DHAKA, -Bitterly criticizing BNP and some other political parties for not observing historic 7 March, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said denial of historic 7 March is tantamount to denial of independence of the country.

He said although the whole nation is observing the historic 7 March in a befitting manner, BNP and a few other political parties are yet to recognize the historic speech.

Dr Hasan said the speech delivered by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 7, 1971 does not belong to a particular party, it is a property of the whole nation.

“Bangabandhu’s historic 7 March speech had paved the way for independence . . . so the speech is not for a particular party, it is for all”, he said while speaking as the chief guest at a function at ‘Thathya Bhaban’ auditorium here to honour eight people who recorded the historic speech.

The Unesco has recognized the historic 7th March Speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as part of the world’s documentary heritage, said the minister at the function organized by the Department of Films and Publications (DFP).

On the eve the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Dr Hasan said, ” I hope that the BNP will come out from their wrong politics and observe the historic 7 March in future.”

The minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in his fiery speech on March 7 in 1971 called on the freedom-loving Bangalis to wage a decisive struggle against the Pakistani rulers.

“Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram [The struggle this time is a struggle for emancipation, the struggle this time is a struggle for independence]”, Bangabandhu declared in a thunderous voice at a mammoth rally at the Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) that day.

“Turn every house into a fortress, resist the enemy with everything you have … Having mastered the lesson of sacrifice, we shall give more blood. God willing [Inshallah], we shall free the people of this land,” Bangabandhu also said in his speech.

Claiming the Bangabandhu’s 7 March speech as one of the favorite speeches in the world, he said the recorded 7 March speech had been heard highest compared to all other speeches in the world. “Bangabandhu had not only made the country independent, but took steps to rebuild a war-ravaged country also”, said the minister commemorating the historic 7 March.

With Additional Director General of the DFP SM Golam Kibria in the chair, the meeting was also addressed by Information Secretary Kamrun Nahar.

The Information Minister said, “The country is now marching forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hopefully Bangladesh would be a prosperous country as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”

Later, the minister distributed awards among the eight persons who had recorded Bangabandhu’s historic 7 March address in 1971. Two of them —Amzad Ali Khandoker and Syed Mainul Ahsan- received the award from the minster. Family members received the award on behalf of the deceased.