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BNP does not observe historic 7th March despite its importance: Hasan


Published : 08 Mar 2023 09:29 PM | Updated : 08 Mar 2023 09:29 PM

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, "We would not have a a liberation war, without the March 7th speech and public meeting. This speech, one of the greatest in the world's recorded history, changed a country, changed the map of the world. However, sadly, BNP does not observe March 7. Those who do not observe March 7, deny it, how much they accept freedom, how much they believe is the big question.”

The minister said all this in the speech of the chief guest at the 'World Documentary Heritage Historic March 7 Speech Program' organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the Kakrail Information Building in the capital on Tuesday afternoon. Under the chairmanship of Ministry Secretary Humayun Kabir Khondkar, Additional Secretary Farooq Ahmed delivered the welcome address and Bangladesh Press Institute Director General Zafar Wazed spoke as the speaker. Secretary Humayun Kabir Khondkar inaugurated the photography and book exhibition organized by Directorate of Film and Publication and Directorate of Information at Shikha Chirantan premises of Suhrawardy Udyan on Tuesday morning.

Dr. Hasan said, "We do not have our struggle for freedom without March 7, but after August 15, 1975, Bangabandhu's speech was banned from the national radio, television, national programs, even the CD of the speech was removed from all places and destroyed. BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's government arrested many of our party for the crime of playing the March 7 speech before allowing domestic politics in 1977.”

Highlighting his own experience, the Broadcasting Minister said, "In 1978, '79, '80, '81, as a young member of the Chhatra League, I used to mike public meetings in Chittagong city. When we went to an important junction, first we would play the speech of March 7, people would instantly gathered to that place. Then I would talk about the public meeting.

Hasan Mahmud said, "Today, the speech of March 7 has been preserved by UNESCO as another document of world history, recognized by the world. There are many timeless speeches in the world. Most of those timeless speeches like those of Manson Mandela, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were written. However, in this speech of Bangabandhu, we see that without any hesitation, he stood up and spoke all the words and spoke in the language of the people.

The minister said, "According to the census in 1970, the population of Dhaka city was over 1.2 million. And 1 million people were present in the public meeting. Most of the men of the town moved there, and people from the surrounding districts also flocked there. A nation was born through this speech. An unarmed nation was transformed into an armed nation and brought independence to Bangladesh under the leadership of Bangabandhu after passing an ocean of blood.

The speech of the Father of the Nation on March 7 changed a country, changed the map of the world, so this speech in my opinion is one of the best speeches in the recorded history of the world and the United Nations has recognized that.

Dr Hasan said, "On this day, I pay deep respect to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I also pay respect to all the martyrs of August 15 including the martyred Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib. I heard from Bangabandhu's daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, that before going to the race course ground on March 7, Bangabandhu had a slight fever. Then many people gave many notes about what to say. Bangamata said that you will say what you think is good for the country, for the people, for the nation. And that is what Bangabandhu said.”