Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

Bangabandhu’s Homecoming Day today

Published : Thursday, 10 January, 2019 at 12:00 AM  Count : 1730
Observer Special
"Today I will say that the number one task of the people of Bangladesh will be to eliminate the corrupt people from the soil of Bengal and I need your help," Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said in his last public address delivered at Suhrawardy Udyan on March 26 of 1975.

While the nation is observing January 10, the 47th anniversary of the historic Homecoming Day of Bangabandhu, the spotlight can be focused on the directions he made just after stepping on the soil of independent Bangladesh and afterwards, as his daughter Sheikh Hasina has declared "zero-tolerance to corruption."

The directives he made in his maiden public address at the Race Course Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan, upon returning to the independent Bangladesh after 9 months in prison in Miyanwali of Pakistan on January 10 in 1972, remain vital even now.

"The people of Bangladesh are free today. We have much work ahead," he told the mammoth gathering understandably in an emotionally broken voice, as he was bursting into tears on a number of occasions during his speech. Millions of people, who gathered at the Race Course to listen to their most beloved leader after a period of nine months, were overwhelmed with the speech of Bangabandhu, who did not even forget on that very day to issue a warning against irregularities, which might impede building of a welfare nation.

"Let me warn my officers, do not accept bribe. Corruption will not be allowed in this land anymore," Bangabandhu said in the historic speech, also giving a guideline to rebuild the war-torn nation, maintain peace and harmony in society and strengthen ties with global communities.

The focus on the directives of Bangabandhu now gets more significance as his daughter Sheikh Hasina has started a fresh journey to lead Bangladesh towards prosperity with an election pledge to launch crusade against corruption.  The killers did not let Bangabandhu complete the job to build a corruption- free and prosperous Bangladesh. But Hasina, while declaring Awami League's manifesto on December 18, said, "Nobody can stop Bangladesh's advancement."  The people have entrusted her with a stunning mandate awarding 288 parliamentary seats out of 298 in the December 30 national elections and it has been proved again that the ideology of Bangabandhu cannot be erased. It will be materialised by her daughter.
 
The enemies of the nation wanted to erase Bangabandu's ideology by killing him along with almost all the members of his family on the black night of August 15 in 1975. Bangladesh is going to observe the 100th birthday of the Father of the Nation next year with a firm commitment to uphold his ideology. 

Sheikh Hasina, who earlier achieved the title "Ganotantrer Manosh Konya" or the 'Daughter Incarnate of Democracy' has now earned global acclaim, terming her the "Mother of Humanity," for giving shelter to nearly one million Rohingyas who fled genocide in their homeland, Myanmar.

The maiden speech of Bangabandhu can be recalled again, "Those of you who can speak Bengali should integrate in this country. Brothers, do not touch them. They are our brothers too. We would like to show the world that the Bengalis are not only able to make sacrifices for the independence but can also live in peace."     On the dreadful night of March 25 in 1971, the Pakistani military junta arrested Bangabandhu from his Dhanmondi 32 residence and sent him to Pakistan on the following day. They kept Bangabandhu confined in a death-cell. A defeated Pakistan was bound to release him from jail, as Bangladesh achieved victory in the War of Independence on December 16, 1971.

He made a triumphant homecoming on January 10 in 1972 in the midst of joy and jubilations throughout the country. Hundreds of thousands of people of all walks of life received him at the Tejgaon old Airport in Dhaka according him a heroic welcome.

A decorated truck carried Bangabandhu, flanked by the leaders of Bangladesh's Provisional Government, formed on April 10 of 1971 at Mujibnagar (formerly Baidyanathtala), to a human sea at Suhrawardy Udyan. On his way back to Bangladesh, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi organised a mass reception for him at New Delhi.

With his homecoming, all uncertainties surrounding the leadership of the new republic, for that matter, the future of Bangladesh were removed, as the London- based The Guardian in an editorial on January 10 in 1972 wrote, "Once Sheikh Mujibur Rahman steps out at Dacca Airport the new republic becomes a solid fact."

"Bangladesh will be an ideal state and its foundation will not be based on any particular religion," Bangabandhu told the crowd at Suhrawardy Udyan on January 10 in 1972. 

"I would like to say categorically and unequivocally that our country will be a democratic, secular and socialist one. In this country the labourers, peasants, Hindus and Muslims all will be living in peace and harmony," he said.

In the speech, Bangabandhu underlined the priorities to transform a worn-torn country into a prosperous state. He put the infrastructure at the forecourt, which is vital for resuming communication, doing business and supporting people in need across the country.

"Let me tell you that this freedom of ours will remain incomplete if the people of Bangladesh do not get sufficient food, our mothers and sisters do not get clothes and the young men jobs," he said.

As far as foreign policy in concerned, he gave a clear outline about the theme of the policy - 'Friendship to All, Malice to None'. The greatest leader of all times was so generous that he even indicated that diplomatic relation with Pakistan might me established.

On the Pakistani army's slaughter of three million Bengalis, "Mujib said, "If Hitler were alive today, he would be ashamed." On that historic day of 10 January 1972, Bangabandhu also declared, "Bangladesh has earned independence. Now if anybody wants to seize it, Mujib would be the first man to sacrifice his life for the protection of that independence." 


LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Correction
50 dead in 2 months as cold wave sweeps through
BNP calls demonstration today
Islamists force halt to first human milk bank
PM has taken right decision about me: Sayeed Khokon
11 contractors barred from new BWDB works
Murders that shook people’s conscience in 2019
Banks in Dhaka to remain open till noon today
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: district@dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close