President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday called upon all to be inspired with the spirits of the mass upsurge of 1969 and the Liberation War to build a prosperous Bangladesh.
They made the call in separate statements marking the historic Mass Upsurge Day and expressed profound respect for those who had embraced martyrdom in the historic movement in 1969.
In his message, President Abdul Hamid said the 24th January of 1969 will remain memorable as the day of historic mass upsurge in the history of Bangladesh’s democratic advancement.
Following the path of this mass upsurge, the independence and democratic rights of the people were earned in exchange for huge sacrifices, he added.
“We all would have to work with unity to uphold this independence and democracy,” the President said.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged all, irrespective of party affiliations, to work together for building a happy, modern, democratic and peaceful country free from hunger and poverty.
“We are working tirelessly to bring smiles on the faces of all, ending exploitation, deception and discrimination,” she said
The Prime Minister said her government is pledge-bound to build a poverty and hunger-free, happy, prosperous, modern, peaceful and democratic Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said the mass upsurge of 1969 is a significant milestone in the history of the country’s independence.
The nation achieved independence following the language movement of 1952, six-point demand, 11-point demand, mass upsurge of 1969 and the bloody war of liberation, she added.
She said the greatest Bangalee of all time Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had declared the six-point demand in 1966 to liberate the nation from the exploitation of the Pakistani rulers.
To foil the mass movement, the Pakistani ruling clique had filed the Agartala conspiracy case and arrested Bangabandhu. The people, including students, workers and farmers, waged a tough spontaneous movement against this, she added.
The struggling people brought out a procession on this day (January 24) in 1969 defying repression and curfew imposed by the rulers, she said and added that Matiur Rahman, a class IX student, had died as police opened fire on the procession.
Then the mass upsurge compelled the autocratic Ayub regime to release Bangabandhu and others from jail.
Autocrat Ayub had to step down, the Prime Minister recalled and said the 1969 mass upsurge still inspires all to fight against misrule and exploitation.
