March 7, 1971

March 7
It was the afternoon of March 7, 1971, the day Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made the
historic speech that would resonate throughout the annals of history, changing its course forever.
Bangabandhu unequivocally declared, "The struggle this time is for emancipation. The struggle
this time is for independence."
Bangabandhu called for a peaceful, non-cooperation movement to continue the struggle for
independence and the emancipation of the Bengalis. He issued several directives for a civil
disobedience movement -- people should not pay taxes; government servants should take orders
only from him; the secretariat, government and semi-government offices and courts in East
Pakistan should observe strikes; with necessary exemptions announced from time to time, only
local and inter-district telephone lines should function; railways and ports could continue to
function, but their workers should not co-operate if they were used to repress the people of East
Pakistan.
In his speech, Bangabandhu refuted Yahya's charge [Yahya's 6th March speech] that the Awami
League was primarily responsible for the present situation. He said that he had placed a call to
Yahya the previous week urging him to visit East Pakistan to see personally how military bullets
were killing Benglaee civilians. Bangabandhu laid down his terms for attending the National
Assembly session which Yahya had on the previous day called for March 25: withdrawal of
army to barracks; an end to martial law; and the transfer of power to the people. He also
demanded an inquiry into the army killings and an end to the reinforcement of the army in East
Pakistan. East Pakistan police intelligence estimated that there were 12 lakh people present in the
public meeting. [East Pakistan Police Abstract of Intelligence, March 13, 1971] The historic 7th
March speech is now included in Unesco's Memory of the World Register as a documentary
heritage.
MARTIAL LAW ADMINISTRATORS' REACTION

The general reaction of the martial law authorities to the 7th March speech was that of relief. In a
reply to the call of Yahya Khan, a senior officer reported, "This is the best speech under the
circumstances." [Siddiq Salik, Witness to Surrender, UPL 1997, pg. 54]
Khadim Hussain Raja, then General Officer Commanding in East Pakistan, terms Sheikh Mujib's
speech, in comparison with Yahya Khan's 6th March speech, "remarkably conciliatory". He
further writes, "Credit goes to Sheikh Mujib for averting an immediate crisis and for preventing a
lot of Bengali blood being split on the streets of Dhaka." [Khadim Hussain Raja, a stranger in my
own country, UPL 2012, pg. 63]
Historic March 7 today
The 50th anniversary of the epoch-making speech delivered by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at
Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on March 7, 1971 will be celebrated today.
The day will be observed nationally for the first time as the government declared March 7 as a
‘National Historic Day’ on July 13, 2020.
Following a writ petition, the High Court earlier issued a rule asking the government to explain
why it should not be directed to declare March 7 as a national historic day.
Different socio-political organisations, including the ruling Awami League, will celebrate the
day while opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party for the first has announced a programme
marking the historic day this year.
In his historic address, Sheikh Mujib declared, ‘Ebarer Sangram Amader Muktir Sangram,
Ebarer Sangram Swadhinatar Sangram’ (The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the
struggle this time is for independence).
He made the clarion call to turn every home into a fortress of resistance against the Pakistani
army.
Bengalis reacted with unprecedented rage after the then Pakistani military ruler Yahya Khan
postponed the National Assembly session scheduled for March 1, 1971.
Stunned by the treachery, Sheikh Mujib immediately launched an unprecedented non-

cooperation movement dealing a crippling blow to the military rulers.
And on March 7, 1971, he at Suhrawardy Udyan, the then Race Course, gave the historic address
which inspired the nation to fight for independence.
The address reduced the governmental authorities in the then East Pakistan to useless showpieces
as everything ran according to Mujib’s day-to-day edicts.
This continued until the military junta retaliated with the crackdown and the accompanying
brutalities against the unarmed Bengalis on the fateful midnight of March 25, 1971 and the rest is
history.
The historic March 7 speech of Mujib has been included in the memory of the World
International Register, a list of world’s important documentary heritage maintained by
UNESCO.
Celebrations by the Awami League would begin today with hoisting of the national and party
flags at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi Road 32 and party offices across the country at
6:30am.
Wreaths would be laid at Mujib’s portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban at 9:00am.

The party would hold a discussion on tomorrow marking the day. AL president Sheikh Hasina
would join in the programme virtually.
The cultural affairs ministry will hold a discussion marking the day at Bangabandhu
International Conference Centre at 3:00pm.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the programme virtually.
National dailies will bring out special supplements marking the day while Bangladesh Betar and
Bangladesh Television as well as private television channels and radio stations will air special
programmes.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasad will place wreaths at the portrait of Sheikh Mujib at Bangabandhu
Bhavan at 8:30am and at Shikha Chironton at Suhrawardy Udyan at 2:30pm, said a press release.
Different organisations, including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and Dhaka Reporters Unity,
will also hold programmes marking the day.

March 7, 1971

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March 7

MARTIAL LAW ADMINISTRATORS' REACTION

Stunned by the treachery, Sheikh Mujib immediately launched an unprecedented non-

Wreaths would be laid at Mujib’s portrait at Bangabandhu Bhaban at 9:00am.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the programme virtually.

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