DHAKA: The historic 7th March, a Red-letter day in the history of the Bangalees’ long arduous freedom struggle, are being observed across the country on Saturday.

On this day in 1971, great leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered his epoch-making speech of independence at the Race Course Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka.

The day began with Awami League hoisting the national and party flags atop at 6:30am and placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi at 7:00am.

The ruling party is set to organize a public rally at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan, where Bangabandhu delivered his epoch-making independence speech on the day in 1971 at 3:00pm.

Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the rally. 

Different political parties, social, cultural and professional bodies have chalked out elaborate programs to mark the day.

On the occasion of the day, Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television-as well as private television channels and radio stations of the country are airing special programs while national dailies published special supplements.

On the eve of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in separate messages, recalled with gratitude the bold, courageous and farsighted leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in successful implementation of the nation’s journey to freedom through his speech of March 7. 

In a statement on Friday, AL general secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam urged all to make the party programs success through wholehearted participation.

On March 7, 1971, Bangabandh, in his 19-minute speech from 4.23pm before a million freedom-loving people of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, Bangabandhu in unequivocal term said, “We had spilled bloods...we are ready to shed more bloods, the people of the country shall be freed Inshallah!”

The great leader of the Bangalees went on to add: “The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence.”

The tantalizing speech of Bangabandhu literally had a mesmerizing and sparkling effect on the entire population in the eastern part of Pakistan and they became united under his capable and farsighted leadership to bravely fight for liberating the motherland from the clutches of the Pakistani forces.

BDST: 0835 HRS, MAR 07, 2015