The nation is set to celebrate Victory Day today, as the country was liberated from the Pakistani occupation forces on this day 54 years back through a nine-month-long bloodstained War of Liberation.

On December 16, 1971, Bangladesh was born as an independent country at the cost of the supreme sacrifice of three million people.

The government has taken extensive programmes to celebrate the great Victory Day, while the day will begin with a 31-gun salute in the capital this morning.

The president and the chief adviser are expected to pay tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the Savar National Martyrs' Memorial as the sun rises today.

Then, the Bir Shrestha families, war-wounded freedom fighters and brave freedom fighters, under the leadership of the liberation war affairs adviser, will lay wreaths there.

In addition, foreign diplomats in Bangladesh, political and social organisations and people from all walks of life will pay tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War.

On the occasion, the national flag will be hoisted in all government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings and Bangladesh embassies and missions abroad, while important buildings and establishments will be illuminated.

As part of the nationwide celebrations of Victory Day, the country is set to make a world record by parachuting with the highest number of national flags.

Like the previous years, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs will organise three-day Victory Fairs in all districts and upazilas.

Victory Day songs will be performed at Suhrawardy Udyan at 3:00pm today, while new-generation artists will perform songs of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra simultaneously in 64 districts.

The president will felicitate the members of the Bir Shrestha families at Bangabhaban in the afternoon.

As per the government's special programmes to mark the 54 years of independence, 54 paratroopers from the Bangladesh Army, Air Force, and Navy will perform a flag-bearing skydive at Tejgaon old airport in the capital at around 11:40am today, setting a new Guinness World Record.

Prior to the parachuting, the three forces will conduct separate fly-past demonstrations at the same venue from 11:00am.

Earlier, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus released a commemorative postage stamp on the occasion yesterday.