FBCCI to celebrate 50 years of independence

The country's apex trade body, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), is going to launch a 16-day event in Dhaka to commemorate the country's 50 years of independence.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the programme virtually in the evening today.

Running from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, the Hatirjheel amphitheatre will be the venue every day. Ten 10 LED TVs installed around Hatirjheel will also broadcast the events.

No formal intellectual discussion or seminar on specific subjects will take place as the nature of the event is celebrations through cultural events, said FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin.

This includes regional programmes such as folk songs of Chattogram and Rangpur, programmes for women and children, Nazrul and Rabindra sangeet by distinguished singers and performances by distinguished dancers, according to the programme schedule.

On the inauguration day, artistes of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, the radio broadcasting centre of Bangalee nationalist forces during the Liberation War, will sing songs.

"But before the start of the cultural events, distinguished personalities like ministers and mayors will give a brief speech," Jashim Uddin also said.

Former FBCCI presidents have been invited alongside distinguished personalities, he said.

The FBCCI has designed the programme to run from December 1 to December 16 because it was the month Bangladeshi forces' won victory over Pakistani forces through the 1971 Liberation War while 16th December was Victory Day, the day victory was announced.

"It is a milestone achievement for us and this is why we are celebrating the day," said Jashim Uddin.

Bangladesh has a lot of achievements and the private sector played a vital role on the economic front, now accounting for 80 per cent of the country's economy.

Moreover, Bangladesh's transition in the United Nations status graduation from a least developed to a developing country has begun this year, coinciding with the 50th anniversary.

The FBCCI president also said they were organising the event in collaboration with Dhaka North City Corporation.

The FBCCI has already displayed its slogan "50 years of victory - gala celebration of red and green" in banners across Dhaka city.