BANGLADESH: WORLD LEADERS GATHER FOR INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS скачать в хорошем качестве

BANGLADESH: WORLD LEADERS GATHER FOR INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS

(26 Mar 1997) Natural Sound Leaders from three countries that have undergone their own share of conflict helped Bangladesh mark 26 years of independence Wednesday. The celebration's highlight was the lighting of a flame the country's chief minister says will burn as long as Bangladesh lives. It is 26 years since Bangladesh proclaimed its independence from Pakistan. World leaders arrived in the capital, Dhaka, to mark the occasion. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who is on a tour of Asia, was there. South African President Nelson Mandela and Turkey's President Suleyman Demirel were also on hand. The trio took part in a ceremony at the national memorial. The Last Post was played in honour of those who died in the country's liberation. Bangladesh proclaimed independence from Pakistan on March 26th, 1971. It wasn't until December 16 that year that the country achieved independence from Pakistan. India helped the Bangladeshi side during the nine-month war. Thousands of Bangladeshis turned out for the anniversary celebrations in Dhaka's historic Suhrawardy Garden. All three world leaders paid tribute to the founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His daughter, Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina, led the ceremony. She addressed the crowd at the garden, where her father had first called for resistance against the Pakistani army. Hasina lit an eternal flame to symbolise Bangladesh's struggle for freedom. She lit the flame with a special torch that had been carried across the country for 20 days. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...