UNESCO recognises Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech

The historic 7th March speech of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a de facto declaration of Bangladesh's independence, has been recognised as part of world's documentary heritage by UNESCO.
The 19 minutes speech is recognized as an elegy of independence. The speech inspired Bengali people to prepare for a war of independence amid widespread reports of armed mobilisation by Pakistan government. Bangladesh Liberation War began 18 days later, when the Pakistan army launched Operation Searchlight on Bangali people in the then East Pakistan.
The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, announced the decision on October 30, 2017 and included the speech in the memory of the World International Register, a list of world's important documentary heritage maintained by UN organization.
"The world will now get to know more about our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and our glorious Liberation War", said Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, a press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday.
The 7th March speech in 1971 was given at Ramna Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka to a gathering of over two million people during the upsurge of "Bengali Nation" or a period of escalating tensions between the then East Pakistan and military baked political establishment of West Pakistan.
The speech lasted about 19 minutes and concluded with, "Our struggle, this time, is a struggle for our freedom. Our struggle, this time, is a struggle for our independence. Joy Bangla!" International media had descended upon East Pakistan for the speech amidst speculation that Sheikh Mujib would make a unilateral declaration of independence from Pakistan.
Late President of Bangladesh and founder of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Ziaur Rahman wrote in the magazine Bichittra (now defunct) on March 26, 1974, that "the speech had inspired him to take part in the 1971 Liberation War."
Bangabandhu started with the lines, "Today, I appeared before you with a heavy heart. You know everything and understand as well. We tried with our lives. But the painful matter is that today, in Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur, the streets are dyed red with the blood of our brethren. Today, the people of Bengal want freedom, the people of Bengal want to survive, the people of Bengal want to have their rights. What wrong did we do?"
"The speech inspired the whole Bengali people even some Urdu speaking Pakistani's living in West Pakistan," Professor Anwar Hossain said.
In his speech, he mentioned four conditions for joining the National Assembly on March 25. He also gave several directives for a civil disobedience movement and a clear-cut instruction for the officials working in the government, semi-government, autonomous and private organizations where he proclaimed: "This time the struggle is for our freedom. This time the struggle is for our independence." He announced a civil disobedience movement in the province, calling for "every house to turn into a fortress".
The speech also energised the entire nation and prepared the people for the forthcoming liberation struggle. It also served as the ultimate source of inspiration for the countless freedom fighters who joined the Mukti Bahini.
UNESCO's, International Advisory Committee during its meeting from October 24 to 27 in 2017 recommended the 7th March speech for inscription on the Memory of the World International Register.
The Memory of the World Register now includes a total of 427 documents and collection from all continents.
"It is my deep and firm conviction that the Memory of the World Programme? should be guided in its work to preserve documentary heritage and memory for the benefit of present and future generations in the spirit of dialogue, international cooperation and mutual understanding, building peace in the minds of women and men," UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said while endorsing the nominations.
Bangabandhu's speech is played throughout the country during the various national occasions and continues to reverberate in hearts and minds of the Bengali people. This epic continues to enthrall our people and will continue to inspire succeeding generations.