DHAKA, March 15, 2021 (BSS) – Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today
said those who distorted history and tried to erase it would gradually be
wiped out from the pages of history.
“This is a lesson of the history,” he said while inaugurating the day-long
exhibition of the book ‘Muktir Dak’ (the call for freedom) at Jatiya Press
Club (JPC) here.
Hasan, also the Awami League joint general secretary, said BNP has given a
notion that they, like Pakistanis, didn’t understand Bangabandhu’s March 7
speech, though the entire Bengali nation realized its essence.
“We hoped that BNP will organise a programme on the day of birth centenary
of Bangabandhu. But they won’t do so … they only celebrate the fake
birthday of Begum Khaleda Zia on August 15, the day when Bangabandhu and most
of his family members were assassinated brutally.”
“I hope that the party (BNP) will come out of those mistakes as well as
accept the truth and history during simultaneous celebration of the golden
jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation,”
he said.
The minister also said the people hoped that the BNP will seek apology
from the nation for celebrating fake birthday of Begum Khaleda Zia on August
15. “But they’ve failed to take this opportunity,” he said
Editor of the book, former vice chancellor of Dhaka University and
Chairman of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Board of Directors Prof Dr AAMS
Arefin Siddique, one of the photographers of March 7 speech Rafiqur Rahman,
JPC President Farida Yeasmin, Awami Swechchhasebak League President Nirmal
Guha and General Secretary Afzalur Rahman Babu and publisher of the book
Yeasmin Kabir Joy, among others, were present on the occasion.
Hasan paid tributes to those who recorded video of the historic March 7
speech.
The minister said the then East Pakistan television didn’t take footage of
the speech on that day. “But, the Department of Films and Publications (DFP)
videoed the historic speech,” he said.
Hasan said the DFP personnel hid the video at secretariat and later it
(video) was kept at Keraniganj on the outskirts of the capital, adding
finally the video was kept preserved in India. The minister extended
heartfelt gratitude to the DFP personnel for their great job.
Arefin Siddique urged the new generation to know the real history of the
nation and he hoped the book will help in knowing the real history.