The March 17 mass gathering centering the celebration of the Mujib Barsho, the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at the capital’s National Parade Square has been postponed due to the Coronavirus threat.
Besides, the visit of guests and diplomats from different countries, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have also been postponed while the programmes cantering the function have been reorganized. Meanwhile, regarding the visit of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Dhaka, official spokesperson for India’s external affairs ministry Raveesh Kumar, at a press briefing on Monday in Delhi, said, "We have received formal notification from the Government of Bangladesh that a decision has been taken by them to defer the public events being organized to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the Father of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on account of the detection of cases of coronavirus in Bangladesh, and the larger global public health situation in this regard.”
“The impact of this deferment applies also to the large gathering planned for March 17, at which the Prime Minister of India was invited,” he added. He said the Government of Bangladesh has advised us that fresh dates for these commemorative events will be conveyed later.
Raveesh Kumar said, “In this context, Prime Minister's visit to Bangladesh next week at the invitation of HE Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is being deferred. While expressing understanding of the circumstances that necessitates this deferment, India is ready to work with Bangladesh, as partners, to combat the spread of this disease in our shared neighbourhood."
Officials at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said the inauguration programme will be held in a scaled-down manner. Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, chief coordinator of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee, on Sunday night said, “We will continue the Mujib Borsho celebration programmes between March 17, 2020, and March 26, 2021.”
“Considering the prevailing situation across the world caused by the coronavirus outbreak, we are going to rearrange the programmes,” he told reporters after a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Gono Bhaban. He said that commemorative notes, stamps and other publications would be unveiled on March 17.
Besides, Hasan Jahid Tusher, a Deputy Press Secretary (DPS) to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said, “Major gatherings to celebrate Mujib Year on March 17 have been postponed considering people’s welfare in the wake of global coronavirus scare.” “Visits of foreign guests, including Indian PM Narendra Modi, have also been postponed,” added DPS Tusher.
Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury further said that the grand rally would be held later, and when the rally would be held, foreign guests, supposed to join the programme, would be invited again. Asked whether Narendra Modi would arrive, he said that he was not sure of it, but the Indian PM, along with other foreign guests, would attend the grand rally when it would be held later.
The year-long celebrations were scheduled to begin amid massive festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on 17 March and expected to be attended by several foreign dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It should be mentioned that on Sunday three cases of coronavirus were reported. Two persons brought the disease from Italy, infecting the third one on their return home, officials said.
The infections, the first reported cases in the country, have come four days after Dhaka restricted entry of the people from major coronavirus-prone countries without a virus-free medical certificate. In a latest development on the celebration of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and Mujib Barsho, Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, the chief coordinator of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee, on Monday said, “Considering the public health, instead of mass gathering, the programmes at the National Parade Ground will be media based.” He came up with the development after a meeting held at International Mother Language Institute at the capital’s Segunbagicha.