Today is the Great Independence and National Day.
Great Independence and National Day today. On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani military launched ‘Operation Searchlight’, a sudden genocidal campaign against Bengalis, and arrested Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the undisputed leader of the Bengali nation. Before his arrest, Bangabandhu announced the independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of March 26 in Dhaka. Bangabandhu’s announcement was broadcasted in various media including Bangladesh.
Despite the Awami League winning a majority in the 1970 general elections, the Pakistani military junta did not hand over power to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Instead they started massacring Bengali civilians. The main target of their campaign was the Awami League and all the progressive political leaders and activists of the then East Pakistan and all the conscious citizens. However, they went on raids and indiscriminately killed people from all walks of life, from rickshaw pullers.
Before Bangabandhu was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence at midnight on March 25 and in the early hours of March 26, he called for the declaration of independence of Bangladesh as well as resistance against the enemy at any cost. Bangabandhu’s announcement was spread across the country and abroad through wireless. At that time, it was not possible to preserve the documents of Bangabandhu’s declaration of independence due to reality and security reasons. Later Bangabandhu’s Declaration was included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The precious document of Bangabandhu’s declaration is recorded there as ‘This may be our last message, Bangladesh is independent from today. I call upon the people of Bangladesh to stand up with whatever they have, wherever they are, and resist the invading forces with all their might. Keep fighting until the last soldier of the Pakistani occupation forces is driven from the soil of Bengal and the final victory is achieved. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. March 26, 1971.’
The full details of the announcement were published in the Bangladesh Documents published by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. “This may be my last message to you,” the announcement read. Bangladesh is an independent country from today. I call upon you, wherever you are, in whatever condition you are and with whatever you have in your hands, resist the occupying Pakistani army till your last breath. Keep fighting until the last soldier of the occupying Pakistani forces is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh and the final victory is achieved.’
The announcement was broadcast across the country by the transmitters of the then EPR. Later on March 26 and 27 several people read the declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu from the independent Bangla Betar center in Chittagong.
After a long bloody war of 9 months, on 16 December 1971, a land named Bangladesh appeared as a new state on the world map. As time has passed, Bangladesh has also moved forward in keeping with the world. Per capita income, infrastructural development, visible changes in education and health sector, private sector investment and increase in domestic production, increase in foreign trade, technological development and consumption and production and extraction of resources have increased visibly.
The annual budget of just 786 crore rupees of newly independent Bangladesh in 1971 has become a budget of 6 lakh 78 thousand 64 crore rupees today. The current per capita income in the country with a per capita income of 129 dollars on that day is 2 thousand 961 US dollars.
After independence, Bangladesh was called the country of ‘bottomless basket’. After 50 years of independence, Bangladesh of poverty and disaster is now on the way to become a developing country. Bangladesh has progressed in every socio-economic index including economic growth, health, education, women’s empowerment, increase in per capita income. With this achievement, the nation will celebrate the great independence and national day.
Various programs have been taken at the national level to celebrate the great Independence and National Day with due dignity. The day will be started by firing 31 cannons every day on March 26 across the country including Dhaka. As the sun rises, President Md. Sahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lay wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar. After that, under the leadership of the Minister of Liberation War, Bir Shrestha family, war-victims and heroic freedom fighters will offer wreaths.
After that, foreign diplomats based in Bangladesh, people from all walks of life including various political and social organizations will pay tribute to the martyred freedom fighters in the Great War of Liberation.
On the occasion of Independence and National Day, the national flag will be hoisted in all government, semi-government, autonomous and private buildings. Important buildings and structures will be illuminated.