Hundreds of Bangladeshi police are patrolling the streets of the capital, Dhaka, to prevent possible attacks by Islamic militants during Victory Day celebrations.
Amid tight security, Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina laid wreaths Friday at a war memorial honoring soldiers who fought for independence from Pakistan in 1971.
Security officials say intelligence reports warned of possible attacks by militants during victory celebrations.
Militants fighting for Islamic sharia law in Bangladesh have been blamed for attacks that have killed at least 30 people and wounded at least 200 others since August.
Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation on December 16, 1971, when Pakistan signed a treaty of surrender to a combined Bangladeshi and Indian force.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.