Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus on Monday celebrated the 54th Victory Day of Bangladesh, the war which led to the country's independence in 1971.

He said this year's celebrations are even more important because this year "the world's worst autocratic government" has been removed from power.

In his speech on this occasion, Yunus did not mention the country's founding leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Vijay Diwas is celebrated to commemorate the surrender of the Pakistani army to the Indian Army. Bangladesh was liberated due to India's historic victory.

Yunus and Shahabuddin paid tribute to the martyrs

Yunus and Bangladesh President Mohammad Shahabuddin separately paid homage to millions of Liberation War martyrs at the National Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital.

"I remember the millions of martyrs, including many children, teenagers, young people and old people, whose sacrifice made our independence possible," Yunus said in a televised speech.

However, there was no mention of Rahman, the political leadership of 1971 and father of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in his address.

"Due to our mistakes, we could not complete our achievements and recently the country has been taken over by a demonic autocratic government which promised not to allow anything that would benefit the country to remain," Yunus said.

Sheikh Hasina had fled to India 

Yunus, 84, said the celebrations have gained added significance this year because of the ouster of the world's worst autocratic government (Hasina's Awami League government) and her being forced to flee amid a massive mass movement.

The student-led uprising on 5 August ousted Prime Minister Hasina's government, forcing her to take refuge in India. After her ouster, an interim government was set up with Professor Yunus as its chief adviser or de facto prime minister.

Army buglers sounded their final note during the ceremony on Monday, following a moment of silence.

East Timor President José Ramos-Horta accompanied Yunus as the top foreign dignitary attending the ceremony.

Breaking from tradition since independence, Bangladesh did not hold a Victory Day parade in the capital, which Liberation War Affairs Advisor Farooq-e-Azam said could not be held due to the busy schedule of the armed forces.

'Vijay Melas' will be organized across the country

In an interview to the Daily Star newspaper, he said the army is currently engaged in activities across the country and holding the parade requires advance preparation, which was not possible this year.

But he said the celebrations will be inclusive for all and 'Vijay Melas' will be organised across the country, which will include art and craft exhibitions, exhibition of agricultural products and display of household items.

He said schools are organising their own events as part of the celebrations and the cultural programmes will involve participation of children, women and men, making the celebrations inclusive for all.

Azam said the change in the format of the celebration is aimed at bringing more active public participation and creating a festive atmosphere in every part of the country.

On this day, 25 March 1971, the Pakistani army suddenly attacked unarmed Bengalis in the region called East Pakistan and arrested Bangabandhu instead of handing over power to the Awami League as per the election results of 1970.

Bengalis organised resistance by forming an Awami League-led government-in-exile in India, which hosted nearly one million refugees and provided arms and logistical support to the freedom fighters during the nine-month-long war.

Direct war broke out between India and Pakistan on 3 December. After 13 days of war, Pakistani troops surrendered in Dhaka to the allied forces of India and Bangladesh.

Eight Indian military veterans of the Liberation War are in Dhaka to mark the occasion, while eight war veterans of the Bangladesh Army are in Kolkata to join the Victory Day celebrations.