Dhaka, Dec 17 (TIWN) The people of Bangladesh on Wednesday celebrated the 50th Victory Day. On December 16, 1971, Lt. Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan and Commander of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan had signed the Instrument of Surrender the led to the formation of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Choudhury paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the war by placing a wreath at the National Memorial here.  Forty-nine years ago on December 16 in 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.  The Pakistan Army surrendered to the joint forces of Bangladesh and India ending the ninth-month war and turning East Pakistan into Bangladesh.