Historic March 7 today

The ruling Awami League and its like-minded political and socio-cultural organisations will celebrate the 49th anniversary of the epoch-making speech delivered by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on March 7, 1971.

In his historic address, Sheikh Mujib declared, ‘Ebarer Sangram Amader Muktir Sangram, Ebarer Sangram Swadhinatar Sangram’ (The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for the independence).

He made the clarion call to turn every home into a fortress of resistance against the Pakistani army.

Bengalis reacted with unprecedented rage after the then Pakistani military ruler Yahya Khan postponed the National Assembly session scheduled for March 1, 1971.

Stunned by the treachery, Sheikh Mujib immediately launched an unprecedented non-cooperation movement dealing a crippling blow to the military rulers.

And on March 7, 1971, he gave the historic address at Suhrawardy Udyan, the then Race Course, which inspired the nation to fight for independence.

The address reduced the governmental authorities in the then East Pakistan to useless showpieces as everything ran according to Mujib’s day-to-day edicts.

This continued until the military junta retaliated with the crackdown and the accompanying brutalities against the unarmed Bengalis on the fateful midnight of March 25, 1971 and the rest is history.

The historic March 7 speech of Mujib has been included in the memory of the World International Register, a list of world’s important documentary heritage maintained by UNESCO.

The Awami League and the like-minded political and socio-cultural organisations have taken elaborate programmes marking the day.

Celebrations by the Awami League would begin with hoisting of the national and party flags at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi Road 32 and party offices across the country at 6:30am.

Wreaths would be laid at Mujib’s portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban at 7:00am.

The party would hold a discussion at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre at 3:00pm to be chaired by party president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a party release said.

The Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television as well as private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes while national dailies will bring out special supplements marking the day.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net