One-minute blackout tonight to mark 25 Mar

The country is set to stage a one-minute blackout from 9:00 to 9:01pm today, recalling the horror of the 25 March, 1971 black night when the Pakistanis launched genocide on Bangladesh soil.

"We expect people in every household to join the programme by switching off their electricity during the one minute demonstration," state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid told BSS.

He said the power supply across the country would be normal while the people were expected to keep the switches off to stage a complete blackout in memory of the victims of 25 March night, 1971.

Director general of power cell engineer Mohammad Hossain said the country's electricity demand would be 3,000 mw less than the normal time.

An inter-ministerial meeting with home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on 11 March decided to observe the nationwide blackout.

The Jatiya Sangsad during its 14th session in 2017 unanimously adopted a resolution declaring 25 March as the Genocide Day.

Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence calling upon the people to build a united resistance against the Pakistani occupation forces just ahead of his arrest from his 32 Dhanmandi residence.

Different political parties, socio-cultural organisations and pro-liberation forms have chalked out elaborate programmes in observance of the Black Night to pay deep homage to the martyrs.