¯§„wZK_v / wbeÜ

Memoirs / Articles

59
60
 †KvwU gvby‡li Kɯ^i
Voice of Millions

fvB‡qiv Avgvi
†kL nvwmbv


My Brothers
Sheikh Hasina

61
 ¯§„wZK_v / wbeÜ
Memoirs / Articles
†im‡Kvm© gq`vb| mKvj †_‡KB `‡j `‡j †jvK
QyU‡Q gq`v‡bi w`‡K| MÖvgevsjv †_‡K gvbyl iIbv
w`‡q‡Q XvKvi c‡_| mKvj `kUv-GMv‡ivUvi
g‡a¨B Avgiv ïb‡Z †cjvg, gq`v‡b †jv‡Ki
Avbv‡Mvbv ïiæ n‡q‡Q| GKUv g ˆZwi n‡”Q,
LyeB mv`vwm‡a gÂ| gv_vi Ici †Kv‡bv Puv‡`vqv
†bB, ïay GKUv †Lvjv g ˆZwi Kiv n‡q‡Q|
cwðgw`‡K gyL K‡i gÂUv ˆZwi| c~e©w`‡K iv¯Ívi
cvk †_‡K GKUv wmuwo ˆZwi Kiv n‡q‡Q| gvVRy‡o
euvk cy‡u Z cyu‡Z gvB‡Ki nb© jvMv‡bv n‡”Q| hZB
gvbyl evo‡Q, ZZB nb© jvMv‡bv n‡”Q| gvBK hviv
jvMv‡”Qb, ZuvivI †hb wngwkg Lv‡”Qb, †Kv‡bv
K‚jwKbviv cv‡”Qb bv| KZ gvbyl n‡e? gvbyl
evo‡Q Avi Zuviv Zvi Uvwb‡q hv‡”Qb| AvIqvgx
jx‡Mi fjvw›Uqviiv LyeB Zrci| gvby‡li gv‡S
cÖPÐ GK AvKv•ÿv, †kvbvi A‡c¶v, Kx K_v
†kvbv‡eb †bZv| huviv Avm‡Qb, Zuv‡`i nv‡Z euv‡ki
jvwV, †bŠKvi ˆeVv I jwM| Zuv‡`i †Pv‡L-gy‡L GKB
AvKv•ÿv-¯^vaxbZv, ¯^vaxbZv, ¯^vaxbZv| `xN© †ZBk
eQ‡ii †kvlY-hš¿Yv †_‡K gyw³i AvKv•ÿv G
gvbyl¸‡jvi †Pv‡L-gy‡L| G gq`v‡b kwiK n‡q‡Q
me©¯Í‡ii gvbyl-bvix-cyiæl, wK‡kvi-wK‡kvix, QvÎ-
wk¶K, wKlvb-wKlvwb, †R‡j, Kvgvi-Kzgvi, ZuvwZ,
wiKkvIqvjv, †bŠKvi gvwS, kÖwgK-†Kv‡bv
m¤úª`v‡qi gvbyl N‡i †bB|
XvKv kn‡i GZ gvbyl †Kv_v †_‡K G‡jv? G
GK Af‚Zc~e© `„k¨, we¯§qKi wPÎ!
avbgwÛ AvevwmK GjvKvi 32 b¤^i mo‡Ki
evwo| wgicyi †ivW †_‡K cÖ‡ek Ki‡j, A_©vr c~e©
w`K †_‡K cwð‡g †M‡j cÂg evwowU| G
evwo‡ZB evm K‡ib e½eÜz †kL gywReyi ingvb|
†m evwowUI †jv‡K †jvKviY¨| mo‡K gvby‡li
Xj| †j‡Ki cv‡o moK, Zvi cv‡k evmv| †QvU
evmv| wbPZjv †_‡K †`vZjv ch©šÍ †bZvKg©x‡`i
Avbv‡Mvbv| G QvovI wk¶K, eyw×Rxex,
AvBbRxex, Qv·bZviv G‡Ki ci GK Avm‡Qb|
62
The racecourse ground. People had been
rushing to get there since morning. Those
living in the villages had started for Dhaka.
