Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday called on people to keep anti-Liberation War forces, war criminals, history distorters and killers out of power for ever.
‘We should remain careful so that the Razakars, Albadrs, war criminals, killers and distorters of the history cannot come to power ever,’ she said at a programme to celebrate the UNESCO recognition of the March 7, 1971 speech of the country’s founding Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as a world’s documentary heritage.
The government organised the rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, from where Sheikh Mujib delivered the speech on March 7, 1971.
The celebration programmes have been organised to inform people, particularly the students and future generations, about the significance of the March 7 speech, said the organisers.
Government officials and employees, chiefs of three services along with people of all strata and professions, including school and college students joined the rally with processions.
UNESCO recognised the March 7 speech on October 30 and since then ruling Awami League continued holding different programmes hailing the decision.
Hasina said that the March 7 speech was an extempore one that had a clear directive to the people how to liberate the country and what would be the future course of the nation. ‘Speeches of many statesmen have been recognised but their speeches were written while March 7 speech of Bangabandhu was not written one,’ she said.
‘It is not only a speech, it’s the history of a nation as he [Sheikh Mujib] depicted 24 years of Pakistani oppression in it,’ said Hasina also the eldest daughter of Sheikh Mujib.
‘The country is marching forward and its journey will continue. We will build the country in line with the spirit of the Liberation War,’ said Hasina, also the ruling Awami League president.
Referring to the UNESCO recognition, she said that the history could not be erased and truth always took its place in the history.
‘Now the March 7 speech has been recognised. No address has ever been played for so many times. Whenever this address is played, it imbued spirit of the Liberation War among the people,’ she said.
‘The March 7 speech was banned in the country after the 1975. How those who had banned the speech would hide their faces,’ she said.
Appreciating the joining of the youth at the rally, prime minister said, ‘The new generation should grow up in line with the spirit of the War of Independence.’
Hasina praised the role of her mother Fazilatun Nesa Mujib in the background of March 7 speech. ‘My mother asked my father, ‘You just deliver whatever comes from your mind. Because you know what you should deliver for the nation,’ she said.
Delivering the welcoming address, cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said that the speech was the formal proclamation of the country’s independence.
Prime Minister’s Office principal secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury said that the March 7 speech became an asset of the world. ‘The speech was an epic of politics,’ he added.
The programme was followed by the airing of March 7 speech and a cultural show.
Earlier, the daylong celebration began at noon through placing wreaths at the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Bhaban on Dhanmondi Road 32.
After that a grand procession was brought out from Dhanmondi 32 to Suhrawardy Udyan.
Traffic at Shahbagh, Press Club, Matsya Bhaban was completely halted owing to the processions heading towards Suhrawardy Udyan.
Source: News Age.
