The verdict on the validity of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, excluding the caretaker government, will be announced today, Tuesday (December 17).

A dual bench of the High Court comprising Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Roy Chowdhury will announce the verdict.

The hearing of two writ petitions challenging the validity of the 15th Amendment concluded on December 4. Several organizations including BNP and Jamaat were parties to the writ petitions. Almost all of them voted in favor of reinstating the caretaker government.

On June 30, 2011, the Awami League put the final nail in the caretaker government provision through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment included a provision for the death penalty for seizing state power illegally.

In addition, a provision was made for elections within 90 days of the end of the term of parliament, which was previously to hold elections within 90 days of the end of the term of parliament. Fifty-five such amendments, both major and minor, were brought through the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution. 

After nine months of bloody war, an unforgettable day of bravery of the Bengali nation came on December 16. At the Ramna Race Course Maidan in Dhaka, General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the Chief of the Eastern Command, Pakistan Army, surrendered to General Jagjit Singh Arora of the Indian Army and the Bangladesh Mukti Bahini with 93,000 defeated Pakistani soldiers. From that day on, the independent and sovereign Bangladesh with the red and green flag emerged on the world map.

The celebration of this victory, which came in exchange for the blood of 30 lakh people and the honor of two hundred thousand mothers and sisters, is also immense. Young and old, from villages to cities, every neighborhood is decorated in red and green. The event, which began with paying tribute to the martyrs in the morning, was joined by street plays, victory concerts, colorful processions and various other events.

People of different ages, professions, religions and castes are seen on the way. Despite many differences, everyone has one thing in common, the love for the red-green flag. The image of the capital on Victory Day was like this. On that day, from Mirpur to the Parliament Building area, Farmgate, Banglamotor, Shahbagh, TSC, National Shaheed Minar, the entire country had the same image.

Since Victory Day was a government holiday, the number of cars on the road was limited. However, there was no need for more cars. Rather, the residents of the capital were more focused on walking with their families, painting themselves in red and green.

Crowds overflowing at the National Museum on Victory Day:

The Bangladesh National Museum located in Shahbagh is the biggest medium for learning about the history and culture of the country, including anthropology, fine arts, history, nature, modern and ancient world civilizations, and the Liberation War of Bangladesh. This institution works to quench the thirst of the people of the country to know the history of the country. Therefore, there was extra pressure on people who wanted to know the history of the victory on Victory Day.

and Rafiq, a couple, are bringing their two children to the museum exhibition. They got tickets after standing in line for about 15 minutes. They want to show their children the connection between the past and the future. The moment they enter the museum, they talk to this couple.

Rafiq told Barta24.com, "You can't learn everything just by studying at school or reading school books. This is what we brought to show our children our history, traditions, and the history of our ancestors. In any case, we don't always get the opportunity to go out with our families. The reason why the children came here is to learn history.

3 Doors of Independence of Inquilab Manch:

Is the desire for independence of the people of the country only centered on the Liberation War of 1971? Or was the same desire in the minds of the people of this town during the partition of 1947? Then why is our history textbook centered only on 1971, who will properly evaluate the sacrifices of our predecessors before that?

Keeping such questions in mind, an organization called Inquilab Manch has organized a film and documentary exhibition in front of the Shahbagh National Museum. In this regard, Kamruzzaman, the joint convener of the organization's Dhaka University branch, told Barta24.com, "The first door of freedom is 1987, and 1971 is our map, which we got in exchange for the blood of 30 lakh people and the honor of two hundred thousand mothers and sisters. 2024 is our existence. Through ‘24, we have bid farewell to the fascists." He said, "We will exhibit another part of the history that we have been taught from 1971 to 2024 in the form of documentation today."

Raju sculpture from the tomb of the rebel poet

Victory means betrayal, blood and protest. Victory does not come without rebellion, blood and protest. Just as it did not come in 47, 71 or 24. That is why on this victory day, the poet's devotees did not forget the poet who ignited the fire of rebellion, the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. On this day, many eager people were seen crowding the tomb of the poet located at Dhaka University. The same picture was seen around the Raju statue located in front of TSC. Many people came to celebrate the day and took pictures with the statue. This statue of former student union leader Moin Hossain Raju, who was killed by terrorists, is a symbol of the public's resistance against terrorism.

