Bangladesh is celebrating the 40th anniversary of Victory day across the nation to mark the historic triumph of the Indian army and Mukti Bahini over the Pakistan armed forces on December 16th 1971. It was on this day in 1971 that the Pakistan Army General AAK Niazi along with 93,000 soldiers surrendered unconditionally to Lt.General Jagjit Singh Aurora of the Indian army at the historic Race Course Maidan now called Suharawady Udayan in Dhaka. Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar early in the morning. This was followed by a colourful parade at the National Parade Square at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka with contingents of freedom fighters, army, navy, air force and other paramilitary forces of the country. In his statement issued on the occasion of Victory Day, Bangladesh President Zillur Rehman hoped that the country will be able to fulfil the main objectives of the Liberation War to build a nation based on equality and equity with the re-establishment of democracy. Political parties and socio-cultural organisations have made arrangements for a variety of programmes throughout the day in different parts of the country to celebrate Victory Day.