<span style="color: #500050;">Bangladesh is observing its 52nd independence and national day to mark the birth of  the youngest nation in South Asia breaking away from the shackles of Pakistan in 1971. President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the liberation war on this occasion by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in Savar on the outskirts of Dhaka early in the morning on Saturday.<br />''<br />''After laying the wreath, the President and Prime Minister stood in silence to show respect to the martyrs of the liberation war of 1971. A contingent of the Bangladesh army, airforce and navy presented a salute on this occasion.<br />''<br />''Several eminent persons from public life, speaker of parliament Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, high ranking military and civilian officers were also present on this occasion. High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami also paid tribute to the martyrs of the liberation war at the National War Memorial at Savar early in the morning on Saturday, 26 March.<br />''<br />''External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar greeted his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr A K Abdul Momen on the National Day of the country. In a tweet Dr. Jaishankar said that he looks forward to working together to add more pages to the golden chapter of India-Bangladesh friendship.<br />''<br />''Earlier, in her message on the eve of the Independence Day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina thanked India for its generous support during the war of liberation. She called upon Bangladeshis not to divide themselves and nurture the spirit and ideals of the liberation war.</span><br />