Marking the Genocide Day, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday remembered all the martyrs who laid down their lives, stressing that it was through their sacrifices that the country achieved its desired independence through a nine-month long bloody War of Liberation.
The ‘New Bangladesh’ will emerge as a strong, peaceful and democratic country, he said, adding that this is their pledge on the Genocide Day.
“Today, March 25, is the ‘Genocide Day.’ On this day in 1971, the Pakistani invading forces carried out the world's most barbaric crackdown across the country, including Dhaka. I remember, with a heavy heart, all the martyrs who sacrificed their lives on that most terrible night," he said in a message.
Dr Yunus said the nation is still grieving over this infernal carnage.
Genocide Day: Nation to observe one minute ‘blackout’ at 10:30 pm on March 25 night
During those days of March 1971, when all of Bangladesh was turbulent in movement, the military dictator Yahya secretly left Dhaka on the evening of March 25, amidst the non-cooperation movement, he said.
"That night, Pakistani troops launched 'Operation Search Light' and carried out the most brutal massacre in the history of sleeping unarmed people," Dr Yunus said.
Thousands of innocent people, including students, teachers, police and army personnel, were martyred across the country, including Dhaka University, Pilkhana and Rajarbagh in the sudden attacks by the invading forces equipped with sophisticated weapons, the Chief Adviser said.
"The Bangladesh we wanted after the independence, there people did not have any fundamental rights during the dictatorship that fell upon the country," he said.
Symbolic blackout on March 25 night to mark Genocide Day
In the July uprising, the nation was unshackled from the "tyranny of dictatorship" through the valour of the students and the masses, Dr Yunus said.
The interim government, he said, aspires to move forward by embracing the spirit of the great War of Independence and the July uprising to build a just society and establish the rule of law.
"I pray for the salvation of the souls of all martyrs on the night of 25th March," Dr Yunus said.