SANGSAD BHABAN, March 7, 2019 (BSS) – Lawmakers today said the historical Bangabandhu’s address on March 7 in 1971 was a declaration of independence and this historic epic address will encourage the nation forever.
Commemorating the historic March 7 address by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, ruling party lawmaker Tofail Ahmed introduced the discussion in the house on the point of order with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Describing the historic 7 March address as the instruction of independence for the Bangalee nation, Tofail Ahmed said on this day in 1971, Bangabandhu called upon all Bangalees to join the struggle for independence from Pakistan.
Addressing tens of thousands gathered at the Race Course ground (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka 48 years ago, he proclaimed: “The struggle this time is for our freedom. The struggle this time is for our independence.”
Bangabandhu declared a programme of non-cooperation unless their demands were met, which included handing over power to the majority party (AL) in the parliament, lifting of martial law, pulling the army to the barracks, and holding an impartial enquiry for the killing of innocent civilians by the army, said the senior ruling party lawmaker.
Amir Hosain Amu highlighted three aspects of this historic speech including mis-rule of 23 years, genocide of the Pakistan forces and non-cooperation movement.
As a matter of fact, it was Bangabandhu who was running the civil administration of East Bengal and not Yahya Khan. By all definitions, East Pakistan was lost and the world was witnessing the slow emergence of a new independent nation, said Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim of Gopalganj-2.
Selim told the House that the speech was a unique document across the world in comparison with all the world famous historical addresses including the Gettysburg address delivered by the US President Abraham Lincoln.
Paying tribute to the memory to the Father of the nation, former minister Begum Matia Chowdhury said “only the historic address on March 7 by the Father of the nation had inspired us to the struggle of the independence.”
Taking part in the discussion, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Bangabandhu’s historic 18-minutes address was from his own and it came to from his heart.
Bangabandhu’s March 7 address was the essence of the ambition and expectation of the Bangalee nation along with his struggle for 24 years, said Workers party chief Rashed Khan Menon of Dhaka-8
“Bangabandhu’s 7 March address was the real declaration of the independence,” said Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Mainuddin Khan Badal.
JASOD lawmaker Hasanul Hoq Inu, Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haq Chunnu, BNP backed Oikyafront lawmaker Sultan Mohammad Monsur of Moulvibazar-2, spoke on the occasion.