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BSS-34
HOMECOMING-DAY-BANGABANDHU 2 LAST DHAKA
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said under the undisputed
leadership of Bangabandhu, the Bangali nation earned the ultimate victory
waging the nine-month solemnly-vowed war.
“The defeated Pakistani rulers were compelled to free Bangabandhu. The
Father of Nation returned to the independent Bangladesh on the 10 January
1972,” she said, adding that while speaking before a mammoth gathering at the
then Racecourse Maidan on the day, he (Bangabandhu) narrated the inhuman
torture of the Pakistani military junta meted out on the people of
Bangladesh.
After his return, the Father of the Nation devoted all his efforts to
rebuild the war-ravaged Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina said, adding that as
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib had engaged himself in the struggle to build a
“Golden Bangladesh” reconstructing the war-torn country, the anti-liberation
forces in collusion with the war criminals assassinated Bangabandhu along
with most of his family members.
Through the heinous killings of the 15 August 1975, they initiated the
politics of killings, coup and conspiracy and obstructed the process to try
the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib through promulgating Indemnity
Ordinance, she said.
“We reestablished the democracy in 1996 through a long struggle and
sacrifice. Our government’s 1996-2001 tenure will always be marked as a
glorious period in our national history. The Bangali nation reestablished
democracy and rights of the people in 2008 through a long struggle,” the
premier added.
Referring to Awami League’s landslide victory in the December 30 polls,
Sheikh Hasina said “We will fully honour the huge mandate that the people of
our country have given to us. We will turn Bangladesh into a middle-income
country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, InshaAllah”.
On the night of March 25, 1971, Pakistan army arrested Bangabandhu from his
Dhanmondi residence and sent him to a West Pakistani jail the following day.
Bangabandhu was subjected to inhuman torture in the Pakistan jail where he
had been counting moments for the execution of his death sentence that was
pronounced in a farcical trial.
“I was a prisoner in the condemned cell awaiting hanging. From the day I
went into jail, I didn’t know whether I was to live or not. I was mentally
ready to die. But I knew Bangladesh would be liberated,” Bangabandhu spoke
emotionally of his ordeal in Pakistani prison at a news conference in London.
On the Pakistani army’s slaughter of Bengalis, “Mujib declared: “If Hitler
could have been alive today, he would be ashamed.”
Earlier on March 26 in 1971, Bangabandhu proclaimed independence of
Bangladesh and urged people from all walks of life to participate
wholeheartedly in the nation’s War of Liberation.
Immediately after the proclamation of independence, Bangabandhu was
arrested by Pakistani military junta and then flown to West Pakistan to keep
him in prison there.
Though the final victory in the nine-month-old War of Independence was
achieved defeating Pakistani occupation forces on December 16 in 1971, the
nation’s expectations were fulfilled and the people got the real taste of
victory with the homecoming of Bangabandhu on January 10 in 1972.
On reaching Dhaka (Tejgaon) airport in the afternoon on January 10,
Bangabandhu was greeted by tens of thousands of jubilant people who had been
eagerly waiting to see the beloved leader since the final victory on December
16 in 1971.
From airport Bangabandhu was moved to the Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy
Udyan) where he addressed a spontaneous reception accorded to him by the
cheerful countrymen believed to be one million. He recalled with respect the
contribution of all during the war and urged the people to rebuild the war-
ravaged country.
Bangabandhu took oath of office as the country’s Prime Minister on January
12, 1972.
In a statement, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and
Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader urged leaders and workers of the party and
associate bodies to make all programmes of the day a success.
BSS/SAH/RY/1835 hrs