By 10 or 11 am we learned that crowds had
started to gather at the racecourse. A stage was
being prepared, a very modest one without
any canopy overhead, only an open platform.
It faced west. Stairs had been built on the east
side, next to the road. Loudspeakers were
being placed on bamboo poles dug into the
ground at different points all across the field.
The bigger the crowd grew, the more speakers
were put in place. The men who were setting
up the speakers seemed to be in a panic, they
could see no end to their task in sight. How
large was the crowd going to get? People kept
coming and the men kept setting up more
wires. The Awami League volunteers were
very resourceful. The crowd thrummed with
intense desire, a longing to hear what the
leader would say. They came carrying
bamboo sticks, boat hooks and oars, and the
same yearning on all their faces and in every
pair of eyes—freedom, freedom, freedom.
Freedom from the torment of twenty-three
long years of oppression. On those grounds
gathered people from all walks of life—
women, men, teenagers, students, teachers,
farmers, fishermen, blacksmiths, potters,
weavers, rickshaw pullers, boatmen, and
laborers—every community was present.
How had all these people come to be in
Dhaka? It was an unprecedented scenario, a
sight to behold.
A house on Road 32 in the Dhanmondi
Residential Area. The fifth building, if one
entered from Mirpur Road, i.e. travelled from
east to west. It was where Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman resided. That house,
too, was brimming with people. There were
people on the road as wll. The lake ran along
one edge of the road, with the house on the
other side. It was a small house. Party workers

mK‡jB e¨¯Í †bZv †kL gywRe AvR Kx e³e¨
w`‡eb, Zv Rvbvi Rb¨| mK‡j hvi hvi gZvgZ
w`‡q hv‡”Qb| A‡b‡K †jLv KvMR w`‡”Qb|
AvR‡Ki GB mgv‡e‡k Kx fvlY †`Iqv DwPZ Zv
wb‡qI Av‡jvPbv Ki‡Qb| †Kv‡bv †Kv‡bv Qv·bZv
G K_vI ej‡Qb, ÒAvR‡KB mivmwi ¯^vaxbZvi
†NvlYv †`b-Avgiv cÖ¯‘Z|Ó AviI ej‡Qb,
ÒGUv hw` bv e‡jb gvbyl nZvk n‡q hv‡e|Ó LyeB
D‡ËwRZ Zuviv|
ivR‰bwZK †bZviv Zuv‡`i gšÍe¨ w`‡”Qb|
wjwLZ KvMR †Zv GZ cwigv‡Y R‡g †Mj †h, Zv
cÖvq e¯Ív f‡i hv‡e|
wb‡Pi AwdmNi †_‡K e½eÜz †kL gywRe
Dc‡i †`vZjvq G‡jb| gv †eMg dwRjvZzb †bQv
GK Kvc Pv †jeyi `y-†duvUv im w`‡q AveŸvi nv‡Z
Zz‡j w`‡jb| ej‡jb, ÒZzwg GLv‡b em, Pv LvI,
Lvevi cÖ¯‘Z KiwQ|Ó †mLv‡b Avgv‡`i A‡bK
†bZv D‡V G‡m‡Qb, AvZ¥xq¯^Rb Av‡Qb,
Qv·bZvivI Avm‡Qb-hv‡”Qb|
mgq cÖvq n‡q G‡jv| gv †Uwe‡j Lvevi
w`‡jb| †ewk wKQy Avnvgwi Lvevi bq, evOvwji
mvaviY †h-Lvevi-fZ©v, mewR, fvRv gvQ, gv‡Qi
†Svj|
wZwb †L‡jb| mv‡_ hviv Dcw¯’Z wQ‡jb
ZuvivI †L‡jb| Gi g‡a¨ e³…Zv wb‡q Av‡jvPbv
Pj‡QB| LvIqv †kl n‡j gv mKj‡K ej‡jb,
ÒAvcbviv GLb gv‡V P‡j hvb|Ó
