Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called for national unity to ensure no one can ever again turn Bangladesh into a subservient state or deprive its people of their rights.
In a message issued on the occasion of National Revolution and Solidarity Day on 7 November, the prime minister noted that 7 November 1975 was a defining date in the nation’s history, when soldiers and civilians united to defeat forces seeking one-party authoritarian rule, subservience, and the undermining of the armed forces.
Recalling the historical significance of the day, Tarique said the 1975 revolution clearly identified the friends and foes of Bangladesh.
Reflecting on the nation’s historical milestones, the prime minister highlighted a notable saying – “Those who remain preoccupied with the past are blind in one eye, while those who forget the past are blind in both eyes.”
He added that neither remaining absorbed in the past nor ignoring the lessons of history is wise, warning that both approaches constitute historical mistakes.
The prime minister observed that the defeated forces of 7 November 1975 later united under the banner of the Grand Alliance through a prolonged conspiracy to turn the country into a subservient state.
He noted that these forces carried out a planned massacre of military personnel at the BDR Headquarters in Pilkhana, undermined the dignity of the armed forces, stripped citizens of their voting rights and political freedoms, and established a fascist regime.
Tarique pointed out that after more than a decade and a half, Bangladesh was finally freed from fascism through a bloody mass uprising led by brave students and citizens, at the cost of thousands of martyrs.
Comparing key historical struggles, the prime minister observed that while the War of 1971 was fought to achieve independence, the struggle of 2024 was waged to safeguard the freedom of the country and its people.
He drew a parallel between 2024, when people from all walks of life took to the streets, and 1975, when soldiers and civilians similarly took to the streets to thwart conspiracies against Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty.
Tarique stressed that Bangladesh’s socio-economic, geographical, and political realities require the nation to embrace wholeheartedly the spirit of 7 November 1975 to preserve national unity.
He highlighted that the 1971 Liberation War, the 7 November 1975 revolution, the 1990 anti-autocracy movement, and the 2024 anti-fascist mass uprising were all driven by a single common aspiration – building a self-reliant, secure, and welfare-oriented state while ensuring all democratic and political rights of the people.
Commemorating the 1975 revolution, the prime minister urged the patriotic and democracy-loving people of the country to raise their voices with the slogan, “Neither Delhi nor Pindi, nor any other country; Bangladesh comes first.”
He wished complete success to all national programmes organised to mark 7 November and expressed hope that the revolutionary spirit of the day will serve as an inspiration and guiding force in building the Bangladesh of tomorrow.
