Remembering freedom fighters
The article below is the message from Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina to commemorate its National Day. — ED.
I convey my heartiest greetings and congratulations to my countrymen as well as expatriate Bangalees on the occasion of the great Independence and National Day of Bangladesh.
The 26 March is the day of earning self-identity of our nation. It’s the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation.
On the eve of the Independence Day, I recall with deep gratitude the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose leadership we earned our beloved independence.
I pay my deep homage to the 3 million martyrs and 200 thousand women who lost their innocence in the War of Liberation.
I also pay my tributes to four national leaders who led the War of Liberation. My homage goes to the valiant freedom fighters, including the wounded ones.
I extend my sympathies to those who had lost their near and dear ones, and were subjected to brutal torture during the war. I recall with gratitude our foreign friends who had extended their whole-hearted support and cooperation for the cause of our liberation.
The Bangalee nation had fought against Pakistani rulers’ oppression and deprivation for long 23 years under the leadership of Bangabandhu. They were compelled to hold general elections in 1970.
Bangladesh Awami League led by Bangabandhu won overwhelming majority in the elections. But the Pakistani rulers instead of handing over the power to the majority party in a democratic way; they launched repressive measures against them.
Bangabandhu in his seventh March historic address at the then Racecourse Maidan declared, “The struggle of this time is for freedom, the struggle for this time for our independence.” He instructed the Bangalee nation to resist the enemies.
The occupation forces unleashed a sudden attack and started killing innocent and unarmed Bangalees on the black night of the 25 March, 1971.
They killed thousands of people in cities and towns, including Dhaka. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of the 26th March 1971. Bangabandhu’s proclamation was spread all over the country through telegrams, tele-printers and EPR wireless.
The international media also had circulated Bangabandhu’s proclamation of independence. Under the brave and dauntless leadership of Bangabandhu, we earned the ultimate victory on the 16th Dec., 1971 after a 9-month bloody war.
The independence earned through the supreme sacrifice of millions of people is the greatest achievement of Bangalee nation. To ensure that this achievement remains meaningful, all have to know the history of our great liberation war, retain the spirit of independence.
The history has to be passed on to generation to generations.
Being imbued with the spirit of the freedom struggle, the Bangladesh Awami League government has been working relentlessly to develop the country.
During the last eight years, we have implemented expected development programs in all sectors. As a result, Bangladesh has emerged as a “Role Model” of socio-economic development. We will turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, Insha Allah.
We have executed the verdict of the killing case of Bangabandhu and most of his family members. The verdicts of cases against those who committed crimes against humanity are also being executed.
Our government is maintaining “zero tolerance” policy to tackle militancy and terrorism. We have stopped to take over power in an undemocratic way through the 15th amendment of constitution. On this auspicious day, I urge the countrymen to foil any plot of the anti-liberation, communal forces and anti-development and anti-democracy forces together.
Being imbued with the spirit of our great liberation war, let us take a fresh vow to advance our country’s development and democracy. Let us join our hands to build a non-communal, hunger-poverty-free and happy-prosperous “Sonar Bangla” as dreamt by the Father of the Nation. On the historic day, this is our commitment. Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu. May Bangladesh Live Forever.