Khaleda to attend Sena Kunja reception after a decade
Staff Reporter :
The nation will celebrate Armed Forces Day today (Thursday) with enthusiasm and reverence, commemorating the establishment of the Army, Navy, and Air Force during the Liberation War of 1971.
A highlight of this year’s celebration will be the attendance of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at the reception in Sena Kunja, marking her first appearance at a state event in over a decade and her first since her imprisonment in 2018.
The Armed Forces Division delivered the invitation to her Gulshan residence earlier this week, and she is expected to leave for the event at 3 PM. Other BNP leaders, including Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, have also been invited.
The day will begin with special prayers at mosques in cantonments, naval bases, and air force establishments, seeking blessings for the martyred armed forces members and the prosperity of the nation.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus have issued messages to mark the occasion.
In the morning, President Shahabuddin and Prof Yunus will lay wreaths at Shikha Anirban (Flame Eternal) in Dhaka Cantonment to honour the Liberation War heroes. The chiefs of the three services-Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Navy Chief Admiral M. Nazmul Hassan, and Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan-will also lay wreaths on behalf of their respective forces.
Later, Prof Yunus will host a reception at the Army Multipurpose Complex for gallantry award-winning Freedom Fighters and their families. Souvenirs will be distributed, and the event will include an exchange of greetings with war veterans. High-ranking civil and military officials, advisers, secretaries, and dignitaries are expected to attend.
In the afternoon, another reception will be held at Sena Kunja in Dhaka Cantonment, with invitations extended to former presidents, chief justices, foreign diplomats, and prominent figures from various sectors.