Nation to observe historic March 7 tomorrow
Online Desk
06 Mar 2017 10:25 AM । Update: 06 Mar 2017 10:36 AM
File Photo
The nation is set to observe the 'Historic 7 March', a red-letter day in the country's history, tomorrow in a befitting manner.
On this day in 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his historic speech at a mammoth rally in the then 'Race Course Maidan', now Suhrawardy Udyan, in the city directed the freedom-loving Bangalees for waging a decisive struggle against the Pakistan occupation forces.
In his 19-minute extempore speech from 4.23 pm before millions of people of former East Pakistan, Bangabandhu in unequivocal term said, "We spilled our blood...we are ready to shed more blood, the people of the country shall be freed, Inshallah!"
"Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram" (The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence), the great leader and the greatest Bangalee of all times went on to add.
During his deliberations amid thunderous slogans and applause, he also made a fervent appeal to the roaring people from all walks of life to take preparations for armed struggle against the tyranny, exploitation, subjugation and deprivation by Pakistani military junta with whatever they possessed and transforming every house into a fortress.
The people were overwhelmed and imbued with the spirit of Bangabandhu's unparalleled speech of independence regarded only as comparable to the Gettysburg Speech of slain US President Abraham Lincoln, according to BSS.
The whole nation responded spontaneously to Bangabandhu's call with thunderous slogan "Bir Bangalee Astra Dharo, Bangladesh Swadhin Karo" (Brave Bangalees take up arms and free Bangladesh from occupation).
The forceful speech inspired people of all walks of life to prepare for the war, which eventually began after the Pakistani regime on March 25 launched on the unarmed Bangalees the worst genocides in history for the next nine months.
Bangabandhu's March 7 speech has been selected as one of the most rousing and inspirational wartime speeches in the last 2,500 years. The dynamic speech had changed the course of the country's history.
