DHAKA, March 7, 2024 (BSS) - The nation today observed the historic March 7 in a befitting manner, commemorating the landmark speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which was touted as an indirect declaration of the country's independence in 1971.

Awami League and different social, cultural and political organizations today paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing floral wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi here, marking the historic March 7.

To mark the day, a joyful environment was created on the premises of the Bhaban at Dhanmondi road No-32 where people from all walks gathered with enthusiasm for paying respect to Bangabandhu.

Ruling Awami League and its different associate bodies, leaders, workers and supporters of different political, social and cultural organizations gathered around the Bangabandhu Bhaban for paying homage to the memory of Bangabandhu.

Awami League and its associate bodies activists who came from different cities started to gather on the east and western side of Dhanmondi road No-32 in processions since 6:30 am.

Dhanmondi road-32 and its adjacent areas were flooded with cross section of people before 7am.

Several thousand men and women recalled the great leader of the Bangalee nation with deepest respect through placing floral wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation kept in front of Bangabandhu Bhaban.

Marking the day, the ruling AL hoisted national and party flags atop Bangabandhu Bhaban and party offices at 6:30 am.

Prior to this, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at 7am. The Prime Minister stood in solemn silence in front of the portrait for a while as a mark of respect.

Later, the Awami League chief, Sheikh Hasina, along with the party’s central leaders, placed a floral wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on behalf the party.

Awami League advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu, presidium members Dr Abdur Razzaque, Shahjahan Khan, Quamrul Islam, Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mahiuddin, Joint general secretaries Dr Hasan Mahmud, Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretaries Ahmad Hossen, SM Kamal Hossen, Mirza Azam and Afzal Hossain, publicity and publication secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Cultural affairs secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Abdus Saboor, among others, were present.

Later, people from all walks of life, including leaders, workers, and supporters of Awami League Dhaka north and south city units and associate bodies, also placed floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu.

Leaders and workers of the Bangladesh Chhatro League, Awami Jubo League, Bangladesh Krishak League, Awami Swechasebak League, Mohila Awami League, Jubo Mohila League, and Jatiya Sramik League also placed floral wreaths at the portrait of the great leader.

Besides, Bangabandhu Parishad, Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, Muktijoddah Central Command Council, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, Bangladesh Tanti League, Bangabandhu Sainik League, Sheikh Russel Shishu Sangha, Awami Sangskritik Forum, Bangladesh Water Development Sramik-Karmachari League, Muktijoddah Sanghati Parishad, Awami Shilpi Gosthi, and Dhaka Lawyers Association paid respect to the portrait of Bangabandhu.

 
Marking the day, a discussion was held at AL’s Dhaka District Office in the city’s Tejgaon at 4pm. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the discussion.

Besides, the Cultural Affairs Ministry organized a discussion marking the day at the Osmani Smriti auditorium here.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the discussion as the chief guest.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Prime Minister’s Cultural Affairs Advisor Dr Kamal Abdul Naser and Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain addressed the discussion as special guests, with State Minister for Cultural Affairs Naheed Ezaher Khan in the chair.

Secretary of Cultural Affairs Ministry Khalil Ahmed gave the welcome address.

Islamic Foundation organized a discussion and a special munajat at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to mark the day.

Besides, all divisional and district offices of the Islamic Foundation, 54 Islamic Missions and 8 Imam Training Academy organized discussions and doa mahfils marking the day.

On March 7 in 1971, the great leader Sheikh Mujib, the architect of independent Bangladesh, in his historic address at a mammoth rally at the then Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan), directed the freedom-loving Bangalees to wage a decisive struggle against the then Pakistan occupation forces.

"Turn every house into a fortress, resist the enemy with everything you have ... Having mastered the lesson of sacrifice, we shall give more blood. God willing [Inshallah], we shall free the people of this land," Bangabandhu also said in his speech.

The speech inspired the Bengalees to prepare for a war of independence.

The Liberation War began 18 days later when the Pakistan Army launched "Operation Searchlight" against unarmed Bangalee civilians, intellectuals, students, politicians, and armed personnel on the night of March 25, 1971.

On October 30, 2017, UNESCO recognised the historic speech as part of the world's documentary heritage, as the landmark fiery speech of Bangabandhu inspired the Bengalees to prepare for the War of Liberation in 1971.

It has been included in the Memory of the World International Register, a list of the world's important documentary heritage maintained by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In the 19-minute extempore speech from 4:23 pm before millions of people of former East Pakistan, Bangabandhu, in unequivocal terms, said, "We spilled our blood.... We are ready to shed more blood, the people of the country shall be freed, Inshallah!"

"Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram [The struggle this time is a struggle for emancipation, the struggle this time is a struggle for independence]", Bangabandhu declared in a thunderous voice at the rally.

During his deliberations amid thunderous slogans and applause, he also made a fervent appeal to the roaring people from all walks of life to make preparations for armed struggle against the tyranny, exploitation, subjugation, and deprivation by the Pakistani military junta with whatever they possessed and transformed every house into a fortress.

The whole nation responded spontaneously to Bangabandhu's call with the thunderous slogan "Bir Bangalee Astra Dharo, Bangladesh Swadhin"Karo"—brave Bangalees take up arms and free Bangladesh from occupation.

The vigorous speech inspired people from all walks of life to prepare for the war, which eventually began after the Pakistani regime on the black night of March 25 launched attacks on the unarmed Bangalees, the worst genocides in history for the next nine months.

Bangabandhu's March 7 speech has been selected as one of the most rousing and inspirational wartime speeches in the last 2,500 years. The dynamic speech has changed the course of the country's history.

The tantalizing speech literally had a mesmerizing and sparkling effect on the entire population of this soil, and they became united under his capable and farsighted leadership to bravely fight for liberating the motherland from the clutches of the Pakistani occupation forces.

Although people from all walks of life, irrespective of political and religious beliefs, were united for the cause and began to make all-out preparations for a bloody war, they waited till the crackdown of the Pakistani occupation forces on the sleeping Bangalees on the night of March 25, defamed as the "Operation Searchlight.".

As soon as the Pakistani occupation forces started genocide, Bangabandhu declared the independence of the motherland, instructing the people to put up strong resistance and fight against them till liberation was achieved.

At the instruction of Bangabandhu, the brave nation fought successfully during the nine-month-old war of liberation and ultimately liberated Bangladesh from the clutches of the Pakistani occupation forces on December 16, 1971, with the assistance of the allied Indian forces.