The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and his wife Prof Dr Anwara Begum have hosted a reception at Bangabhaban on the occasion of the Victory Day yesterday.

The President exchanged greetings with the invitees in the lush-green lawn of the Bangabhaban.

Renowned artistes rendered patriotic songs at the reception.

Speaker Barrister Mohammad Jamiruddin Sircar, Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin, Advisers, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, judges of the Supreme Court, diplomats, politicians, freedom fighters, editors, business leaders, academics, artists and senior civil and military officers attended the function.

Sector commanders and leaders of the Awami League, BNP group led by Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Jatiya Party, Gano Forum, Bikalpa Dhara, CPB, LDP, Workers Party, JSD and their allies did not join the reception protesting the invitation of leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed the Liberation War, at the function.

Reformist BNP leaders M Saifur Rahman, Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, Dr Moyeen Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, including its Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Maulana Abdus Sobhan and Mohammad Qamaruzzaman, attended the programme.

The Awami League and its allies in the 14-party alliance had earlier taken a stand that they would not attend the reception if 'anti-liberation elements' and 'war criminals' were invited.

Of late, they have been vocal in their demand for trial of the 'war criminals' in the interim period.