President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Tuesday urged the countrymen to work together for building a non-communal, hunger and poverty-free, developed and prosperous 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, reports BSS.
In a message on the eve of the historic 'Mujibnagar Day', the President extended his heartiest greetings and congratulations to the countrymen and all Bangladeshis staying abroad.
He said April 17 is a memorable day in the long path of struggle for Independence of the Bangalee Nation.
On this auspicious occasion, he recalled with profound respect the greatest Bangalee of all time, architect of the great independence the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders -- Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman -- under whose strong leadership the country's great independence was achieved through the nine-month-long bloody War of Liberation.
Mohammed Shahabuddin also recalled with deep respect the three million valiant freedom fighters who laid down their lives in the Liberation War, war heroines, martyred intellectuals and the people of all strata and foreign friends who joined and extended support to the war.
He said the journey of struggle for freedom against Pakistani occupational forces, which began through Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic March 7 speech, had got the institutional shape with the formation of Mujibnagar Government on April 10 in 1971.
The first government of independent and sovereign People's Republic of Bangladesh had taken oath on April 17 in 1971 at a mango orchard at Baidyanathtala in the then Meherpur sub-division. With the formation of the Mujibnagar Government, a constitutional government had appeared to administer the Liberation War under the leadership of the representatives elected by the people in the 1970 election, he said.
Because of the formation of the government, the President said the world community extended their support and hands of cooperation to the Bangalees who were fighting an armed battle for independence.
He said the role that the Mujibnagar government played in building public opinion, refugee management and formulating war strategies will remain as a unique chapter of glory in the history of the Bangalees' struggle for independence.
He also urged the countrymen to work from their respective position to build a 'Smart Bangladesh' as planned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The President expressed his optimism that through observance of the Mujibnagar Day, the new generation would be able to know the country's true history and would be encouraged them in building a prosperous country.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
