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

Awami League men led-by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also president of the party, paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman placing floral wreaths at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi at 7:00am.

Members of her cabinet, advisers, state ministers and party lawmakers were present at that time.

Besides, Awami League Advisory Council members Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta, presidium members Begum Matia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader and Satish Chandra Roy, joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, party's organising secretary Advocate Misbah Uddin Siraj, labour affairs secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj, information and research affairs secretary Advocate Afzal Hossain and central working committee member Enamul Haque Shamim were present, among others.

Meanwhile, different associate organizations of Awami League including Dhaka City AL, Juba League, Swechchha Sebak League, Sramik League, Chhatra League, Mahila League and other like-minded organizations placed floral wreath to Bangabandhu’s portrait marking the historic day. 

Ruling Awami League also staged a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan, where Bangabandhu delivered his epoch-making independence speech on the day in 1971.

Addressing the rally, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina categorically said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia must face penalty once for killing people across the country.

Alleging that terrorist groups, being instructed by Khaleda Zia, burnt scores of people to death across the country, the Premier  warned of the BNP chief saying, “You (Khaleda Zia) will give an answer for such cruelty and have to face trial one day.”

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.

On the occasion of the day, Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television-as well as private television channels and radio stations of the country aired 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: 2025 HRS, MAR 07, 2015