<span style="color: #222222;">Bangladesh celebrated its Independence Day today, with President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paying rich tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Memorial at Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka. It was followed by a wreath-laying by Parliament speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddiquem and other senior leaders of the Awami League among others. Various cultural and social organisations organised programmes across the country on this occasion.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Greeting people on this occasion, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina vowed to build a poverty and hunger-free smart 'Sonar Bangladesh' inspired by the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She said Bangladesh achieved its independence after 23 years of struggle under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. It was on this day in 1971 that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh just before he was arrested by the Pakistan army.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> <br />'' Extending greetings on this occasion to his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr A K Abdul Momen, Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar said that Bangladesh will always be a strong pillar of India's 'Neighbourhood first' policy. He said the multifaceted partnership between the two countries is rooted in shared sacrifices.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> <br />''Earlier, on Saturday, March 25, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon the world community including the United Nations to recognise March 25 as International Genocide Day. On 25 March 1971, Pakistan unleashed an orgy of killings and brutality against the people of the then East Pakistan. It is estimated that more than 3 million people were killed in the 9-month period between March 25 to December 15, 1971 by the Pakistani forces before they surrendered to the Indian army and liberation war fighters of Bangladesh. More than 1 crore refugees had taken shelter in India.</span><br />