UNESCO recognises Bangabandhu’s historic 7th March speech

UNESCO has included the historic speech made by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Mar 7, 1971, which effectively declared Bangladesh’s independence, on the Memory of the World International Register, the foreign ministry said.

The decision to include the famous address among a list of the documentary heritage of the world was announced by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova on Monday at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The speech delivered at the then Race Course Maidan (currently Suhrawardy Udyan) encouraged the Bengalis to start their nine-month long bloody struggle for freedom.

‘Ebarer Sangram Amader Muktir Sangram, Ebarer Sangram Swadhinatar Sangram’ (This time the struggle is for our freedom), is what the architect of the nation’s independence famously pronounced.

The speech is part of 78 nominations put forward by a panel of experts led by Chairman and Director-General of the National Archives of the United Arab Emirates Dr Abdulla Alraisi at a meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from Oct 24 to Oct 27.

The MoW Programme is “an international initiative launched to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, the ravages of time and climatic conditions, and willful and deliberate destruction”, according to a UNESCO statement.

“It is my deep and firm conviction that the Memory of the World Programme‎ should be guided in its work to preserve documentary heritage and memory for the benefit of present and future generations in the spirit of dialogue, international cooperation and mutual understanding, building peace in the minds of women and men," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said while endorsing the nominations on Tuesday.

The Memory of the World Register now includes a total of 427 documents and collections, coming from all continents and safeguarded on various materials from stone to celluloid and from parchment to sound recordings.

"The world will now get to know more about our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and our glorious Liberation War," said Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali in a statement.

“The 7th March speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman provided inspiration to the Bengali people in their quest for freedom and emancipation. The speech also energised the entire nation and prepared the people for the forthcoming Liberation struggle,” he said.

“It also served as the ultimate source of inspiration for the countless freedom fighters who joined the Mukti Bahini. Bangabandhu’s speech is played throughout the country during the various national occasions and continues to reverberate in hearts and minds of the Bengali people. This speech continues to enthrall our people and will continue to inspire succeeding generations.”