AveŸv‡K gv N‡i †h‡Z ej‡jb| cv‡ki NiUv
†kvqvi Ni| Avwg Avi AveŸv N‡i †M‡j gv
ej‡jb, ÒZzwg GKUz wekÖvg bvI|Ó AveŸv weQvbvq
ï‡q co‡jb| Avwg AveŸvi gv_vi Kv‡Q e‡m
AveŸvi gv_vq nvZ eywj‡q w`w”Qjvg| GUv Avgvi
me mg‡qi Af¨vm| gv GKUv †gvov †U‡b
em‡jb| nv‡Z cv‡bi evUv| cvb evwb‡q AveŸvi
nv‡Z w`‡jb| Zvici wZwb ej‡jb, Ò†`‡Lv, Zzwg
mvivUv Rxeb G †`‡ki gvby‡li Rb¨ msMÖvg
†KvwU gvby‡li Kɯ^i
Voice of Millions
and leaders were moving about upstairs and
downstairs. Teachers, intellectuals, lawyers,
student leaders were coming in, one after
another. Everyone was busy trying to find out
what statement Sheikh Mujib would make in
his speech that day. Everyone was giving
opinions. Many shared theirs in writing. They
were also discussing what speech should be
given at the rally. Some student leaders were
even saying, “Directly declare independence
today-we are ready.” “People will be
disappointed if you don’t,” they were adding.
They were incredibly excited.
Political leaders were sharing their
opinions. There were countless written
comments, enough to fill a whole sack.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib left his office
room on the first floor and came upstairs. My
mother, Begum Fazilatunnesa, handed him a
cup of tea with a few drops of lemon juice
squeezed in. “Sit here, drink your tea. I am
preparing meal,” she said. Many of the party
leaders had come upstairs, along with some
relatives; student leaders were also coming
and going.
It was almost time. Mother served lunch
on the table. Nothing too fancy, just the usual
Bengali fare—bhorta, vegetables, fried fish,
fish curry.
He ate, along with the others who were
present. The discussion regarding the speech
continued over the meal. When they had
finished eating, mother said to everyone, “Go
to the grounds now.”
She asked father to go to his room. The
adjacent chamber was their bedroom. When I
went into the room with father, she said to
him, “You should get a bit of rest.” Father lay
down on the bed. Sitting down next to him, I
started running my hands through his hair.
This was a regular habit of mine. Mother
pulled up a stool and sat down, a paan betel
leaf box in her hands. She prepared a paan
63
 ¯§„wZK_v / wbeÜ
Memoirs / Articles
K‡iQ, †`‡ki gvby‡li Rb¨ Kx Ki‡Z n‡e Zv
mK‡ji †P‡q ZzwgB fv‡jv Rv‡bv| AvR‡K †h
gvbyl G‡m‡Q, Zviv †Zvgvi K_vB ïb‡Z G‡m‡Q|
†Zvgvi Kv‡iv K_v †kvbvi cÖ‡qvRb †bB, †Zvgvi
g‡b †h K_v Av‡Q Zzwg †mB K_vB ej‡e| Avi
†mB K_vB mwVK K_v n‡e| Ab¨ Kv‡iv K_vq Zzwg
Kvb †`‡e bv|Ó
AveŸv K_v¸‡jv g‡bv‡hvM w`‡q ïb‡jb|
wKQy¶Y †PvL eÜ K‡i _vK‡jb|
mfvq hvIqvi mgq AvMZ| wZwb cÖ¯‘Z n‡q
iIbv n‡jb| AvgivI Ab¨ GKUv Mvwo‡Z gv‡V
†cuŠQjvg| gv evwo‡ZB _vK‡jb| †im‡Kvm© gq`v‡b
