March 7 speech, a call for independence

The historic March 7 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 the world's documentary heritage by UNESCO.
The 19-minute speech is recognized as good as a declaration of independence.
Bangabandhu gave his speech at the Ramna Race Course (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in the capital
where over two million people gathered to listen to his historic speech.
All eyes were centered on the dais where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was expected any moment.
In his speech Bangabandhu declared a four-point demand for joining the National Assembly meeting on March 25 of 1971.
The demands were immediate withdrawal of the martial law, immediate withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks, an inquiry into the loss of life and immediate transfer of power to the elected representative of the people before the assembly meeting on March 25.
 His speech in a human sea was virtually the declaration of Bangladesh's independence as Bangabandhu, in his fiery voice, called upon Bangalees to wage a struggle against the Pakistani oppressors until the freedom was achieved.
'This struggle is for freedom, this struggle is for independence', Bangabandhu declared in his roaring voice at the public meeting on March 7, 1971.
The historic 7th March is a red-letter day in the history of the Bangalees' long arduous freedom struggle.
In his nineteen-minute speech, Bangabandhu slowly and accurately narrated the long twenty-three years of history of discrimination of the Bengalis by the West Pakistan rulers.
He announced a civil disobedience movement in the province, calling for 'every house to turn into a fortress'.
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-minute speech is recognized as an elegy of independence. The speech inspired Bengali people to prepare for a war of independence amid widespread reports of arms mobilization 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 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 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 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.
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.
The speech also energized 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 to join the Mukti Bahini.