Remembering the March 7 speech

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's speech of March 7 is a momentous occasion in the history of this country. There are very few speeches in the history of mankind that has changed the course of history. The Father of the Nation’s speech indeed belongs to that rare list.

Interestingly Bangabandhu did not read from a prepared speech. He had no notes in his hands. On record, there is none who claimed to have tutored him before the speech. He spoke extempore, from his heart and mind, in his own inimitable style to the people whom he loved and who loved him.

It is believed that more than a million people came to the Ramna Race Course (now Suhrawardy Uddyan) to listen to Bangabandhu on March 7. They included students, teachers, workers, government servants, professionals, day labourers and in fact men and women from all walks of life. The crowd was charged with emotions and their expectations were high. Many believed that Bangabandhu would declare independence of Bangladesh through his the same meeting. The situation was tense as nobody knew the consequences of such a declaration

In his speech Bangabandhu narrated the story of deprivation of and repression on Bengalis and urged the people to turn every house into a fort and get ready with whatever is available to fight the enemy. Bangabandhu in his address tactfully stopped short of making unilateral declaration of independence in order to avert a possible massacre of the people starting from Race Course that very day. However Bangabandhu nobody can deny that the 7th March address gave the nation the guideline for armed struggle for liberation. And from that point of view the address was the informal declaration of independence which was given the final shape by him in the early hours of 26 March, 1971. Those immortal words “Since we have sacrificed blood, we will sacrifice more. We will definitely liberate the country, Insha-Allah” is clear indication that Banglabandhu was determined to lead his people towards liberty. Never before that day could any Bengali leader sense the pulse of a nation so perfectly.

Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech is not limited only to a clarion call for emancipation of the 75 million people of Bangladesh. It transcended to every aspect of the lives of the people after the independence of the country. It brought about a revolutionary change in the psyche of the nation. Bengalis transformed into a brave and invincible nation.

The 7th March speech holds a special place in our history and in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh. For it is this very speech that set the tone for the Liberation War—which would begin 18 days later—and inspired millions of Bengalis to prepare for war. Bangabandhu, through one of the greatest speeches of all time, encapsulated the plight of the Bengali people and provided the final direction in the struggle for freedom which would soon go on to result in an independent country.

There are some people who say Bangabandhu only wanted to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In his historic speech he categorically stated “I don't want the Prime Minister's office. We want the people of this country to have their rights.”

Bangabandhu’s speech changed the course of history and the whole nation started preparing for the ultimate showdown with the Pakistani rulers. The speech not only propelled the Bengalis towards a fight for independence, but also has become a source of inspiration for all freedom-loving people all over the world.

Bangabandhu's 7th March speech has always been an instrument of inspiration for Bangladesh, and now it has transcended national boundaries. This historic speech goes beyond being the exclusive preserve, and should be treated as such.