Today is March 26, our great Independence and National Day. This the day of breaking shackles of subjugation; a day of reaching the enlightened world from the abyss of darkness. On this very day in 1971, the Bangladesh nation started the War of Liberation against the misrule, exploitation and repression of the Pakistani brutal ruler with the clarion call of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman.
Pakistani Occupation Forces committed one of the worst genocide indiscriminately on March, 25, 1971 to silence the Bangladesh national forever. Diabolical Mass killing during Liberation War is a black chapter not only in the history of Bangladesh, but also in the history of world humanity.
In 2017, the August National Parliament of Bangladesh declared March 25 as National Genocide Day to commemorate the genocide carried out by the atrocious Pakistani Forces on the black night of March, 1971.
Bangabandhu, the architect of Bangladesh, declared the independence of Bangladesh at the wee hour of March 26 in 1971. Bangladesh made its place in the world map as an independent and sovereign state with self-esteem through the nine-month long Liberation War.
On this very day, I pay profound reverence to the great hero of the war of independence, the architect of great independence, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman, who led his people from the front in various movements and struggles from 1952 Language Movement to the 1971 Liberation War to the greatest achievement of Bengali Nationalism-independent Bangladesh. With profound love and respect, I recall the supreme sacrifices made by our war heroes, the 3 million martyrs and the wounded freedom fighters.
On this historic moment, I recall the contributions of the officials of the then Foreign Ministry who worked to build public opinion all over the world in response to the clarion call of Bangabandhu during Liberation War.
Bangabandhu had a dream of bringing smile in the face of Bangalee people. He wanted to make them free from exploitation, hunger, poverty and subjugation. Daughter of our founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the current Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has been leading the development pursuit of Bangladesh. Recently, the people of Bangladesh fortified their support on her with huge public support on the 11th General Election.
As a result of pragmatic initiatives commenced by the Awami League government, now Bangladesh has been transformed into a trade-dependent country from an aid-dependent one. Currently, Bangladesh is marching forward with $1,752 per capita income and more than 7.86% growth rate. As a result, Bangladesh has been recognized as a ‘Role Model of Development’.
On this auspicious day, I thank all the members of the ministry of foreign affairs and our Mission abroad who have been working with sustained dedication and commitment in achieving our foreign policy objectives and promote national interest of Bangladesh on the world stage. Also my heartfelt felicitations go to the Bangladeshi Diaspora who has been contributing unceasingly for the development of our motherland by sending invaluable remittance and brightening the image of Bangladesh globally by practicing Bangla and Bengali culture abroad.
On this glorious day, being imbued with the spirit of our great Liberation War and with a view to building Bangabandhu’s dream of ‘Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal), let us take a fresh vow to devote ourselves to work from our respective positions in advertising the ongoing development efforts of the present government to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and build a better world for our future generations.
Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu,
May Bangladesh Live Forever.
Md. Shahriar Alam, MP
State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh
