Historic March 7 Thursday

The nation is observing on Thursday the 42nd anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s epoch-making address to the nation on the historic March 7 in 1971.

The Bangabandhu in a fiery speech at Dhaka’s Race Course Maidan – now Suhrawardy Udyan – declared the decisive battle against the then repressive Pakistani junta.

Clad in white Payjama and Panjabi with a black coat, Bangabandhu appeared at the meeting venue at 3:20pm. When he boarded the podium, the valiant people welcomed him with thunderous applause and slogans of 'Joy Bangla'.

In his 19-minute extempore speech before a million freedom-loving people of East Pakistan, the Father of the Nation gave the most inspiring speech saying “Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram (this time the struggle is for our freedom, the struggle is for our independence)”.

His address cut across the social divide and struck a chord with 70 million Bangalee people.

The great leader called for a civil uprising and declared the war against the then Pakistani junta.

The charismatic orator said: “Since we have sacrificed blood, we will sacrifice more. We will definitely liberate the country In Sha'a Allah … Turn every house into a fort and counter [the enemy] with whatever you have.”

"The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence," the independence leader went on to add.

He also called upon the Bengalees to prepare for armed struggle against Pakistani military junta. The call stimulated the people from all walks of life to prepare for the Liberation War.

This year, the day will be observed amid a general strike called by the main opposition BNP to protest what it said were attacks on its activists allegedly by police during a demonstration in front of its headquarters in Naya Paltan on Wednesday.

BNP’s key ally Jamaat-e-Islami also separately announced a dawn-to-dusk lockdown for the day.

The ruling Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance has taken extensive preparations to observe the historic Mar 7.

On the eve of the day, President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages recalled with gratitude the farsighted leadership of the Bangabandhu in taking the nation to freedom through his speech.

Different political parties, social, cultural and professional bodies have drawn up programmes to mark the day.

The programmes of the ruling Awami League on the day include hoisting of the national and party flags at 6:30 am and placing of wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at 7am.

Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television as well as private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes while national dailies will publish special supplements to mark the day.