The Consulate of Bangladesh in Istanbul celebrated the country’s Victory Day with due dignity and a festive atmosphere on Dec. 16.

The day-long program started in the morning with the hoisting of the national flag on the premises of the consulate, followed by a read-out of the speeches by the country’s president, Mohammad Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The morning program ended with a remembrance program and prayers for the martyrs who gave their lives in the Bangladesh War of Independence in 1971.

The consulate in Istanbul also organized a panel discussion with the participation of Turkish media and cultural personalities and representatives of civil society and Bangladeshi expatriates living in Istanbul.

The discussion, moderated by Consul General Mohammad Noore-Alam, began with a tribute to the Father of the Bengali nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Noore-Alam in his speech paid deep respect to Mujibur Rahman, the great architect of the Bangladesh freedom movement, as well as to all the martyrs and freedom fighters of the War of Independence.

"Despite various adversities, since 51 years of independence, Bangladesh has achieved great success in almost all indicators, including economic, social and cultural under the country’s current leader PM Sheikh Hasina," he said.

He added that Bangladesh has transformed itself from war and natural disaster-ravaged country to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, over the last five decades.

Its story has become of a role model and inspiration for other developing countries around the world.

"This was possible due to the government’s timely policymaking and people-oriented initiatives, but above all by the efforts, skills, capabilities and innovative energy of the country’s people," the Noore-Alam said.

Prominent Turkish academician Professor Nazmi Ağıl of Koç University, journalist Ahmet Coşkunaydın, and Daily Sabah's journalist Mohammad Zakir Hossain were among the other speakers at the discussion.

The speakers praised Bangladesh’s economic and social development while expressing optimism over the brotherly relations between Bangladesh and Türkiye will become stronger.

At the end of the discussion, the history and culture of Bangladesh were highlighted through the performance of patriotic songs and the recitation of patriotic poems in a cultural program.