26 March, our Independence Day, is the biggest state festival. The day is celebrated every year in the country with great enthusiasm and fervour. It is a national holiday. All offices, educational institutions, shops and factories remain closed on the day. The day begins with a 31 gun salute.

Early in the morning the President and the Prime Minister on behalf of the nation place floral wreaths at the National Mausoleum at Savar. Then other leaders, political parties, diplomats, social and cultural organisations, educational institutions and freedom fighters pay homage to the martyrs. People from all walks of life also go there in rallies and processions. There are many cultural programmes throughout the day, highlighting the heroic struggle and sacrifice in 1971.

In Bangabandhu National Stadium, school children, scouts and girl guides take part in various displays to entertain thousands of spectators. Educational institutions also organise their individual programmes. Sports meets and tournaments are also organised on the day, including the exciting boat race in the river Buriganga.

In the evening all major public buildings are illuminated with colourful lights Bangla Academy Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and other socio-cultural organisations hold cultural functions. Similar functions are also arranged in other places in the country.

Zainul Abedin was born in Kishoreganj on 20 December 1914 He spent most of his childhood near the scenic banks of the Brahmaputra River. The river and the open nature inspired him from his early life. The Brahmaputra later appeared in many of his paintings and remained a great source of inspiration throughout his career. As his tribute to the river Brahmaputra, he drew series of water colour paintings in this regard. This helped him earn Governor's Gold Medal in an all-India Exhibition in 1938. This was the first time when he came under spotlight and this award gave Abedin the confidence to create his own visual style.

Abedin got admitted to the Government School of Art in Calcutta (Now Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, India), Here he learned European academic style for five years. Later he joined the faculty of the same school after his graduation. He was the first muslim student to obtain first class with distinction from the school. In 1951. Zainul went to London to study at Slade School of Art for two years. From the dissatisfaction of oriental style and the limitations of European academic style, he was attracted to realism. After his return from London, he started a new style called, Bangalee Style Therefore, he went back to nature, rural life and the daily struggles of mien to make art that would be realistic but modern in appearance.

Zainul Abedin was born in Kishoreganj on 20 December 1914 He spent most of his childhood near the scenic banks of the Brahmaputra River. The river and the open nature inspired him from his early life. The Brahmaputra later appeared in many of his paintings and remained a great source of inspiration throughout his career. As his tribute to the river Brahmaputra, he drew series of water colour paintings in this regard. This helped him earn Governor's Gold Medal in an all-India Exhibition in 1938. This was the first time when he came under spotlight and this award gave Abedin the confidence to create his own visual style.

Abedin got admitted to the Government School of Art in Calcutta (Now Government College of Art and Craft, Kolkata, India), Here he learned European academic style for five years. Later he joined the faculty of the same school after his graduation. He was the first muslim student to obtain first class with distinction from the school. In 1951. Zainul went to London to study at Slade School of Art for two years. From the dissatisfaction of oriental style and the limitations of European academic style, he was attracted to realism. After his return from London, he started a new style called, Bangalee Style Therefore, he went back to nature, rural life and the daily struggles of mien to make art that would be realistic but modern in appearance.