Death anniv of Bhashani today [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

Death anniv of Bhashani today

Local November 17, 2016

The nation observes today the 40th anniversary of the death of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, the lifelong fighter for the rights of the oppressed.
His relentless struggle against imperialism, feudalism and for an exploitation-free
secular and democratic society endeared him to the common people. He is known as Majlum Jananeta or the leader of the oppressed.
Democratic, secular and left politics in this land grew under his shadow.
Bhashani died on November 17, 1976 leaving behind a chequered political life of struggles for the cause of the downtrodden.
President Abdul Hamid, prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia issued messages on Wednesday paying tributes to the great national leader.
In his message, the president said that the nation always recalls contribution of ‘Majlum Jananeta’ with deep respect.
‘I believe, the ideal of Maulana Bhashani will inspire the new generation to become patriotic,’ he said.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina said that Bhashani had ‘deep idealistic unity and political closeness’ with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She said that Bhashani had struggled in his entire life to build an oppression-free, progressive, democratic and secular Bangladesh.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia emphasised the need for following the paths showed by leader of the oppressed, Bhashani, to resist hegemony force and their local agents in the country.
She said that Bhashani was a legend for struggle against imperialism, colonialism and hegemony and he had given uncompromised leadership in movement against British and in favour of oppressed people in this sub-continent.
Different political parties and socio-cultural organisations have taken elaborate programmes marking the day. They would place wreaths on his grave at Santosh in Tangail.
Several political parties and cultural organisations would commemorate Bhashani’s life and times through discussions as a politician with a difference.
BNP held a discussion on Wednesday in Dhaka and would hold another discussion today at Santosh.
Workers Party of Bangladesh would hold a discussion at Shaheed Asad Auditorium at Topkhana Road in Dhaka today. National Awami Party (Bhashani) would hold a discussion at National Press Club today.
Bhashani Anusari Parishad held a discussion in Tangail on Wednesday and would hold another discussion in Dhaka on November 25.
Bhashani never hesitated to raise his voice whenever there was something wrong on this land’s political or social horizon or whenever vested interests tried to rob or infringe democratic rights.
Bhashani founded the Awami League in 1949 and later quit it and founded left-leaning the National Awami Party.
The seeds of independence of Bangladesh were sown at the historic Kagmari Conference he organised in 1957.
He led the 1969 historic mass upsurge that eventually inspired the nation to clinch independence.
In 1969, he raised the slogan Swadhin Bangla Zindabad, meaning Long Live Independent Bangladesh, that later became a popular chant.
Saying goodbye to Pakistan at a huge public meeting at the then Paltan Maidan in Dhaka when none from the then West Pakistan cared to visit the then East Pakistan, battered by a devastating cyclone in 1970.
Maulana Bhashani completely transformed this land’s political scenario that influenced the general election in 1970 leading to the emergence of independent Bangladesh.
He kept several parties including his own NAP away from the 1970 general election which enabled the Awami League and its leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to sweep the polls in the then East Pakistan making Mujib the sole spokesman for the Bengalis in the subsequent negotiations with the rulers of the then Pakistan.
He led the historic Farakka March in 1976 against India’s unilateral Ganges water withdrawals using the controversial Farakka Barrage it built not far from the Bangladesh border.
Son of Haji Sharafat Ali Khan, Bhashani was born at Dhangara, Sirajganj on December 12, 1880.