Celebrating victory through blood donation:

'Donate blood, save a life' is a widely spread slogan in the country. If just one bag of blood can save a life, what greater deed can there be! Therefore, there was a noticeable presence of people in the blood donation program jointly organized by voluntary organizations Badhan and Sandhani at the Central Shaheed Minar on Victory Day.

An eager crowd was seen at the booths set up by the two organizations. However, although not everyone donated blood, many came to get their blood group tested. The organizations organized this to encourage people to donate blood. That is why a free blood group checkup facility is also provided at the booth.

Regarding the event, Badhan Dhaka City Zone General Secretary Zubair Hossain told Barta24.com, "We are getting a good response to our event. Many people are coming here to find out, we are helping them with information. Again, we are giving free blood group information to those who are coming to get their blood group tested. From 10 am to now (3 pm), we have tested the blood group of more than 100 people. In addition, 12 people have donated blood here. We hope that this will increase in the afternoon." Mohammad Milon Hossain, who donated blood at the time, told Barta24.com, "This is the first time I am donating blood today, I have never donated blood before. Coming here and listening to the brothers, I felt that I should donate blood. If one drop of my blood saves another's life, that is the big deal." Additional income opportunity under the red-green flag More than 2.5 lakh people in the capital city of Dhaka are engaged in various floating jobs.  They manage their lives by doing so. Many of them have additional income sources on national special days. Victory Day is no exception. Therefore, hawkers have additional income opportunities around the day. That is why many people take to the streets on this day with red and green flags.

Kuddus Mia walks around the streets of Keraniganj selling various seasonal fruits. Since offices are closed today on Victory Day and there are fewer cars on the road, he has come out with flags for a day. As the income path is open, there is also an opportunity for additional income.

Kuddus Mia told Barta24.com, I have been selling flags around Shahbagh, TSC, and Dhaka University since morning. Everyone goes out with their families, on this day, people buy flags more, so I went out with flags today, excluding fruits. I am selling well. However, not as expected. However, if more people come out in the afternoon, I think sales will increase. Now let's see what happens. Whatever is on my mind will happen.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has exempted all types of edible oil from duty, tax and VAT till March 31, 2025 to maintain normal supply in the market and keep prices affordable.

In a notification on Monday (December 16), the NBR said that 3 separate notifications have been issued in this regard on December 15.

It is said that in all these notifications, the value added tax payable at the local level on the sale of sunflower, canola, soybean and palm oil has been completely exempted till March 31, 2025. In addition, the VAT payable at the import stage of all these products has been reduced from 15 percent to 5 percent. As a result, there are no other duties and taxes remaining on these products except the 5 percent VAT at the import stage.

Earlier, the two duty and tax exemption notifications issued on October 17 and November 19 were applicable till December 15 for soybean and palm oil. In order to stabilize the edible oil market and keep the prices of edible oil affordable for the consumers, the existing customs duties and excise duties on the import of crude and refined sunflower oil and canola oil, along with soybean and palm oil, have been reduced.

Considering the recent upward trend in the international market prices of soybean and palm oil, the validity of the three new notifications has been kept in force till March 31 to ensure normal supply of the product during the month of Ramadan.

The complete withdrawal of customs duty, regulatory duty, advance tax and advance income tax on sunflower oil and canola oil and the reduction in value-added tax will reduce the import cost of these oils by Tk. 40-50 per liter. As a result of all these measures, the supply of edible oil will increase and the market price will be kept at a tolerable level for the general public, the NBR hopes.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has rejected President Md. Sahabuddin's invitation to celebrate the Great Victory Day at Bangabhaban.

This was announced in a message sent by the Cell Secretary (Office Cell) of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement on Monday (December 16) afternoon.

It is said that the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement rejects the invitation of President Md. Sahabuddin, who is associated with the fascist regime, to celebrate the Great Victory Day at Bangabhaban.

He said that according to the decision of the executive committee, no leader or worker organizationally associated with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will go to the Great Victory Day celebration at Bangabhaban today.

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement considers celebrating a day of national pride like the Great Victory Day at the invitation of a President associated with fascism to be incompatible with the intention of the mass uprising.