August 6 is observed as" Hiroshima Day" all around the world. On this day in 1945, in a desperate effort for a quick win against Japan." US air force dropped an atomic bomb, "Little Boy’, on the city of Hiroshima, followed by the detonation of another nuclear bomb" Fat Man" over Nagasaki on August 9. The death toll from the immediate blast at Hiroshima was roughly estimated at 70,000 and in the decades that followed many more died from illnesses caused by severe radiation. The death toll at Hiroshima and Nagasaki totalled at 3,45,000.

They are the only instances of the use of nuclear weapons in warfare.

To mark the day peace activists around the world arrange various events including rallies, awareness. .,., programmes andTnoie. . >

Liberation "War Museum (LWM1) organised a special programme on the occasion.

The programme started al 5 pm. The entire museum was decorated with thousands of wliite cranes made of paper.

Rabiul Hossain, a trustee of Liberation War Museum, gave the welcome speech. Ln his speech Hossain urged for the peaceful use of nuclear technology. He also

remembered Sasaki Sadako, an innocent victim of the bombing.

Sadako was a victim of the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima. She was only twq-years old when the bomb wgs dropped, She survived the explosion but ten years later she was diagnosed with leukaemia. She died on October 25, 1955 at the age of eleven. While at hospital, Sadako heard about a Japanese myth: if you can make 1,000 paper cranes, you'd be gran ted a wish. An inspired Sadako started making paper cranes but after completing around644, she died.

In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, also called the "Genbaku Dome".

Ken Komine, deputy head, Information and Culture, Embassy of Japan, was also present at the programme.

Komine said, “It is an honour to be here to attend tltis event on the Memorial Day of Hiroshima".

"In Japan, we pray for peace all over world, especially on this day. Today a mass prayer for peace -attended by 45.0Q0 people including the Japanese Prime Minister Yauo Fukuda - was held in Hiroshima.

"1 believe human beings are wise enough not to annihilate themselves with weapons of mass destruction."

The cultural programme opened with a performance by students of Shampur Multipurpose High School. The youngsters danced with patriotic songs — Math-ershobuj thekeyshurjer laal, Shurjodoye tumi shurjastey tumi and Maa go tomakey aar ghum parateydebo na.

Next was a performance by Jalladkhana Baddhyobhumi Shontandal Sangskritik Goshthi, a cultural organisation formed by the family members of the people murdered at the Mirpur Jalladkhana in 1971 by collaborators of the Pakistani army.

Students of School of Human Development performed songs— Nongor tolo ioM, Shongo shorgo tirtha jatra pathey - - and recitation of the poem Ut Pakhi written by Sudhindranath Dutta.

A short play Sadakor Jonno was also staged at the programme.

The museum has been holding special programmes on Hiroshima Daysince2003.

Pictures of Sadako and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial were also on display at the LWM premises.