†cuŠ‡Q wZwb `„ß cv‡q g‡Â DV‡jb| GKbRi
ZvKv‡jb DËvj Rbmgy‡`ªi w`‡K| Zvici eRªK‡É
M‡R© DV‡jb : ÒfvB‡qiv Avgvi...Ó
GB HwZnvwmK fvlY hLb wZwb †`b, Zuvi
nv‡Z †Kv‡bv KvMR wQj bv, wQj bv †Kv‡bv †bvU|
†Pv‡Li PkgvUv Ly‡j †Uwe‡j †i‡L wZwb fvlYUv
w`‡jb, wVK †h K_v Zuvi g‡b G‡mwQj, †m
K_v¸‡jvB wZwb e‡jwQ‡jb| evsjvi gvby‡li g‡b
cÖwZwU K_v †Mu‡_ wM‡qwQj| Ô¯^vaxbZvÕ, G kãUv
ey‡K aviY K‡i wZwb †h-wb‡`©kbv w`‡qwQ‡jb, Zv
†`‡ki gyw³Kvgx gvbyl A¶‡i A¶‡i cvjb K‡i
weRq AR©b K‡iwQj| †kvlY-eÂbvi nvZ †_‡K
gyw³ †c‡qwQj|
¯^vaxbZvi EbcÂvk eQi cvi n‡q‡Q| G
fvl‡Yi Av‡e`b GLbI AUzU i‡q‡Q| c„w_exi
†Kv‡bv fvlY GZ `xN© mgq Av‡e`b a‡i ivL‡Z
cv‡iwb| mvZPwjøk eQi a‡i GB fvlY KZevi
Ges KZ RvqMvq evRv‡bv n‡q‡Q, KZ gvbyl
ï‡b‡Q Zv wK KL‡bv wnmve Kiv †M‡Q? hvqwb|
cÖwZ eQi 7B gvP© fvlY evRv‡bv n‡”Q XvKv kni
†_‡K cÖZ¨šÍ MÖvg ch©šÍ| ¯^vaxbZv I RvZxq
w`em¸‡jv‡Z gvbyl G fvlY †kv‡b, †cÖiYv cvq|
Z‡e 1975 mv‡ji 15B AvM÷ hLb RvwZi
wcZv e½eÜz †kL gywReyi ingvb‡K mcwiev‡i
64
and handed it to father. Then she said, “Look,
you’ve spent your entire life fighting for the
people of this country, so you know what our
countrymen need better than anyone else.
Those people who have gathered today, they
came to hear you. So you don’t need to listen
to anyone. Just say whatever is in your heart.
And that will be the right thing. Pay no heed
to what others are saying.”
Father listened intently to her words. For
a while, he remained lying with his eyes
closed.
The time had come to get to the rally. He
got ready and started off. We also headed to
the grounds in a separate car. Mother
remained at home.
Once he’d reached the racecourse ground,
father climbed on to stage with bold steps. He
spared a glance at the roaring sea of people.
Then, in his thunderous voice, he boomed,
“My brothers…”
When he gave that historic address, he had
no papers in his hands, no notes. Taking off
his glasses and placing them on the dais, he
delivered his speech, speaking just those
words that he had in his heart. His every word
pierced the souls of the Bengali people.
‘Freedom’—all the directions he gave,
holding that word in his heart, the freedom-
hungry people of the country followed to the
letter to earn their independence. Their
emancipation from exploitation and
deprivation.
Forty-seven years of independence have
since passed. The appeal in that speech still
remains intact. No other speech in the world
continues to inspire so many after so long.
Would it even be possible to count how many
times, in how many places, to how many
people this address was replayed in these
forty-seven years? It would not. Every year
on March 7, the speech is played from Dhaka
city to the remotest villages of Bangladesh.

