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Bangabandhu’s recipe for peace and his Julio Curie Medal

Published : Tuesday, 23 May, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1688
Hasan Tarique Chowdhury
This year, May 23 marks the 50th anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman receiving the world famous Julio Curie Peace Medal. This golden jubilee is being celebrated across the country by the initiative of the government of Bangladesh. What is the relevance of celebrating the 50 years of Bangabandhu's world-renowned Julio Curie Peace Medal at the present time? This question is not unusual. In particular, what will be the role of Bangladesh in the question of peace in this world when the Ukraine war caused continuous bleeding of global humanity and economy? What should we do about the military agenda of the QUAD alliance centred on Asia and Pacific? What is our role in the conflict between many super powers encircling China? We can learn a lot from the perspective and philosophy of Bangabandhu receiving the Julio Curie Peace Medal in the context of our liberation war.

World Peace Council (WPC) awarded Bangabandhu on 23 May 1973 for extraordinary leadership in establishing an independent state called Bangladesh in return for the self-sacrifice of millions of martyrs through a bloody war and the honour of numerous mothers and sisters, for his outstanding efforts to establish peace in the post-war period and for expressing solidarity in the anti-imperialist struggle of various countries around the world. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was awarded the world famous Julio Currie Peace Medal.

Bangabandhu's receipt of this medal was the first international recognition of his vast struggle. Considering the world politics and international status of that time, receiving this medal was a matter of great pride not only for the individual Bangabandhu, but for the entire Bengali nation.

Julio Currie is an honorary medalist of the World Peace Council. French physicist Jean Frédéric Julio Curie died in 1958. His wife's name is Irene Currie. They are both Nobel laureate scientists. Irina's parents are Nobel laureate scientist couple Pierre Curie and Madame Curie. Later the World Peace Council named their peace medals 'Julio Curie' from 1959.


The highest medal for world peace is the 'Julio Curie' medal. There are several distinguished personalities of the world who have received this award. Apart from Bangabandhu, India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Cuba's Fidel Castro, Chile's Salvador Allende, Palestine's Yasser Arafat, Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh, South Africa's Nelson Mandela, India's former Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, poet and politician Pablo Neruda have received this rare honour and Martin Luther King Jr.

On May 23, 1973, Mr. Ramesh Chandra, the General Secretary of the WPC, presented the medal to Bangabandhu in a grand ceremony of the Asian Peace Conference at the South Plaza of Bangladesh National Parliament in Dhaka.

Why did the World Peace Council at that time nominate Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to be awarded by the Julio Curie Peace Award, known as the 'Political Nobel Prize'? In my opinion, Bangabandhu's leadership in our great liberation war was not the only consideration. Rather, Bangabandhu led the struggle for world peace in various forms throughout the entire period from the time of World War II to the establishment of independent Bangladesh. This is easily understood by looking at his past life.

But during Bangabandhu's lifetime, he could not see the reflection of his indomitable desire for peace. He has seen how the Pakistani state apparatus has shot Bengalis in the chest since the inception of Pakistan. How the Pakistani ruling class wants to perpetuate their power by robbing the Bengali's blood-sweat achievement. He clearly showed Bengali nation that how the Pakistani ruling class has rejected the path of peaceful politics and chosen the path of assassination and conspiracy.

Bangabandhu witnessed World War (II) and its aftermath in his own lifetime. At that time, he volunteered to distribute food and other essential items to the poor and hungry. He had that experience. So he said, 'We demand the money spent on the arms race should be used for the welfare of the poor people of the world. Then the task of eradicating the curse of poverty from the world will be much easier.' This was not only his hope, but he also came forward with his limited capacity. So, after independence he first emphasized on making Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty.

Today, the war in Ukraine is changing the political geography of the whole world. This war is likely to gradually take the shape of another World War. On the other hand, Myanmar's military junta has displaced more than a million Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh and the terrorist militant Taliban group in Afghanistan has created a big security risk for the entire South Asia as well as the whole world. In this situation, Bangabandhu's teaching in the struggle for peace becomes very relevant. Bangabandhu had taught the people of the whole world by sacrificing the blood from his own chest. He taught us that the only alternative to peace is peace.

The writer is a member of the Secretariat of Bangladesh Peace Council and Advocate of the Supreme Court



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