Today is the historic March 7, a Red- letter day in the history of the Bangalees’ long arduous freedom struggle. On this day in 1971, the undisputed leader of the Bangalees Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his epoch- making speech of independence at the Race Course Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka. In his 19-minute extempore speech from 4.23 pm before a million freedom-loving people of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, Bangabandhu in unequivocal term said, “We had spilled bloods…we are ready to shed more bloods, the people of the country shall be freed, Inshallah! “The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence,” the great leader went on to add. He also made a fervent appeal to the roaring people from all walks of life to take preparations for armed struggle against the tyranny, exploitation, subjugation and deprivation of Pakistani military junta with whatever they possessed and transforming every house into a fortress. The people were overwhelmed and imbued with the spirit of Bangabandhu’s unparalleled speech of independence regarded only comparable to that of Gettysburg Speech of the slain President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The whole nation responded spontaneously to his call with thunderous slogan “Bir Bangalee Astra Dharo, Bangladesh Swadhin Karo” (Brave Bangalees take up arms and free Bangladesh from occupation). Bangabandhu’s tantalising speech literally had a mesmerising and sparkling effect on the entire population in the eastern part of Pakistan and they became united under his capable and farsighted leadership to bravely fight for liberating the motherland from the clutches of the Pakistani forces. Although the people from all walks of life irrespective of political and religious beliefs were united for the cause and began to take all out preparations for a bloody war, they waited till the crackdown of the Pakistani occupation forces on the sleeping Bangalees on the night of March 25, defamed as the ‘Operation Searchlight’. As soon as the Pakistani occupation forces started genocide Bangabandhu declared independence of the motherland instructing the people to put up strong resistance and fight against them till the liberation is achieved. At the instruction of Bangabandhu, the brave nation fought successfully the nine-month-old war of liberation and ultimately liberated Bangladesh from the clutches of the Pakistani occupation forces on December 16, 1971 with the assistance of the allied Indian forces.The day will be observed in a changed perspective this time as the Awami League that led the war of liberation retained the state power through people’s mandate in the January 5 polls.The ruling Awami League-led government has taken extensive preparations to observe the historic March 7 in a befitting manner.On the eve of the day, President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in separate messages, recalled with gratitude the bold, courageous and farsighted leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in materialising the nation’s journey to freedom through his speech of March 7. Different political parties, social, cultural and professional bodies have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day. The programmes of the ruling Awami League on the day include hoisting of the national and party flags at 6-30 am and placing of wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi at 7 am. The ruling party will also organise a public rally at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan at 3 pm.Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the rally as the chief guest while party presidium member and Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury will chair it. The national hook-ups- Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television-as well as private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes while national dailies will publish special supplements marking the day. In a statement on Thursday, Awami League general secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam MP urged all to make the programmes of the day a success through wholehearted participation.
