Sometimes, a small decision by a political party elevates it to an exceptional height. A single stance can grant a political party immortality. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), one of the country’s major political parties, made such a decision last Sunday. This one decision has taken BNP to an extraordinary level as a political entity. In a written opinion presented at the National Consensus Commission meeting on Sunday (March 23), BNP’s position touched the hearts of the entire nation.
The party stated, “The recommendation equates 1971 and 2024, which they do not consider appropriate.” By upholding the spirit of the great Liberation War, BNP has fulfilled a historic responsibility. Just three days before Independence Day, this stance by BNP deserves wholehearted admiration.
March is our month of independence, our month of pride. In this month, Bengalis roared in defiance. They took up whatever they had and fought against a trained invading army. Bangladesh is the land of these brave souls, where people have sacrificed their lives for their motherland without hesitation. They shed blood to win freedom. Our national flag is dyed with the blood of 3 million martyrs. Every inch of Bangladesh's land is soaked with the blood of these heroes. The air, the trees—everything in this country bears witness to their sacrifice. Our very existence is tied to our independence. Seventy-One is our greatest pride. Nothing can be compared to Seventy-One. It has taught us to never accept defeat, to write the saga of victory through the power of the people. Therefore, we must place Seventy-One above all. It is incomparable.
Recently, we have noticed attempts to undermine our Liberation War, our independence, and our pride. This is undesirable, unfortunate, and unacceptable. After crossing the path of Seventy-One, Bangladesh has achieved a lot in its 54-year journey. Step by step, it has progressed socioeconomically. On one hand, Bangladesh has fought for democracy and overthrown undemocratic, authoritarian governments through the united strength of its people. On the other, it has transformed from a hunger-stricken, poverty-ridden country into a developing nation standing tall on the world map. In these 54 years of independence, Bangladesh has achieved remarkable success in agriculture. Private entrepreneurs have taken Bangladesh’s industries and investments to new heights. Just as our farmers have toiled to yield golden harvests, our businessmen and entrepreneurs have kept the wheels of the economy moving. Through this collective success, Bangladesh today stands as an example to the world.
The root of our existence is Seventy-One. Our foundation is Seventy-One. Therefore, nothing can be compared to Seventy-One. We saw an unprecedented mass movement by students last July. This movement ended the long-standing authoritarian regime in Bangladesh. A new government was formed with the vision of a new Bangladesh. This government is now seven months old. But during this time, we have noticed that some overenthusiastic individuals are trying to place Seventy-One and Twenty-Four side by side. Though the people felt uneasy about this, no one openly spoke against it. BNP has now spoken the truth. At the National Consensus Commission meeting, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed stated, “There is only one Liberation War. The July Revolution did not establish a new state. It was a victory to restore democracy, which had been endangered.”
The July Revolution of 2024 took place because Bangladesh as a state exists. Is the July Revolution contradictory to Seventy-One? Absolutely not. Those who believe that the July Revolution was an alternative Liberation War are making a profoundly mistaken political equation. Such a political equation can never be acceptable to the people. The July Revolution was, in fact, a struggle to fulfill the aspirations of the Liberation War.
What were the aspirations of our Liberation War? The dream was for a Bangladesh of equality, a Bangladesh free of discrimination, where every citizen would enjoy equal rights. In Seventy-One, unarmed Bengalis fought against injustice and oppression. Since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, the people of this land faced discrimination at every step. They were suppressed in all spheres of life. Their language was taken away from them. Against all these injustices, the citizens of this land gradually built an extraordinary movement. Seventy-One did not happen in a day. It was an accumulation of years of resentment and struggle. From 1947 to 1971, Bengalis had to endure numerous struggles, make immense sacrifices, and shed a lot of blood. The blood of Salam, Rafiq, and Barkat in the Language Movement of 1952, the sacrifice of students in the Education Movement of 1962, and the fearless martyrdom of Asad and Shamsuzzoha in the Mass Uprising of 1969—these all paved the way for the Liberation War of 1971. The fearless struggle and sacrifices of Bengalis in Seventy-One led Bangladesh to its liberation. As an independent and sovereign state, Bangladesh defeated the Pakistani occupation forces. In the past 54 years, Bangladesh has outperformed Pakistan in every indicator. Today, Pakistan follows Bangladesh. If anyone believes that the victory of Twenty-Four will take Bangladesh down Pakistan’s path, they are mistaken. The people of Bangladesh never make mistakes. If there is any such conspiracy, the common people will resist it.
The people took to the streets in Twenty-Four because the aspirations of Seventy-One were not fulfilled. If we neutrally analyze the mass uprising of Twenty-Four, we will see that its core demand was a Bangladesh free of discrimination—exactly what Seventy-One aspired to achieve. Our valiant martyrs sacrificed their lives for an independent Bangladesh, but we deviated from that vision. Bangladesh became a nation controlled by a small elite who monopolized all privileges and resources. Breaking free from such a situation was an expression of the spirit of Seventy-One. That is why Twenty-Four was just another struggle to fulfill the aspirations of the Liberation War. We have waged similar struggles repeatedly, at different times. The movement against autocracy in 1990 was also an outcome of the spirit of Seventy-One. Every fight for democracy and every movement against misrule in Bangladesh is part of the ethos of Seventy-One. The Liberation War remains the eternal source of inspiration for these movements.
One of our misfortunes is that those in power repeatedly attempt to reshape history according to their own interests. Every ruling party tries to rewrite the history of the Liberation War and create new heroes. This is unfortunate. The Liberation War of Seventy-One was a long struggle where everyone’s contributions are historically determined. Just as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the undisputed leader of Seventy-One, we cannot diminish the contributions of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, or A.K. Fazlul Huq. We also cannot ignore the declaration of independence by Major Ziaur Rahman on March 26. All of them were pioneers of independence.
Recently, we have noticed efforts to discredit the valiant heroes of the Liberation War. Ziaur Rahman was kept in political exile for 15 and a half years. His contribution to history was denied due to petty political rivalries. But history cannot erase anyone’s role. This is the biggest lesson of history. Ziaur Rahman was a fearless warrior of the Liberation War, who awakened the Bengali nation with his declaration of independence. Even Sheikh Mujibur Rahman himself honored Ziaur Rahman with the title of ‘Bir Uttam.’ Those who distorted history by undermining Ziaur Rahman are now being condemned, just as those who deny the contributions of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Tajuddin Ahmad, or the four national leaders will also be cast into the dustbin of history. History is unforgiving. It must give everyone their due recognition.
One thing must always be remembered—our Liberation War is our very existence. It stands above all. Independence is our greatest pride. There is no comparison to it. Without Seventy-One, Bangladesh would not exist. That is why we respect the July mass uprising. Those who gave their lives in the uprising are also our heroes. But they are not comparable to the martyrs of Seventy-One. Independence is above all. It is because of our independence that we strive for a prosperous, equitable Bangladesh. As Independence Day approaches, let us honor our freedom. Let the Bengali nation flourish in harmony, unity, and secular spirit.
Aditi Karim, Playwright & Columnist
Email: [email protected]
