BNP observes historic 7 March for first time

For the first time in nation's history, BNP on Sunday observed the historic 7 March, the day when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered an epoch-making speech in 1971.

The party organised a discussion at the auditorium of the National Press Club marking the 7th March.

"We think it is our responsibility to present the true history of our liberation war to the new generation as they are being given wrong idea by the ruling Awami League," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

"We will present true history to this generation by celebrating the national days this year when the ruling Awami League misrepresents people."

BNP has organised today's (Sunday) programme to spread the spirit of the liberation among the young generation, added the BNP leader.

Fakhrul highly criticised the Digital Security Act and said, "Why did Mushtaq have to die in jail without treatment? Why does Kishor have to go to jail because of the cartoon sketch of a businessman?"

The Digital Security Act is designed to protect you (Prime Minister) and your party. This law has been made to cover the Awami League's wrong doing, he said.

BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said: "We have to think back again standing on the 50th anniversary of independence. There was no declaration of independence on 7 March. Ziaur Rahman made the declaration of independence and joined the liberation war," he added.

The senior BNP leader also said these are the truths and these are the milestones. A political party is making its history - that cannot be the history, but propaganda. History cannot be written by court order.

BNP Standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said, "BNP was born almost nine years after independence. There was no nationalist party at the time of independence.

"We have not come to distort history. We thought independence would be declared on March 7, but five hours after I stayed in London, we came to know that Bangladesh had not declared independence. On this day, the nation was deceived without declaring independence," he said.

BNP also observed the historic flag hoisting day on 2 March and declaration of the manifesto of the country's independence on 3 March for the first time as well.

It will observe all the national days to spread the spirit of the liberation among the people.

BNP leaders also said the Declaration of Independence and the speech of 7 March are not the same. The speech of 7 March is just an incident in the whole liberation war.

"We are not denying the contribution of Bangabandhu but this speech is the only resource of the Awami League," said the leaders.

On this day 50 years ago, Bangabandhu in his historic speech at a mammoth rally in the then 'Race Course Maidan', now Suhrawardy Udyan, in Dhaka directed the freedom-loving Bangalees for waging a decisive struggle against the Pakistani occupation forces.

BNP leader Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Mirza Abbas, Begum Selima Rahman, among others, spoke on the occasion.