7th March speech inspires every freedom-loving people in the world: HPM Sheikh Hasina

Terming the historic March 7 speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as incomparable, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said his speech is a source of inspiration for all freedom-loving people of the globe. 

"Now today, the whole of the Bangali nation is proud of it. I'll say we've got our 'harano manik' (lost jewel) ... this speech was lost for long 21 years after 1975 and ill attempts were made to erase it," she told a seminar as the chief guest. 

She added: "Not only for us, all countries of the world can follow this historic speech as it's a source of inspiration for all freedom loving people of the globe."

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust organised the seminar titled "Historic 7 March Speech and Political Wisdom of Bangabandhu" in the auditorium of Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh here this afternoon. 

Professor Emeritus Dr Alamgir Mohammad Sirajuddin made the keynote presentation while Associate Editor of the Asian Age Syed Badrul Ahsan and Dhaka University Professor Dr Aksadul Alam took part in the discussion on the keynote presentation. 

Memorial Trust member Secretary Sheikh Hafizur Rahman gave the welcome address while CEO of the Trust Mashura Hossain gave the vote of thanks. 

The premier said no nation in the world except the Bengalis could unleash such noncooperation movement under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for long 23 years. 

She said during the struggle for independence and the War of Liberation, the opposites were the Albadars, Razakars and the anti-liberation forces. 

"They grabbed power after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975 and halted the pace of development and thus distorted history," she said. 

But, now today, she said, this historic 7 March Speech of Bangabandhu has made its place into the World Documentary Heritage by the Unesco and it is also one of the greatest speeches of all times.

"This speech is different and unique from the speech of others and there is no comparison to it and it's an incomparable speech. We've got a priceless asset. After 1975, this speech was forbidden for long 21 years and an entire generation couldn't know about it as it was distorted," she added.

Sheikh Hasina said this speech had a full directive for turning a noncooperation movement into an armed revolution while this speech had also inspired the people of the country including the freedom fighters during the nine months of the bloody War of Liberation.

Referring to the ongoing trial of war criminals and the execution of trial of the Bangabandhu killers, the prime minister said her government would continue to work for the economic emancipation of the country's people as it was also indicated in that historic speech. 

"We're moving ahead and will continue to move ahead Insha Allah .... we'll build 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by the Father of the Nation," she asserted.

Recalling incidents of March 25 and 26 in 1971, Sheikh Hasina said a scooter driver coming from the cantonment handed over a short message of a chef to them that the Pakistanis would launch attack at 1:30 am after midnight, but the occupation forces launched attack at around 11:00 am on that fateful night.

Receiving that message, she said, Bangabandhu had given the message of the declaration of independence to four officers of EPR over the telephone and directed them not to release that message until the Pakistanis launch an attack.

The prime minister also said that Ziaur Rahman opened fire on the Bengalis on March 25 night and killed numerous people as they tried to put up a barricade in Chittagong to stop the Pakistani Army. "Many leaders of Chittagong know that incident," she said.

The premier said whenever she heard this Bangabandhu's March 7 speech, then she could feel it afresh every time adding: "Perhaps its appeal would never come to an end from our lives and it will continue to make its place from era to era."

Going through the various incidents and happenings from the historic six-point demand and to the 7th March speech, Sheikh Hasina said that the Pakistanis wanted to hang Bangabandhu putting a blame on him of attempting to separate Bangladesh from Pakistan.

She said after the death of Agartala conspiracy case accused Sergeant Zahurul Haque on February 15, 1969, in custody, the whole of the Bengali nation was enraged and the Pakistanis were forced to release Bangabandhu on February 22 in 1969.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had such prophecy that he knew very well that though Awami League would secure a majority in the general election in 1970, but the Pakistanis would not hand over power.

For that, she said, Bangabandhu in advance had thought of how the guerrilla war would be waged, how the freedom fighters would get arms and ammunition alongside getting training and who would support the Bengalis.

She remembered that like the present BNP-led 20-party alliance in the country, a 20-party alliance was also forged during that time to counter Awami League before the 1970 election hoping that they would get at least 50-60 seats and thus Awami League would not get a majority. "But, their attempts failed," she added.

The prime minister said Bangabandhu had also directed the Chhatra League through Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni to popularize the slogan "Joy Bangla" before the people. Apart from this, she said Bangabandhu had also thought of the shape and colour combination of the national flag and 'Sonar Bangla' as the national anthem ahead of the war.

Pointing to the dispute between the six-point demand and the eight-point demand between the Father of the Nation and some of the Awami League leaders, she said Bangabandhu had then clearly announced that six-point was the decision and he would not budge from that.

The prime minister said Bangabandhu through every character and word of his speech had given that message of independence to the people and it was a perfect reply to the 6 March speech of Yahia Khan.

She said the historic 7 March Speech of Bangabandhu was not written and he did not rehearse it either before adding: "Before his speech, my mother also suggested Bangabandhu to say whatever comes in his mind and there was no need to pay heed to the points of others ... to say about the history of oppression on the Bengalis for long 23 years."