I convey my heartiest greetings and congratulations to my countrymen as well as all expatriate Bangalees on the occasion of the great Independence and National Day of Bangladesh.

March 26 is the day of earning self-identity of our nation. It’s the day of breaking the shackles of subjugation. On the eve of the Independence Day, I recall with deep gratitude the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, under whose undisputed leadership we earned our beloved independence. I pay my deep homage to the 3 million martyrs and 200 thousand women who lost their innocence in the War of Liberation. I also pay my tributes to four national leaders who led the War of Liberation. My homage goes to the valiant freedom fighters, including the wounded ones. I extend my sympathies to those who had lost their near and dear ones, and were subjected to brutal torture during the war. I recall with gratitude our foreign friends who had extended their whole-hearted support and cooperation for the cause of our liberation.

The Bangalee nation had fought against Pakistani rulers’ oppression and deprivation for long 23 years under the leadership of Bangabandhu. They were compelled to hold general elections in 1970. Bangladesh Awami League led by Bangabandhu won overwhelming majority in the elections. But the Pakistani rulers instead of handing over power to the majority party in a democratic way; they launched repressive measures against them. Bangabandhu in his March 7 historic address at the then Racecourse Maidan declared, “The struggle of this time is for freedom, the struggle for this time for our independence.” He instructed the Bangalee nation to resist the enemies.

The occupation forces unleashed a sudden attack and started killing innocent and unarmed Bangalees on the black night of the March 25, 1971. They killed thousands of people in cities and towns, including Dhaka. The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh at the first hour of March 26, 1971. Bangabandhu’s proclamation was spread all over the country through telegrams, teleprinters and EPR wireless. The international media also had circulated Bangabandhu’s proclamation of independence. Under the brave and dauntless leadership of Bangabandhu, we earned the ultimate victory on December 16, 1971 after a 9-month bloody war.

A ‘Role Model’ of socio-economic development

The independence earned through supreme sacrifices of millions of people is the greatest achievement of the Bangalee nation. To ensure that this achievement remains meaningful, all have to know the history of our great Liberation War and retain the spirit of independence. The history has to be passed on to generation to generation.

Being imbued with the spirit of the freedom struggle, the Awami League government has been working relentlessly to develop the country. During the last 9 years, we have implemented expected development programs in all sectors. As a result, Bangladesh has emerged as a ‘Role Model’ of socio-economic development. The world is now acclaiming Bangladesh for attaining remarkable progress in socio-economic fronts. We will turn Bangladesh into a middle-income by 2021 and a developed one by 204l, InshaAllah.

The historic March 7 speech of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has been included in the international memory of the world register as World Documentary by UNESCO. This recognition of the March 7 speech has made the whole nation proud once again.

We have executed the verdict of the killing case of Bangabandhu and most of his family members. The verdicts of cases against those who committed crimes against humanity are also being executed. Our government is maintaining ‘zero tolerance’ policy to tackle militancy and terrorism. We have stopped to take over power in an undemocratic way through the 15th amendment of constitution. On this auspicious day, I urge the countrymen to foil any plot of the anti-liberation, communal forces and anti-development and anti-democracy forces together.

Being imbued with the spirit of our great Liberation War, let us work together to advance our country’s development and democracy and build a non-communal, hunger-poverty-free and happy-prosperous Sonar Bangladesh as dreamt by the Father of the Nation. On the historic day, this is our commitment.

Joi BangIa, Joi Bangabandhu

May Bangladesh Live Forever

Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister of Bangladesh