March 7 speech is an inspiration for the oppressed people of the world: PM Sheikh Hasina

Highlighting the significance of March 7, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the spirit of the momentous speech which Bangabandhu delivered on this day in 1971 at Suhrawardy Udyan, are infusing inspiration into people for the last 45 years, which did not happen in case of any other deliberation.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing a big public rally at Suhrawardy Udyan here on Monday afternoon. Bangladesh Awami League organized the rally marking the historic March 7, commemorating the historic speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1971, 18 days ahead of beginning of the War of Liberation.

On this day in 1971, people gathered here with sticks and oar to hear the directives of Bangabandhu, and they obeyed each and every word of his command to fight the enemy and liberate the country through a nine-month war.

Bangabandhu prepared the nation step by step for the independence and it was reflected in the speech, she said, describing the historic time. Bangabandhu was taken into custody soon after proclamation of independence on the black night of March 25, 1971.

But he arranged every preparation of the war including the training of the freedom fighters, shelter for refugees, sources of weapons as well as method of war, and people started getting preparation for war after his speech on March 7, she said.

Senior presidium member of the party and Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad Syeda sajeda Chowdhury presided over the rally attended by party leaders and workers and front organizations in processions from across the city.

Party's advisory council members Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim and Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, joint secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr. Dipu Moni and Jahangir Kabir Nanak, general secretary of Dhaka city unit Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and senior party leader AKM Rahmatullah also spoke on the occasion. Publicity secretary of the party Dr Hasan Mahmud conducted the rally.

"Bangabandhu did not only unite the nation, he also imbued the people with the spirit of liberation. He wanted to free the nation from a dark age, ensuring their basic needs and education for their prosperous life."

Prime minister said killing of Bangabandhu is an unfortunate saga of the people of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu was assassinated at a time when he was making his endevour for reconstructing the war ravaged economy. Bangabandhu settled Bangladesh at a glorious position in the world though he ruled the country for only three and a half years, she said.

Terming the War of Liberation as a mass struggle, the prime minister said Bangabandhu had taken initiative for trial of the war criminals as per the aspiration of the people. The war criminals were barred from excising their voting rights in the constitution and many war criminals relinquished their citizenship.

But, Ziaur Rahman after taking power illegally in 1975 brought back the notorious war criminals to the country from Pakistan and many convicted war criminals were freed from jail. Trial of the war criminals was suspended and they were rehabilitated in politics.

"Zia claimed to be a freedom fighter and also got gallantry award. But he always acted as an agent of the defeated force and established the war criminals in the country," she said adding Khaleda Zia issued passport for notorious war criminals, gave them citizenship and made them members of her cabinet.

Sheikh Hasina said Ziaur Rahman and his followers tried to destroy Bangladesh for 21 years. In fact the work for changing the lot of people began in 1996 when Awami League came to power. The rulers prohibited the playing of the March 7 speech in state media. They were out to destroy the spirit of the War of Liberation replacing it with Pakistani ideology.

But they could not bar Awami League leaders and workers from playing the speech. Many of them had to embrace martyrdom for this, Sheikh Hasina said adding that now the Speech is one of the greatest inspiring deliberations in 2500 years' history. The Speech has already been translated into 12 foreign languages and work is going on for translation in more languages, she added.

Sheikh Hasina said as an independent nation Bangladesh would live keeping its head high. The country was not born to beg to others. She sought support of every section of people to achieve the goal and implement the ideology of the Liberation War.