extend early recognition to Bangladesh as an independent country.

"On behalf of the government and the people of Nepal and on my own behalf, I would like to extend my best wishes to the friendly people of Bangladesh for the achievement of peace, progress and prosperity as envisioned by the martyrs," she also wrote.

The Nepal president left the National Memorial for the capital around 11:25am.

Strict security measures were taken at the memorial and its adjacent areas ahead of her visit there.

Earlier, Bhandari arrived here this morning on a two-day official visit to join the grand celebrations of the golden jubilee of country's independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

President M Abdul Hamid received his Nepalese counterpart at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) around 10:17am.