New Delhi/Dhaka, March 26 : As Bangladesh observed its 52nd Independence day and National Day today, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar extended greetings and said he looks forward to India and Bangladesh adding more pages to the golden chapter of their friendship. In a tweet, he extended greetings to his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen and the people of Bangladesh on their National Day. “Warm greetings to FM Dr AK Abdul Momen and the Government and people of #Bangladesh on their National Day. “Look forward to working together to add more pages to the golden chapter of India-Bangladesh Maitri. #ShonaliAdhyay,” he posted. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Doraiswami, who was at the National Monument in Savar on the occasion, in a tweet said that it is a special day in the 50th year of India-Bangladesh friendship and also marks the successful conclusion of Birth Centenary celebrations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “Felicitations from the National Monument at #Savar at dawn to #Bangladesh on #IndependenceDay. Special day in our 50th year of #India-#Bangladesh friendship and at the successful conclusion of Birth Centenary celebrations of #Bangabandhu,” he posted. Bangladesh on Saturday is observing the 52nd Independence day and National Day. President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by placing wreaths at the National Memorial on the city’s outskirts on Saturday morning marking the 52nd Independence and National Day. The president first placed a wreath at the altar of the memorial followed by the prime minister. After laying the wreaths, the president and the premier stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of the Great War of Liberation in 1971. Earlier on Friday night, a one-minute symbolic ‘blackout’ was observed throughout the country in remembrance of the victims of the massacre launched by the Pakistani Army on unarmed Bengalis on the night of 25 March in 1971. The nation observed a one-minute symbolic “blackout” on Friday night, marking the Genocide Day, when thousands of people were killed in a military crackdown styled “Operation Searchlight” in 1971. The Ministry of Liberation War Affairs took the initiative to observe the blackout from 9pm to 9:01pm. The Indian High Commission too observed the symbolic blackout at the Chancery complex. “@ihcdhaka pays solemn tribute with a blackout of the Chancery complex to honour the sacrifice of untold millions of Bangladeshi people killed & women assaulted during ‘Operation Searchlight’, which began this night 51 years ago.” The Indian High Commissioner in a tweet paid tribute. “In heartfelt tribute to those who perished or were tortured in the most brutal, horrific, and barbaric crimes, this night in 1971. We mourn with brethren in #Bangladesh.” Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday hoped that the new generation of Pakistan will understand the Pakistani army’s genocide in Bangladesh in 1971 and raise their voices for p shment to the perpetrators. “Pakistani junta who committed the genocide went unp shed. It’s very unfortunate and shameful. It’s a shame for Pakistan, too. They should have tried them,” he told reporters yesterday. RN