Speakers at the press conference: Government’s indifference in observing historic April 17 is disappointing

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The members of the first Cabinet of the Government of Bangladesh took oath on 17 April 1971 at Baidyanathtala in Meherpur (now Mujibnagar). During the 9 months of the War of Independence, all activities of the War of Liberation were conducted under the Mujibnagar government; But this year, no government minister or official paid tribute to Mujibnagar. This indifference of the government on the oath day of the Bangladesh government which led the liberation war is disappointing.

The speakers said the words at a press conference organized to share the experience of visiting the swearing-in place (Mujibnagar) of the Bangladesh government during the liberation war. A delegation of civil society visited Mujibnagar Mujibnagar on April 17 and paid floral tributes at the memorial. This press conference was held today on Tuesday at Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of Jatiya Press Club to demand the proper preservation of the memories and memorials of the Liberation War.

A member of the inspection team, brave freedom fighter and journalist Abu Saeed Khan presented the main speech in the press conference. He said that the swearing in of the first government of Bangladesh is an important milestone in the liberation war. After formally reading the Declaration of Independence on April 10, 1971, the first cabinet members of the Bangladesh government took oath in the presence of journalists from home and abroad at Baidyanathtala (now Mujibnagar) in Meherpur, Greater Kushtia District on April 17. On the same day, the place was named Mujibnagar as the capital of Bangladesh and Mujibnagar remained the declared capital of Bangladesh until the surrender of the Pakistani occupation forces on 16 December. During the 9 months of the independence war, all activities of the liberation war were conducted under the Mujibnagar government.

In a written statement, Abu Saeed Khan said that during the July mass uprising, some miscreants in disguise vandalized the Mujibnagar complex and broke several sculptures. These disguised miscreants created mobs before and after the mass uprising and destroyed the war memorials in various parts of the country. It is unfortunate but true that the interim government remained apathetic, taking no initiative to protect the memories and memorials of the Liberation War. No legal action was taken against the attackers.

In a written statement, Abu Saeed Khan also said that the local freedom fighters, public and journalists present there said, ‘There is no official program on the day this time. No minister or official of the government paid tribute. We saw that only local freedom fighters and a few leftist organizations paid tribute. Talking to local journalists in this regard, it is known that no instructions have been given to observe the day. We are shocked and saddened by the indifference of the government on the oath day of the Bangladesh government which led the liberation war. It’s disappointing.’

In the press conference, former general secretary of CPB Ruhin Hossain Prince said in response to a journalist’s question, “About 300 sculptures, both small and large, have been demolished. Almost all the structures including the sculptures of the four national leaders, the Operation Searchlight event, the signature place have been damaged. Not only that, but we can see from all over Bangladesh, various installations of the liberation war are being attacked. And behind this there are anti-independence forces, who want to forget the liberation war.

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ALRD Executive Director Shamsul Huda said, this Mujibnagar government was formed at a moment of emptiness in the nation. It was under their leadership that resistance and armed struggle was conducted across the country divided into 11 sectors. Which makes a unique contribution to the promotion and international recognition for the freedom struggle throughout the country and worldwide. Mujibnagar in Meherpur is an original and glorious place of liberation war.

Rajekuzzaman Ratan, joint general secretary of BAS, said, ‘Every nation has some dreams and history. Liberation War is our glorious history. Liberation war is the cause of burning, they want to distort and destroy this history. So those who want to destroy this glorious history of ours, should build public resistance against them. The oath taking of the liberation war or the armed struggle of the liberation war did not take place in the context of any one event; Rather, the Liberation War took an organizational form in view of many events. Mujibnagar is the wealth of the entire nation, the pride of the entire nation. We all have to stand against these destroyers of memory.

Zakir Hossain, chief executive of the civic initiative, said, ‘Mujibnagar area is the first capital of our country. It is our moral and state responsibility to preserve and maintain it properly.

In the press conference, human rights activist Dipayan Khisa said that it is very disappointing that April 17 is not observed officially.

In the press conference, five-point demands were raised to the BNP-led government with the pledge to uphold the spirit of the liberation war. Among these, the first demand is that the damaged memorials of the Liberation War should be rebuilt all over the country, including the Mujibnagar Memorial Complex, and proper measures should be taken to preserve the memorials, memorials, mass graves, slaughterhouses, etc. Apart from this, immediate arrest and trial of the miscreants who attacked the Liberation War memorials, celebrating the Mujibnagar Day with due dignity, speedy implementation of the work of the Liberation War Memorial Museum under construction in Mujibnagar, and giving place to the history and heroism textbooks of the Liberation War written innocently above Dalmat.