Bangladesh honors Flag Hoisting Day and its 1971 symbol of defiance
Today marks Flag Hoisting Day in Bangladesh, remembering the first raising of the national flag on March 2, 1971. The event took place over three weeks before the country's official declaration of independence. The original design featured a golden map of Bangladesh inside a red circle on a green background.
ASM Abdur Rob, then vice-president of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union, led the ceremony that day. He also served as the president of the Chhatra League at the time. Now, he holds the position of president of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).
The flag became a powerful symbol during the nine-month War of Independence. After victory, a modified version was adopted on January 17, 1972. The red disc was shifted slightly off-centre to avoid resemblance to Pakistan's flag and to represent the rising sun over Bengal's meadows.
To commemorate the day, Dhaka University and the JSD have organised separate programmes.
The 1971 flag's design has remained largely unchanged since 1972. It continues to represent the nation's identity and struggle for independence. Today's observances honour its historical significance and the role it played in Bangladesh's formation.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
