Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia will attend the Armed Forces Day reception at Sena Kunja on Friday evening, their aides said.
Maruf Kamal Khan, chief of Khaleda's information cell and Hasina's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad confirmed to us in the noon that the former prime ministers would attend the party hosted by President Iajuddin Ahmed.
Both former prime ministers have not met for a long time, and their face-to-face meeting has been high on the agenda for months now.
Caretaker advisers and leaders from various fields recently have tried and failed to bring the two political foes together and seat them across the table.
It is unlikely that they will talk and discuss the contentious political issues facing the nation, but their just being together usually generates a lot of interest.
Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, his cabinet colleagues, judges, the chief election commissioner and election commissioners, chiefs of diplomatic missions, politicians, incumbent and former chiefs of staffs and senior government officials will also attend the function.
The government is observing the Armed Forces Day to pay tribute to the members of the armed forces who laid down their lives in the war of independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Marking the day, president Iajuddin laid down flowers at the 'Shikha Anirban' (eternal flame) blazing in Dhaka Cantonment in the morning.
On Nov. 21, 1971, the armed forces of Bangladesh was formally constituted comprising army, navy and air force.
The armed forces combining its strength with the people fighting had initiated the launch of all-out attack on this day in a bid to wipe out the occupation forces of Pakistan.
The days' programme began with special prayers offering at all the cantonment, air and naval base mosques for the prosperity and advancement of the armed forces.
Army chief general Moeen U Ahmed, navy chief vice admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam and air force chief air marshal SM Ziaur Rahman offered flowers at the 'Shikha Anirban' in the morning.
The three chiefs then met with the president. Iajuddin hosted a reception in honour of the successors of the Birsreshthhos and gallantry award winners at the Armed Forces Division headquarters in the morning.
Besides, the three chiefs of staffs hosted separate receptions to honour the army, navy and air force gallantry award winners, their families and freedom fighters.
Iajuddin, Fakhruddin, Hasina and Khaleda gave separate messages on the occasion.
Iajuddin's message said, "We boast a most courageous armed forces and we gratefully cherish the sacrifices our military heroes made to liberate the nation."
"At a most critical juncture during the liberation war in 1971, our armed forces were officially organised on November 21 to launch the final attack on the occupation forces, which culminated in the final victory on December 16, 1971," said the chief adviser in his message for the day.
The newspapers have brought out special supplements and the Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels are broadcasting special programmes commemorating the special national day.
Subject: Hasina, Khaleda go to Sena Kunja at 6pm............... 
Fri Nov 21, 2008 10:54 am
