Dhaka, March 26 -- As the nation celebrates its 54th year of independence, voices from every corner of society echoed a shared dream: building a Bangladesh free from discrimination and division.

On Wednesday, people from all walks of life gathered at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar to pay their respects to the heroes of the Liberation War, whose blood and sacrifices paved the way for Bangladesh's independence in 1971.

Among them was Al Imran, who travelled from Bangla Motor with his 4-and-a-half-year-old son Abdur Rahman Huzaifa.

"We were talking last night about visiting Savar. My son said he wanted to come too. By dawn, he was wide awake, ready to join me," Imran said with a smile.

He revealed that his main reason for bringi...