DHAKA, March 6, 2018 (BSS)- Speakers here today said that Bangabandhu’s historic 7th March speech is an inspiration for the people throughout the world to establish their rights, justice and self-control.
They came up with the observation at a programme at Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad auditorium at Bangla Academy on “Bangabandhu’s historic speech at Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in March 7, 1971”.
Emeritus Professor Anisuzzaman presided over the function while National University (NU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Harun-or-Rashid presented keynote speech.
In October last year, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) included the speech in the Memory of the World International Register, a list of the world’s important documentary heritage. This recognition has taken the country’s status to a new stature in the global context.
Prof Harun-or-Rashid said Bangabandhu’s 18-minute long speech was spontaneous, unwritten and its every word is valuable. He staged his protests against the repression and exploitations of the Pakistani rulers.
“Through the speech of 7th March, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman announced his independence in a very tactical manner as he did not want to be identified as a leader of the separatist movement in the world. He wanted Pakistan to be isolated itself as a minority, he wanted to create the situation in a trick,” the NU VC added.
He alleged that the rulers, who had come to power after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, distorted the country’s history of the Liberation War, 1971.
Anisuzzaman said Bangabandhu declared independence in his 7th March speech informally so that the Pakistani army cannot take vengeance instantly on the unarmed Bengalis using the situation.
“UNESCO-recognition has made us proud… We have to make this arrangement that the next generation can hold the spirit of the historic speech,” he added.
In the welcome address, Bangla Academy Director Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan said the historic 7th March speech is a unique and also a remarkable speech in the history of the world.
“In the perspective of the then situation in which Bangabandhu gave his speech, there is no second such speech in the history of the world. This strategic speech is not only notable for human appeal but also for artistic reasons,” he added.
At the beginning of the programme, one minute silence was observed with respect to the memories of deceased freedom fighter Ferdousi Priyabhashini. The militant attack on eminent educationist Professor Dr Zafar Iqbal was also strongly condemned at the programme.
Earlier, on the first day of the month of independence, a book titled “Saat Marcher Bhashon Keno Bishwo-Oitijya Sompod: Bangabandhu Muktijuddho Bangladesh” was launched at Dhaka University.
Prof Harun-or-Rashid authored the book which has been published by Bangla Academy.