At the end of hundred years of hundred struggles, like Rabindranath, the poet came and stood on the platform of the people. At that time, the water rose in a great bright stream, the heart felt a wave, the tide woke up in the sea of people and opened all the doors. Who can stop his voice of thunder? Shaking the stage of Ganasurya, the poet recited his immortal poem: ‘This time’s struggle is the struggle for our freedom, this time’s struggle is the struggle for freedom.’ Since then the word freedom is ours.
This is how poet Nirmalendu Guna described Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech. Today is the day of the magic speech of the Bengali nation, who jumped into the war of liberation after being mesmerized by the speech to get free from the shackles of subjugation. Historical March 7.
This day is a unique day in the history of long freedom struggle and liberation war of Bengali nation. On this day in 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for the freedom struggle of Bangladesh, standing in a huge crowd at the historic Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan).
The historic March 7 speech is the epic of Bengali liberation and awakening of nationalism, the liberation certificate of Bengalis and all the humiliated-deprived oppressed-oppressed people of the world. The speech of March 7 was the ultimate impetus for breaking the chains of Bengali subjugation. Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 speech is one of the most important authentic documents of world heritage and the most broadcast and listened speech in the world.
On this day, in the presence of millions of freedom-seeking people, this great leader announced in a thunderous voice, ‘When I have given blood, I will give more blood, I will free the people of this country, God willing. This year’s struggle is our liberation struggle, this year’s struggle is the struggle for freedom, Joy Bangla.’
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic speech on March 7, 1971 later became the seed mantra of the freedom struggle. Similarly, this speech is not only a political document, but also a possibility for cultural identity of the nation.
On October 30, 2017, Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 speech was recognized as a World Documentary Heritage by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
In this fiery declaration of Bangabandhu on March 7, 1971, the Bengali nation got the direction of independence. After that, the freedom-loving people of the country started preparing for the final fight from house to house. Bangabandhu’s Vajroninada made the Bengali nation excited with the joy of impending liberation. Exploited-deprived for ages, Bengali Ispat marches forward with fierce determination towards the desired liberation.
In 1970, Awami League, the beloved organization of Bengalis, won an absolute majority in the National Assembly elections of Pakistan. But without handing over the power to the victorious Awami League and the Bengalis, the military ruling group of Pakistan indulged in various conspiracies. In fact, their intention was to keep the governance of Pakistan in the hands of the West Pakistanis at any cost. In this situation, the President of Pakistan General Yahya Khan convened a session of the National Assembly on March 3. But on March 1, the session was unexpectedly adjourned indefinitely. In protest against this incident, the people of East Pakistan erupted in protests and under the leadership of Awami League, they observed hartals across the country on March 2 and 3.
In this background, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ignored the bloody eyes of the Pakistani ruling group and called for the non-cooperation movement with his strong voice in the Race Course Maidan on March 7. The historic March 7 speech given by Bangabandhu carries great importance and significance in the life of the Bengali nation and has been an unquenchable flame of inspiration for the Bengali nation, giving endless strength and courage.
Bangabandhu’s speech roared the stormy public sea. The red-green flag with the map of Bangladesh fluttered in the spring breeze with the loudness of millions of people chanting slogans. A thousand thunderous fists of oaths rose into the sky.
On that day, Bangabandhu ascended the stage at 3.20 pm. Fagun’s sun is still overhead. After coming on stage he waved to the crowd. Then the entire Suhrawardy Udyan burst into flames with the slogans of lakhs of Bengalis ‘Tomar desh amar desh Bangladesh Bangladesh, tomar neta amar neta Sheikh Mujib, Sheikh Mujib’. He began his speech in a deep voice, ‘My brothers, I come before you today with a heavy heart….’ Then, standing in the crowd, the poet of the epic of Bengal and Bengali freedom declared ‘This time’s struggle is our freedom struggle…, this time’s struggle is freedom struggle, Jai Bangla.’
A speech of only 19 minutes. In this short span of time he has covered the entire canvas of history. In his speech, he demanded the withdrawal of martial law, transfer of power to elected representatives of the people, withdrawal of the army to its barracks to stop firing and killings, and formation of a judicial commission to investigate the killings at various places.
Bangabandhu said, ‘My brothers, I don’t want the prime ministership, I want the rights of the Bengali people. Couldn’t take me because of the greed of the prime ministership. Could not hang on the gallows. You freed me from the conspiracy case with blood. On this race course that day, I said, I will repay the blood debt with blood. Even today I am ready to repay the blood debt with blood.’
He said, ‘I want to say; Courts, High Courts, Supreme Courts, offices and educational institutions will be closed indefinitely from today. Do not visit any employee office. This is my order.’
The last two sentences of Bangabandhu’s speech, which later became a tool of direction and motivation for the final struggle for Bengali independence. Bangabandhu said, ‘When I have given blood, I will give more blood. I will free the people of this country, God willing. This struggle is the struggle for our liberation, this struggle is the struggle for freedom. Joy Bangla’.
Responding to Bangabandhu’s call, the Bengali nation won the 9-month armed liberation war against the Pakistani invaders on December 16, 1971. Through this victory independent sovereign Bangladesh was born on the world map.
Professor Anisuzzaman wrote in one of his articles, Bangabandhu introduced his political thought through his March 7 speech. In terms of tactics, this speech is remarkable. This speech still moves people. Before this speech, political activists and the public created a kind of pressure for the declaration of independence. But he was also aware that after declaring independence, the Pakistani military rulers would continue to repress them with all their might.
Awami League advisor and Tofail Ahmed who was present at that meeting said in an article, Bangabandhu put his glasses on the dias that day, the entire speech was unwritten. On the one hand, he imposed four-point conditions on the Pakistanis, on the other hand, he asked them to build forts from house to house. He talked about killing with rice, talking about killing with water.
He said, ‘I went to Bangabandhu’s house before March 7. One said to him, the people will not obey without a declaration of complete independence. Bangabandhu said, you do your work. I am their leader, I will lead them, they not me.’
According to political experts, Bangabandhu’s speech is not only a call to the Bengali nation to jump into the liberation struggle, but it is a direction for all nations to jump into the liberation struggle.
On the occasion of the day, various programs have been taken up nationally in accordance with the health rules. Also, various social, cultural and political organizations including Awami League have taken detailed programs.