Muktijudho
Great Independence Day Tomorrow is great Independence Day
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, March 25: Tomorrow is the 52nd Great Independence and National Day. On December 16, 1971, a territory called Bangladesh emerged as a new nation on the world map.
Detailed programmes have been taken at the national level to celebrate the great Independence and National Day with due dignity. The day will start with artillery fire in the morning all over the country including Dhaka. As soon as the sun rises, wreaths will be laid at the Savar National Memorial to pay homage to the heroic freedom fighters who were martyred in the great war of liberation.
On the night of March 25, 1971, the Pakistani military launched a surprise attack on the Bengalis and arrested Bangabandhu after midnight. Immediately before his arrest, in the early hours of March 26, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh in Dhaka. The announcement was made through various media outlets in the world including Bangladesh.
Despite the Awami League winning the general election in 1970 by a majority vote, the Pakistani military junta began massacring Bengali civilians without handing over power to the undisputed leader of the Bengalis, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The main objective of their operation was to indiscriminately kill all the progressive political leaders and activists of East Pakistan including the Awami League and all the conscious citizens.
At the beginning of the army operation, the invading forces arrested Bangabandhu from his Dhanmondi residence. Before his arrest, Bangabandhu declared the independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of March 26 and called for building resistance against the enemy at any cost. Within moments, 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 proclamation was included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The full details of the announcement were published in the Bangladesh Documents published by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. The statement said, "This may be my last word to you. From today Bangladesh is an independent country. I urge you to resist the occupying forces to the last breath, wherever you may be, in whatever condition you may be, and whatever you may have in your hands. The fight will continue until the last soldier of the occupying Pakistani forces is expelled from Bangladesh and a final victory is achieved."
