United News of Bangladesh

Today is the historic Seventh March, a seminal date in Bangladesh's road to independence. On this day in 1971, a crowd estimated at several lakhs gathered at the then-Racecourse Maidan in Dhaka (today's Suhrawardy Uddyan) to hear ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman deliver a clarion call of freedom for the Bengalis of East Pakistan. Although he stopped short of declaring independence outright, much to the discontent of some of his younger lieutenants, Mujib’s riveting delivery laid the groundwork for the freedom struggle that lay ahead, as he urged his fellow Bengalis to prepare to “fight the enemy with whatever means available” to them. Ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Can Inspire the Young Generation "This time the struggle is for independence. This time the struggle is for liberation," he would tell them. By then the undisputed leader of the Bengali nation, Mujib also reiterates his instructions to observe an all-out civil disobedience movement that he himself had called five days earlier on March 2, including the non-payment of taxes. The background to the day was formed by Pakistani President Yahya Khan’s unilateral postponement, on March 1, of the National Assembly based on the results of the December 1970 election. The first session of the assembly had been scheduled for March 3. What Was Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Childhood Like? Although Mujib's Awami League had won an absolute majority in the 1970 elections by dominating in East Pakistan, West Pakistani leaders, buttressed by the military establishment, refused to transfer power to him and the League. The postponement of the NA was widely seen as a continuation of this intransigence. The days leading up to March 7 saw widespread protests and the killing of Bengali civilians. This had caused tensions to soar, and it is a recurring theme in Mujib's speech, as he repeatedly exhorts the military to return to their barracks instead of killing civilians, and ultimately declares: “Having given blood already, we'll give even more blood, till we liberate the people of this land, Insh'Allah (God willing).” The speech came amid ongoing negotiations between Yahya and Mujib that would continue till the breakdown of talks, and the Pakistani military's resort to Operation Searchlight on the fateful night of March 25, triggering Bangladesh's War of Liberation. The day is no longer officially recognised as ‘historic’, following a decision of the interim government in October 2024. But in almost every household where the oral history of the birth of Bangladesh is passed down through generations, it remains a significant and unmissable waypoint. In 2017, Mujib's March 7 speech was included in UNESCO's Memory of the World International Register as a document of world heritage.

Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman marking his historic 7th March speech in 1971. Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran hoisted the national flag at chancery premises and led the members of the mission to place a floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu at the chancery building. Read: PM leaves Dhaka for Abu Dhabi Describing the historic 7th march speech of Bangabandhu as one of the best speeches in the world, High Commissioner Imran said the speech inspired freedom loving people to converse under a single umbrella against the suppression, oppression, discrimination of the then Pakistani autocrat roller. Bangabandhu’s historic speech was one of the most inspirational speeches in world diplomacy apart from giving directives to the oppressed humanity to unite to free the Bengali nation, he added.

Bangladesh High Commission in Colombo commemorated the historic 7th March speech of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a befitting manner.

The historic  7th March, a memorable day in the history of Bangalis’ long arduous freedom struggle, will be observed  across the country on Sunday in a befitting manner.

As part of historic March 7 programme, 19,200 students performed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic speech wearing ‘Mujib Coat’ at Khulna Zilla Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday paid rich tributes to the great leader and greatest Bengali of all time Bangabandhu Sheikh  Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait at Dhanmondi-32 marking the historic 7th March.