nZ¨v K‡i mvgwiK kvmb Rvwi Kiv nq, wgwjUvwi
wW‡±Ui ¶gZv `Lj K‡i, ZLb G fvlY wbwl×
Kiv n‡qwQj|
ZviciI gywRef³ AvIqvgx jx‡Mi †bZv-
Kg©xiv †_‡g _v‡Kwb| G fvlY evRv‡Z wM‡q
A‡b‡K wbh©vZ‡bi wkKvi n‡q‡Q, g„Zz¨i †Kv‡j
X‡j c‡o‡Q, wKš‘ ZviciI G fvlY Zviv
evwR‡q‡Q, ï‡b‡Q|
†h-fvlY gyw³hy‡×i mgq iYv½‡b Ges
evsjv‡`‡ki RbM‡Yi †cÖiYv wQj, ¯^vaxb evsjv
†eZvi †K›`ª †_‡K eRªK‡Éi G fvlY gvby‡li
gv‡S kw³ RywM‡qwQj, iYv½‡b gyw³‡hv×v‡`i
†cÖiYv w`‡qwQj, †m fvlY wQj wbwl×|
1975 mv‡ji ci 21 eQi mgq †j‡M‡Q G
fvlY RbM‡Yi mvg‡b miKvwifv‡e cÖPvi Kivi
Rb¨| 1996 mv‡j evsjv‡`k AvIqvgx jxM ivóª
cwiPvjbvi `vwq‡Z¡ Avmvi ci miKvwi MYgva¨‡g
GB fvlY cÖPvi ïiæ nq|
AvR G fvlY Iqvì© WKz‡g›Uvwi †nwi‡UR ev
wek¦ cÖvgvY¨ HwZn¨ wn‡m‡e ¯^xK…wZ †c‡q‡Q|
RvwZms‡Ni BD‡b‡¯‹v †g‡gvwi Ae `¨ Iqvì©
ÒB›Uvib¨vkbvj †iwR÷viÓ-G e½eÜzi 7B gv‡P©i
fvlY AšÍfz©³ K‡i‡Q|
we Gb AvûRv m¤úvw`Z `¨ Iqvì©m †MÖU
w¯ú‡Pm kxl©K †idv‡iÝ eB‡q GB fvlY ¯’vb
†c‡q‡Q| †jLK I BwZnvmwe` †RKe Gd wdì-
Gi wek¦‡miv fvlY wb‡q †jLv DB k¨vj dvBU Ab
`¨ we‡Pm : `¨ w¯ú‡Pm `¨vU Bb¯úvqvW© wn‡÷vwi
MÖ‡š’I ¯’vb †c‡q‡Q e½eÜzi 7B gv‡P©i fvlY|
we‡k¦i weL¨vZ hZ fvlY wek¦‡bZviv w`‡q‡Qb,
meB wQj wjwLZ, c~e© cÖ¯‘ZK…Z fvlY| Avi 7B
gv‡P©i fvlYwU wQj m¤ú~Y© ¯^Ztù‚Z©, Dcw¯’Z
e³…Zv| GB fvlY wQj GKRb †bZvi `xN©
msMÖv‡gi AwfÁZv I AvMvgx w`‡bi
Kg©cwiKíbv| GKUv hy‡×i cÖ¯‘wZ| †h-hy× G‡b
†KvwU gvby‡li Kɯ^i
Voice of Millions
On Independence Day and other national
days, people listen to this address, become
inspired.
However, the speech was banned after 15
August 1975, when martial law was imposed
and military dictators seized power after
assassinating Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman, the Father of the Nation, along with
his entire family.
Yet this was not able to deter the Awami
League leaders, who loved Mujib. Many were
tortured, some even killed, for playing the
speech; still, they played it.
The speech that, during the War of
Liberation, was the source of motivation on
the battlefield and inspiration for the people
of Bangladesh, the speech in that thunderous
voice coming from Swadhin Bangla Betar
Kendra to give strength to people and inspire
freedom fighters in the warzone, that very
speech was banned.
It took 21 years after 1975 to officially
broadcast the speech to the masses. After
Bangladesh Awami League came to power in
1996, the speech started to be broadcast on
mass media.
