Welcome 1997. Happy New Year today.

As the clock clicked 12 last night, the New Year began with hopes for a better future.

Over 120 million people of Bangladesh join the world community in welcoming the New Year with renewed pledge to build a happier motherland and to make the Mother Earth more peaceful and glorious.

The New Year's Eve celebrations were marked with exchange of greetings and pleasantries. feasts and parties. Fife works and explosion of crackers by revelers broke the silence as the clock stuck zero hours.

hi the capital. peopl$ wejg. in ’a jubilant mood, celebrating the first hours of the New Year. Many city dwellers were seen busy yesterday evening buying greeting cards and flowers for near and dear ones. Jubilant people were seen hoping from one family-party or social gathering to another last night.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) fanned out in the city in 10 special teams to contain unruly revellers.

The year that passed was marked with some historic events. In the world scenario, some positive developments took place in 1996. Peace has been restored in the Balkan, Middle East peace process continued and many countries saw advancement of democracy.

There were some tragic events also. Peace remains' a nightmare in trouble torn Afganistan and Kashmir, Rwanda is in flames with the Hutus and the Tutsis fighting each other.

In Bangladesh, some memorable events overshadowed many pangs and agony this year. The country witnessed peaceful transfer of power through a fair election, making another milestone in consolidating democracy and celebrated the Silver jubilee of its victory in the War of Liberation with much fanfare and gaiety.

A decades old problem was solved with signing of a historic 30-year accord on sharing of Ganges water with India. On the last day of 1996. an interna t tonal football fiesta, the Bangabandhu Cup Football Tournament was kicked off at the national stadium.