KATHMANDU: The Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu marked Victory Day 2025 with a colorful and dignified program at its premises, celebrating the historic occasion with due solemnity and fervor.
The event was attended by H.E. Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the SAARC Secretariat; Bangladeshi officials working at the SAARC Secretariat; expatriate Bangladeshis employed in various regional organizations in Nepal; officials from Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ Nepal Office; members of the Bangladeshi community in Nepal; and distinguished Nepali personalities and businesspersons. Players and officials of a visiting Bangladeshi women’s football club, Nasrin Sports Academy, also joined the celebrations.
The program began at 10:00 am with the hoisting of the national flag and the playing of the national anthem. A one-minute silence was observed in memory of the heroic martyrs who laid down their lives during the nine-month-long Liberation War of 1971. Special prayers were offered seeking eternal peace for the souls of the martyrs of the Liberation War as well as those who lost their lives during the July–August Mass Uprising of 2024. Messages from the Hon’ble President, the Hon’ble Chief Adviser and the Hon’ble Adviser for Foreign Affairs highlighting the significance of Victory Day were read out.
A key attraction of the celebration was the cultural segment, featuring dance performances by students of a local art school in Kathmandu set to both Bangla and Nepali music. The students also rendered Bangla and Nepali songs. Adding a special dimension to the program, Ms. Saraswati Khatri, a vocalist of Nepal’s Sur Sudha Music Group, performed several Bangla and Nepali songs, earning warm appreciation from the audience.
Speaking on the occasion, SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar emphasized the historical importance of Victory Day and urged all to uphold the spirit and values of the Great Liberation War. He also highlighted the need for collective efforts to realize the opportunities created by the July–August Mass Uprising to build a discrimination-free and inclusive Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman, delivered the concluding remarks. He paid profound homage to the valiant martyrs and wounded freedom fighters of the Liberation War of 1971, whose sacrifices made Bangladesh’s independence possible, and also expressed deep respect for the martyrs of the July Mass Uprising. Recalling the long struggle against oppression, injustice and discrimination, he noted that the July Mass Uprising added a new dimension to fulfilling the uncompleted aspirations of the Liberation War by opening the path toward building a fair, just, corruption-free and inclusive “Bangladesh 2.0.”
Drawing parallels between the spirit of the Liberation War and the Mass Uprising of 2024, Ambassador Rahman underscored that while the freedom fighters sacrificed their lives to establish an independent Bangladesh free from political, social and economic discrimination, the youth of the new generation made supreme sacrifices to rebuild the nation on the foundations of democracy, equity, fairness and justice. He called upon expatriate Bangladeshis to contribute from their respective positions toward realizing the vision of a new Bangladesh in the spirit of both historic movements.
The Victory Day program concluded with a luncheon hosted in honor of the guests. #Nepal
