The nation today began a 10-day celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary coinciding with the golden jubilee of independence with a grand ceremony at the National Parade Square in Dhaka.

President Abdul Hamid, his wife Rashida Khanam, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joined the ceremony along with visiting Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and his spouse Fazna Ahmed.

National anthem was sung collectively by 100 children to mark the grand opening of the celebrations at the Parade Square.

The children then sang, in chorus, several songs of Bishwa Kobi Rabindranath Tagore, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, and others.

Bangabandhu's younger daughter Sheikh Rehana was also present at the ceremony.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and famous British journalist Mark Talley sent congratulatory messages on the first day's function at the Parade Square where verses of the Holy Quran and scriptures of other faiths were recited.

Presentation of video footages of Bangabandhu's historic addresses and comments were displayed at the function where nationally renowned singers along with young artists sang the Mujib Year's theme song, "Tumi Banglar Dhrubo Tara" authored by poet Kamal Chowdhury and composed by Nakib Khan.