7th March Speech: Bangabandhu’s directives & international recognition

On 7th March in 1971, Bangabandhu gave his historic speech at the Race Course Maidan in Dhaka. It has become famous worldwide as the Liberation War was fully abode by the directives he gave in his speech.

After the speech, the BBC reported only that speech could be compared with the Gettysburg Speech. According to Reuters there has no such speech in world history as well-planned and well-articulated that including a specific outline for revolution and guidelines for running a state.

In a report of Newsweek, the speech has been recognized as an absolute poem. The newspaper also honoured Bangabandhu by using the title the ‘Poet of Politics’.

In many international journals like Time magazine and AFP, Bangabandhu had given the directives of the war and declaration of independence.
Not only world journals but also the world leaders assessed the speech of 7th March as an instruction for the Bengali nation.

The South African Leader Nelson Mandela mentioned the speech as the formula of independence of Bangladesh. The Yugoslavian leader President Marshal Tito said about the speech Bangabandhu proved that it was not East Pakistan it was Bangladesh.

The Cuban leader Fidel Castro mentioned the speech as a formula of a unique manoeuvre.

According to British Prime Minister Heath, this speech is not only for the people of Bangladesh, this is an inspiration for all the liberators of whole world.

In 30 October, 2017, UNESCO declared the speech of 7th March as ‘Documentary Heritage’. This eighteen-minute speech is the formula of independence of this nation, and also an inspiration for the world.

Four conditions for Pakistan government in 7th March Speech:

1. Immediate withdrawal of military government
2. Have to revoke the army
3. Have to investigate the massacre
4. Have to handover the power to people’s representatives who are elected by vote

The directives of Bangabandhu in his 7th March Speech

1. Stop paying tax and revenues until Bangla becomes independent
2. Enforce general strike in all government offices and courts
3. Continue operating all vehicles, but don’t use these to oppress people
4. Mass media will carry out full description of our speech and do not hide any update of the mass protest. If any obstacle is made, all Bengalis, who are working in this sector, will stop working
5. Only local and inter-district telephone communication will continue.
6. All education institutions will remain shut down.
7. Hoist black flag at every house
8. Keep the banks open for two hours daily but do not let anyone send money to West Pakistan
9. General strike for other sectors has been withdrawn today. But it will be enforced if circumstances demand.
10. Form Sangram Parishad across the country under local Awami League