Global leaders, including the Chinese and French presidents, and the prime ministers of Japan, Canada, South Korea, Cambodia, and Pope Francis would deliver video messages during the celebrations of Bangladesh's golden jubilee of independence and Mujib Borsho.

The celebrations at the National Parade Ground begin tomorrow, the birthday of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and it would end on Independence Day.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would deliver recorded welcome speeches tomorrow, while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen would deliver his speech on March 18, OIC Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen on March 20, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on March 22, Unesco DG Audrey Azoulay on March 23, Pope Francis on March 24, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Japanese friend of Bangladesh Takashi Hayakawa's son Osamu Hayakawa on March 25.

Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih would be at the programme as the guest of honour tomorrow, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa on March 19, Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari on March 22, Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering on March 24 and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 26.

President Abdul Hamid would be present on March 17, 22, and 26, while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would be there on March 17, 19, 22, 24, and 26.

"This is a historic event … . The global leaders will pay homage to the memories of our Father of the Nation," Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy yesterday.

"It shows the depth of our friendship with the countries. They have confidence in the leadership of Bangladesh, and so they are coming here despite the pandemic," he said.

According to foreign ministry officials, cultural troops from Bangladesh as well as India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Nepal, Turkey, Malaysia, and Brunei would perform during the celebrations.

The themes of the events were named "Bhengechhe Duar, Eshechche Jyotirmoy" on March 17; "Mohakaler Tarjoni" on March 18; "Jatokal Robe Padma, Jamuna" on March 19; "Tarunner Alokshikha" on March 20; "Dhangshastoope Jiboner Gaan" on March 21; "Banglar Mati, Amaar Mati" on March 22; "Narimukti, Sammya O Swadhinata" on March 23; "Shanti, Mukti O Manabatar Agradoot" on March 24; "Gonohattyar Kalratri O Aloker Obhijatra" on March 25 and "Swadhinatar 50 Bochchor O Agragoti'r Subarnorekha" on March 26.

The programmes would be broadcast live on electronic and social media.

Momen said there might be some problems due to the movements of foreign guests' and urged all to be accommodative as the occasion was extraordinary.

The minister said several MoUs would be signed with countries whose heads of states or governments would be visiting Bangladesh.

"At least three MoUs will be signed with India. We are still working on those. One of those will be on disaster-risk reduction and the rest are between some institutions of Bangladesh and India," said Momen.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said all the countries, whose heads of state or government are coming, would ink some MoUs with Bangladesh. Those are in the process of finalisation, he said.

Asked if Bangladesh invited all Saarc heads of state or government, Minister Momen said Bangladesh also invited Afghanistan, but received no response.

He said Myanmar has not been invited because "we don't know who is to be invited from Myanmar".

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, Secretary (East) at the Foreign Ministry Mashfee Binte Shams, and Foreign Ministry Chief of Protocol M Amanul Haq also spoke at the press conference.