Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech published in Japanese

The historic 7th March speech delivered by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the then Race-Course Ground in 1971 has been published in Japanese by the Bangladesh embassy in Japan. 

The speech was translated in Japanese as the first foreign language after English.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched and unwrapped the booklet of Japanese edition during her visit to Japan on May 29. The booklet will be distributed to the educational institutions and other important institutions in Japan, says a statement of Bangladesh embassy in Japan today. 

The speech inspired the Bangalees to prepare for a war of independence amid widespread reports of armed mobilisation by West Pakistan. The Bangladesh Liberation War began 18 days later, when the Pakistan Army launched Operation Searchlight against Bengali civilians, intelligentsia, students, politicians, and armed personnel. 

On October 30, 2017, UNESCO added the speech in the Memory of the World Register as a documentary heritage.

Earlier, Bangabandhu's 'Unfinished memoir' and a graphic novel 'Mujib' were also translated into Japanese as the first foreign language after English. In November 2018, graphic novel ‘Mujib’ was launched in Tokyo by the younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Rehana and Akie Abe, the First Lady of Japan.