Speech Of March 7 Always Gives Nation A New Strength: PM

"The speech always gives the nation a new strength and inspires all freedom-loving people of the world. Whenever we hear the speech, its every word and language inspires us afresh to devote ourselves to the cause of the nation," she said.

The Prime Minister was addressing a seminar titled "Bangabandhu's Speech on March 7: Why one of the masterpieces of world's best speeches" at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) here.

Sheikh Hasina said the speech remained banned for 21 years after the killing of Bangabandhu. Anti-liberation forces are still active and are afraid of this inspirational speech as it tells about people's political and economic emancipation, the Premier said.

Future generation will get inspiration from the speech to fight the anti-liberation forces, she said, adding that none could suppress Bengali people in the past and they would not be able to do so in future. No political speech except that of Bangabandhu could inspire people of a country for a long time, she said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the seminar organized by Bangabandhu Memorial Trust while Vice-Chancellor of National University Prof Dr Harun-or-Rashid presented the keynote paper on the topic.

Professor Mesbah Kamal of History Department of Dhaka University, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University Dr M Shahinur Rahman took part in the discussion as panel discussants.

Former foreign minister Dr Dipu Moni, Director General of Bangla Academy Shamsuzzaman Khan, and Nazmul Hasan Papon, MP, also spoke on the occasion. Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, member secretary of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, gave the welcome address while Chief Executive of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust Mashura Hossain gave the vote of thanks.

At the beginning of the seminar, the historic speech of Bangabandhu, delivered at Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) on March 7, 1971, was played amid pin-drop silence of the audience, followed by rapturous claps.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister unveiled the cover of two books published by Bangla Academy and Bangabandhu Memorial Trust on the historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu and his life and works.

Bangla Academy published the book "Bangabandhur Saat Marcher Bhashon: Bohumatrik Bishleshon" (March 7 Speech of Bangabandhu: Multidimensional Analysis), and the memorial trust published the book "Poet of Politics", a compilation by G Moula, a Dhaka University teacher, on the life and works of Bangabandhu and translation of March 7 speech into 12 languages.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the chairperson of Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, urged all to work unitedly to attain economic emancipation of the country which Bangabandhu conceptualized in his historic March 7 speech.

Speakers said the speech of Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971 was a reflection of universal spirit of freedom and humanism focusing on aspirations of the downtrodden. They laid importance on firmly establishing its innate spirit in the minds of future generation of Bangladesh, particularly the youth, to materialize the dream of Bangabandhu.

Photo: Yeasin Kabir Joy