National Day of Bangladesh

national dayThe National Day of Bangladesh is 26 March (Independence Day, declaration of independence from Pakistan in 1971); 16 December (Victory Day, the day the Bangladesh Liberation War ended in 1971).The independence process leading to independence began in 1947 when India was partitioned.

National Day of Bangladesh

The territory of Bengal was divided into East Bengal (which became East Pakistan) and West Bengal (which became part of India). East Pakistan was geographically separated from West Pakistan by over a thousand miles and had a different language, culture, and ethnicity. This of course created its own problems. Tensions rose between the two. The tension then escalated in 1960. This mainly as West Pakistan was seen as neglecting East Pakistan. Then came December 1970 when the Awami League won in a landslide victory. West Pakistan however would not transfer power and this triggered mass protest.

Then in March 1971 brutal crackdown began against East Pakistan. Operation Searchlight started on the 25th March and force millions to flee. So started the the Bangladesh Liberation War officially began on March 26th, 1971, when the Awami League declared independence and formed the government-in-exile. (National Days of Bangladesh paragraph)

Bengali civilians and soldiers as the Mukti Bahini, a guerrilla force fought a guerrilla war against the Pakistani army, with support from India. This war lasted for nine months with thousands of civilians killed. This is where the Indian Army (National Day of India) intervened in December 1971 and helped the Mukti Bahini to defeat the Pakistani military, leading to the surrender of Pakistan (National Day of Pakistan) on December 16th, 1971.

See also  National Day of Gambia

Bangladesh officially became an independent country on December 16th, 1971, and the first government was sworn in on January 17th, 1972. The National Day of Bangladesh is 26th March and is celebrated with good reason.

See also the National Day of Cambodia.

Public Holidays in Bangladesh

Firstly some of the major public holidays in Bangladesh are:

  • New Year’s Day: January 1st is celebrated as the New Year’s Day in Bangladesh.
  • Language Martyrs’ Day: February 21st remember recognition of the Bengali language in 1952.
  • Independence Day: March 26th is Independence Day for independence from Pakistan in 1971.
  • Bengali New Year: April 14th is celebrated as the Bengali New Year or Pohela Boishakh.
  • Labor Day: May 1st is observed as Labor Day or May Day in Bangladesh.
  • Eid al-Fitr: The exact date of this Islamic festival depends on the sighting of the moon
  • National Mourning Day: August 15th mourn the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
  • Eid al-Adha: The exact date of this Islamic festival depends on the sighting of the moon
  • Durga Puja: This Hindu festival is usually celebrated in October.
  • Victory Day: December 16th is celebrated as Victory Day to mark the surrender of Pakistan in 1971

Finally these are some of the major public holidays observed in Bangladesh. See also the National Day of Brunei.

 

 

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