BSS-65 Bangabandhu’s March 7 speech still remains in people’s mind: Hasan

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Bangabandhu’s March 7 speech still remains in people’s mind: Hasan

DHAKA, March 7, 2021 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the March 7 speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman still remains in the mind of people and is inspirational even after 50 years.

“No benefit was made by distorting the history. Bangabandhu has been deeply embedded in the minds of new generation with his own glory,” he said.

The minister came up with the remarks while addressing a seminar titled ‘Bangabandhur March 7 Speech: Bangaleer Mukthir Sarak’ organised by Jatiya Press Club (JPC) at its auditorium here.

The minister said there are many everlasting speeches in the history of the world. Some speeches of eminent personalities, including Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Jon F Kennedy, Jorge Washington, Alejandra The Great, Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were recognised as the best speeches in the world, he added.

But, Hasan said, the March 7 speech of Bangabandhu is a unique among the speeches as it was an extempore one. Many tried to say that he (Bangabandhu) gave the speech in written, but Bangabandhu did not give written speech, he added.

He said Bangabandhu delivered his March 7 speech with the language of common people. Body gestures, the language, sentences and the words of the speech were unique, Hasan added.

He said Bangabandhu addressed all as ‘tumi’ (you) as he had deep relations with all. “Bangabandhu, actually, declared the independence on that day. And, apart from the declaration of the independence, he (Bangabandhu) also called for fight for liberation. Here is the beauty of the speech,” he added.

The information minister said there are many speeches in the world. “But I don’t know whether there is any other speech delivered before 10 lakh people which transformed the unarmed Bengalee nation into an armed one,” he said.

Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said the March 7 speech was recognised as the document of world heritage. But, there were many conspiracies over the speech and even the speech was not played for 21 years after the assassination of Bangabandhu, he added.

He said the historic speech and even the name of Bangabandhu were prohibited at all programmes of the state.

Recalling his young age memories, Hasan said, “When I was an activist of Chhatra League, after 1975, we had played the speech of Bangabandhu during conducting campaign through loudspeakers in Chattogram city. And people stood to listen to the speech.”

But, he said, “Today we saw that the people, who banned the speech, distorted history and banned the name of Bangabandhu, have decided to observe the March 7, and perhaps they are observing the day. I don’t know whether they are observing the day with foresight or any other motive. But, I would like to say them that there was no benefit came by distorting the history.”

The minister said Bangabandhu could not be removed from the hearts of people.

Hasan urged all to do politics imbued with the real history, avoiding the politics of violence.

At the outset of the meeting, Hasan expressed gratitude to the leaders of JPC for organising the seminar on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the historical March 7 speech.

Dhaka University former Vice-Chancellor and chairman of the board of directors of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, senior journalist Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, the daily Juantar editor and former JPC president Saiful Alam, senior journalists Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Swapan Saha and JPC treasurer Shahed Chowdhury addressed the seminar, among others.

JPC president Farida Yasmin chaired the seminar while BSS former city editor Ajit Kumar Sarker presented the keynote paper.

JPC general secretary Elias Khan delivered the welcome address while its EC member Ayub Bhuiyan conducted the function.

BSS/ASG/PSB/MMA/2140hrs