March 7 speech has unfading appeal: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the appeal of Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 speech was still there as its impact did not fade even after decades.
‘This is evergreen and fresh speech for us all. When we listen to this historic speech, we feel the charm that we had felt back in 1971,’ she said. 
Hasina said this while handing over the certificates of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation endorsing the inscription of the historic March 7 speech of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at her official residence Ganobhaban. 
The organisations that received the certificates, signed by Unesco director general, are information and communication technology ministry, Bangladesh Betar, Department of Film and Publications, Liberation War Museum and Bangladesh Film Archive. 
These organisations got the certificates for their outstanding contributions to achieving the recognition of the March 7 speech of Mujib as part of the World’s Documentary Heritage. 
The prime minister said the March 7 speech was not just a speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. ‘It is the speech that showed the path to Banglaee’s freedom and the way to implement the aspirations of the people of the country,’ she said. 
She mentioned that Bangabandhu in his speech did not just utter the independence of the country. ‘He said how he would liberate the country, how he would bring the economic, social and cultural freedom of the country,’ she said. 
Highlighting the significance of March 7, Sheikh Hasina said the spirit of the historic speech which Bangabandhu delivered at Suhrawardy Udyan, were infusing inspiration into people for the last 45 years. 
Bangabandhu prepared the nation step by step for the independence and it was reflected in the speech, she said, describing the historic time. ‘Bangabandhu didn’t only unite the nation, but also imbued the people with the spirit of liberation.’ 
Sheikh Hasina said the March 7 speech of Bangabandhu was an inspiration for the people of the world who were still fighting for their political and economic freedom. 
Sheikh Hasina said the killing of Bangabandhu was an unfortunate saga of the people of Bangladesh. After 1975, the rulers had prohibited the playing of the March 7 speech. 
‘But they couldn’t bar Awami League leaders and workers from playing the speech,’ she said. 
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid and Liberation War Museum trustee board member Mofidul Haque spoke at the programme. 
On October 30 last, Unesco recognised the historic March 7 speech as part of the world’s documentary heritage. Unesco director general Irina Bokova announced the decision on the day at the Unesco Headquarters in Paris. 
The speech has been included in the Memory of the World International Register, a list of world’s important documentary heritage maintained by Unesco. 
The Memory of the World International Register is a list of documents having global significance. The objective of creating the International Register is to ensure preservation of, and access to, documentary heritage in various parts of the world.  

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net