MESSAGE FROM STATE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MD. SHAHRIAR ALAM, MP
DHAKA : Today, March 26, is the glorious Independence and National Day of Bangladesh and the Golden Jubilee of our glorious Independence. On this very day in 1971, the greatest Bangali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared country’s independence by breaking the chain of subordination. On this auspicious occasion, I extend my heartfelt greetings and warm felicitations to all Bangladeshis living both home and abroad.
On this day, I recall with deep reverence the greatest Bangali of all time, our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by whose clarion call the Bangali started the War of Liberation against the Pakistani occupation forces. I pay my profound homage to the 3 million martyrs and 2 hundred thousand mothers and sisters whose supreme sacrifice and dishonour ushered us an independent and sovereign Bangladesh coloured in red and green. My respectful salute goes to all freedom fighters including the wounded war heroes. On this memorable moment of Independence Day, I express sincere gratitude to all foreign friends, expatriate Bangladeshis, members of diplomatic front who accelerated our victory by extending all possible support during the Liberation War of Bangladesh.
Pakistani Occupation Forces committed one of the worst genocide indiscriminately on 25 March, 1971 to silence the Bengali Nation forever. Diabolical mass killing during Liberation War is a black chapter not only in the history of Bangladesh, but also in the history of world humanity. In 2017, the National Parliament of Bangladesh declared March 25 as National Genocide Day to commemorate the genocide carried out by the atrocious Pakistani Forces on the black night of March, 1971. Bangabandhu, the Architect of Bangladesh, declared the independence of Bangladesh at the wee hour of 26 March in 1971. Bangladesh made its place in the world map as an independent and sovereign state with self-esteem through the nine-month long Liberation War. Before that, on 7 March in 1971, Bangabandhu in his historic speech declared, “The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation; the struggle this time is the struggle for liberation”. Being started on 26 March, the bloody war ended fruitfully through the emergence of an independent and sovereign Bangladesh on 16 December 1971.
This year we are celebrating the golden Jubilee of our glorious Independence. At the same time, we are celebrating the Birth Centenary of our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. These occasions give us opportunities to uphold the image of our beloved motherland. Our Father of the Nation, the great architect of our Liberation War dreamt for a happy, prosperous, exploitation free and equitable ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Bengal of Gold). Following the guided path of Bangabandhu, his able daughter Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly to tum Bangladesh into a developed country by the year 2041. Along with economic growth, Bangladesh has become a global role model for poverty alleviation, women empowerment, coping with climate change and curbing child mortality rate significantly.
On this auspicious Day, I thank all the members of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Missions abroad who have been working with sustained dedication and commitment in achieving our foreign policy objectives and promote national interest of Bangladesh on the world stage.
On this glorious day, being imbued with the spirit of our great Liberation War and with a view to building Bangabandhu’s dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’ (Golden Bengal), let us take a fresh vow to devote ourselves to work from our respective positions in advancing the ongoing development efforts of the present government to strengthen the hands of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and build a better world for our future generations.
Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu.
May Bangladesh Live Forever.
