Bangla Academy holds seminar on Bangabandhu

Marking the 44th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Mourning Day (August 15), Bangla Academy held a seminar at their Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium on August 19.

Professor Dr Harun-or-Rashid, Vice Chancellor, Bangladesh National University, presented the keynote on the title ‘Bangabandhur Bangali Satta’ at the seminar. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, MP graced the occasion as chief guest while renowned poet Habibullah Shirajee, also Director General of Bangla Academy, delivered welcome address at the event. Dr Md Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal NDC, Secretary, Cultural Affairs Ministry, presided over the programme. 

Professor Harun-or-Rashid meticulously elaborated on Bangabandhu’s illustrious life, political vision and career,  his philosophy of holding the thousand-year old history, heritage and conscience of Bangali nationalism, his lifelong struggle to free the nation and finally, achieving the glorious Independence of Bangladesh in the 1971 Liberation War with references, allusions and his personal memories with the Father of the Nation.

“Bangabandhu, throughout his entire life, held the status of our Mother Language, Bangla, highly. From the year 1946 to 1948, through the Rastrabhasa Sangram Parishad, the 1952 Language Movement, in the Pakistani parliament as a representative of United Front, during his visit to China in 1955, on March 7, 1971, on Homecoming Day 1972  and in the 1974 UN General Assembly, Bangabandhu delivered all his important speeches in Bangla,” said Harun-or-Rashid. “Bangabandhu embraced the path of humanism, the non-communal spirit and the emancipation of the people of this part of the world. He was a great man, a gallant visionary and the architect of an independent Bangladesh. He loved the people of Bangladesh from the core of his heart and wanted to die in Bangladesh.”

Professor Harun-or-Rashid nicely clarified the stereotypical ideas and thoughts regarding the history of Bangladesh. He described Bangabandhu as the most undisputed leader and the immortal poet of the world politics.

Bangabandhu continued to rise in national politics because of his active involvement in the Language Movement in 1952, the 1954 general elections, and the six-point charter declaration in 1966. He spent most of his political career behind bars. His arrest in the Agaratala conspiracy case propelled him into the national limelight, making him the undisputed leader of the Bangalis’ freedom struggle against Pakistani exploitation. He was bestowed with the title of ‘Bangabandhu’ after being freed from jail in 1969.

On March 7, 1971, he delivered his historic speech at the Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan), which inspired Bangalis to wage an armed struggle to win independence from Pakistan. Professor Harun-or-Rashid highlighted parts of that speech as well.