Today, the speech is recognized as part of
the world’s documentary heritage. The UN
has included Bangabandhu’s 7thMarch address
in its ‘Memory of the World Register.’ It is
featured in the reference book, The World’s
Great Speeches, edited by B N Ahuja. We
Shall Fight on the Beaches: The Speeches
That Inspired History, a book on the world
greatest speeches written by author and
historian Jacob F Field, also includes
Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech.
All the famous speeches delivered by
world leaders were scripted and rehearsed.
Whereas the 7th March address was totally
spontaneous, extemporaneous. The speech
represented a leader’s experience with
prolonged struggle and his future plan of
action. A preparation for war. A war that
65
 ¯§„wZK_v / wbeÜ
Memoirs / Articles
w`‡q‡Q weRq| weR‡qi iƒc‡iLv wQj G
e³…Zvq-hv mvZ †KvwU gvbyl‡K DØy× K‡iwQj|
wQj fwel¨r Kg©cwiKíbv|
ÒN‡i N‡i `yM© M‡o †ZvjÓ, ÒmvZ †KvwU
gvbyl‡K `vev‡q ivL‡Z cviev bvÓ, ÒGev‡ii
msMÖvg Avgv‡`i gyw³i msMÖvg, Gev‡ii msMÖvg
Avgv‡`i ¯^vaxbZvi msMÖvgÓ- †Mwijv hy‡×i
iY‡KŠkj wQj G fvl‡Y| cvwK¯Ívwb mvgwiK
kvm‡Kiv cÖ¯‘Z †i‡LwQj Zv‡`i mgiv¯¿| Kx
e‡jb †kL gywRe Zuvi fvl‡Y, †mUv ï‡bB Zviv
Suvwc‡q co‡e GB gq`v‡b, Gqvi A¨vUvK Ki‡e
Ges ¸wj K‡i mg‡eZ gvbyl‡K nZ¨v K‡i Zv‡`i
¯^vaxbZvi AvKv•ÿv‡K wPiZ‡i ¯Íä K‡i †`‡e|
wKš‘ 7B gv‡P©i fvl‡Yi iY‡KŠk‡j evOvwj
RvwZ Avk¦¯Í n‡q mKj cÖ¯‘wZ wb‡Z Qwo‡q
c‡owQj MÖvgevsjvq, cÖ¯‘wZ wb‡qwQj hy‡×i|
cÖwZwU NiB cwiYZ n‡qwQj GK-GKwU `y‡M©|
cÖwZwU gvbyl n‡qwQj GK-GKRb †hv×v| Avi
GB fvlY wQj mKj †cÖiYvi Drm| Avi †m
Kvi‡YB GZ `ªæZ evOvwj weRq AR©b K‡iwQj|
Avgiv ab¨ev` RvbvB Avgv‡`i wgÎkw³‡`i,
hviv †m mgq `uvwo‡qwQj Avgv‡`i cv‡k|
†jLK : RvwZi wcZv e½eÜz †kL gywReyi ingv‡bi
†R¨ô Kb¨v I evsjv‡`‡ki cÖavbgš¿x|
66
brought victory. The blueprint for victory was
embedded in the speech that stirred the souls
of seventy million people. It was an action
plan for the coming days.
“Turn every home in to a fortress,” “You
cannot subdue the will of seventy million
people,” “The struggle this time is a struggle
for emancipation, the struggle this time is a
struggle for independence!”—the tactics for
guerrilla warfare were set in the speech. The
Pakistani military rulers had their weapons
ready. As soon as they heard what Mujib had
to say in his speech, they would launch an
attack on the grounds, carry out an air strike,
shoot and kill the people assembled and
forever silence their yearning for freedom.
However, the Bengali nation, reassured by
the war tactics presented in the 7th March
speech, spread out across rural Bengal to
make all necessary preparations for war. Each
home did transform into a fortress. Every
person became a warrior. And it was the
speech that inspired it all. And that is why the
Bengali people earned their victory so swiftly.
We thank our allies who stood by us during
that time.
Author : Eldest daughter of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the
Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
English rendering: Kazi Anis Ahmed