Independence Day

March 26th is very important day for Bangladesh.
It is Independence Day.
This is the day independence war from Pakistan started.
On the day, many cultural events or concerts take place.
More than 250,000 people gathered to sing national song "Amar Shonar Bangla" at Parade Square in Dhaka this year.
How many are 250,000 people like.....?
I have no idea.

Bangladesh Tourism Corporation arranged cars to Savar where National Monument is.
Savar is located 35km north from Dhaka, and people visit there to offer flowers.

Of course, I joined the tour.
A colleague told me to come to the office at 7am.
It's quite early morning!

However, as I asked some more people......figured out cars were supposed to leave office between 7-7:30am.
Then, I would be there at 7:30 since they won't be able to leave at 7.
I left home 6:50, and called my colleague on the way.
He told a car would pass near my house, so they could pick me up there.
So...I had waited for nearly 1 hour.
The car picked me up, went to office, stayed for 10 minutes, and started for Savar......passing the road in front of my house.
Oh......

Anyway, after 1 hour drive we were in Savar.
Opposite of the National Monument, there is a restaurant Tourism Corporation operates.
A colleague told me that we had breakfast at first.
So......waited for breakfast for 1 hour.
We had Porota and vegetable curry, and finally started to the monument.

You will find many people wearing red and green colors of cloth.
Yes, they are the colors for Bangladeshi flag.

My colleague, too.

Not clear in this picture, but her eye shadow is also green & red!!

Another colleague.
See their passion for this day??

So, we marched with singing national song.
At the entrance, people were waiting to paint flag on our hands, face.....so enjoy the paint/be careful not to be painted.

Took some photos.

There is the place to give flower in front of the monument.

Mission completed.
It took only 5 minutes.......so quick(especially thinking the long way before)!

However, I am always impressed by this culture that people spend time for commemorate history, visit monument , sing national song......e.t.c.
I didn't really care meaning of holidays in Japan. Only cared because it was days off from work.
Living in Bangladesh, I had many chances to be asked if I know Bangladeshi history of independence, meaning of holidays.
So now I can answer some.
One another impressive thing is almost everyone can answer these kind of questions.
Even though literacy late isn't very high, not everyone goes to school, Bangladeshi people know their history.

So, back to the day.
Having breakfast at 11am and offering flower to the monument for 5 minutes, what we did next was.....waiting for lunch. 
So much waiting for the day.

Killing time, we visited "Pottery and Hadicraft Market" located next to the restaurant.

Cups, pen stands, e.t.c.
I didn't buy, but they actually looked very good.

Picture is again not clear......but can you see the clock whose shape is Bangladesh?
Don't you get one for your living room?

 

Waiting for 2 hours, we had lunch and head back to Dhaka.
I was tired though I didn't really do anything.
However, it was precious experience to have time together with my co-workers on this important day.
Thank you!