Independent Bangladesh The Immortal Legacy of Bangabandhu. For nearly four thousand years, Bengalis were subjugated by various nations. Their dream of independence was long-standing. It was Bangabandhu who nurtured the seeds of this long-cherished dream of independence, gradually inspiring the Bengali nation with nationalist consciousness through movements and struggles. He was the one who made the Bengalis realize that their only path to survival was independence.
Independent Bangladesh: With his political foresight and organizational activities, Bangabandhu consolidated his party, the Awami League. He united the people against Pakistan’s rule, oppression, and exploitation. Through propaganda, activism, and political struggles, he mobilized the oppressed and deprived Bengalis into a united front for the independence movement.
Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, endured 4,682 days of imprisonment in his political life for the liberation of the Bengalis and the independence of Bangladesh. He faced death twice. Yet, he remained prepared to make any sacrifice for the Bengali liberation movement, even embracing death.
Through his sacrifices and struggles, Bangabandhu proved that he was the only trusted leader of the Bengalis. His lifelong dream was to establish an independent, secular state free from exploitation and deprivation, along with a self-reliant and prosperous nation.
Bangabandhu’s sacrifices and struggles for an
independent Bengal have made him and Bangladesh inseparable. Whenever the name Bangladesh is mentioned, the compassionate face of the Father of the Nation appears in the minds of Bengalis and people worldwide. Those who fail to see it will never see it, as they still dream of returning this country to Pakistan’s ideology. They and their successors will always stand against an independent and sovereign Bangladesh.
Today, Bangabandhu and Bangladesh have become two sides of the same coin. Bangabandhu is synonymous with Bangladesh, and Bangladesh is synonymous with Bangabandhu. He is the guiding light behind the creation of Bangladesh. Although the Bengali nation has existed for thousands of years, it had no recognition as a distinct entity, nor did it have a separate state. It was Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who introduced Bengalis to the world as a distinct nation, giving them a sovereign state. This is why he is rightfully called the Father of the Bengali Nation.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time, remains an eternal beacon—a name that will shine across generations and throughout history.
messenger of Bengali liberation. Without him, the Bengali nation might not have gained independence, and the sovereign state of Bangladesh might never have been created. In 1947, British India was divided into two states—Pakistan and India. The land that is now Bangladesh became a part of Pakistan.
Within a year of gaining independence from British rule, the people of this land realized that they had fallen under a new colonial rule by Pakistan. Oppression, exploitation, and deprivation did not end but intensified.
In 1948, the rulers of Pakistan initiated a nefarious conspiracy to impose Urdu as the state language of Pakistan, disregarding Bengali. This sparked the awakening of the Bengali nation.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gradually and systematically led this awakening toward independence.
From the Language Movement to the Liberation War of 1971, it was an indelible chapter in the history of humanity. And the great protagonist of this chapter was the greatest Bengali of a thousand years—Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
It was Bangabandhu who first uttered the name “Bangladesh” with emotion and love. On July 29, 1949, at a conference of the East Pakistan Muslim Students League (now Bangladesh Chhatra League) in Narayanganj, Bangabandhu referred to East Pakistan as “Bangladesh” for the first time.
The passion for the Bengali language accelerated the independence movement. Bengalis shed their blood to protect the honor of their mother tongue. Although Bangabandhu could not physically participate in the 1952 Language Movement, as he was imprisoned at the time, he maintained communication with movement leaders through secret notes, guiding the movement from behind bars.
On August 25, 1955, in the Pakistan Constituent Assembly, Bangabandhu opposed the name “East Bengal” for this land and suggested it be named “Bengal” or “Bangladesh.” On December 5, 1969, at a memorial discussion marking the death anniversary of Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Bangabandhu declared, “The name of Pakistan’s eastern province will be ‘Bangladesh’ instead of East Pakistan.”
Soon after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Bangabandhu began envisioning the dream of Bangladesh’s independence. In January 1975, during the first meeting of the BAKSAL Central Committee at Bangabhaban, he stated, “I have dreamed of independence since 1947-48, but I moved step by step for 27 years.”
On February 5, 1966, Bangabandhu announced his historic Six-Point Plan. Often called the “Charter of Freedom” for Bengalis, the Six-Point Plan was essentially a blueprint for independence. Bangabandhu later confirmed, “Through the Six-Point Plan, I built you a bridge. Your duty is to cross over to the other side (independence).”
The 1970 general elections in Pakistan were held in December. On June 7 of that year, Bangabandhu declared that the upcoming elections would be a referendum on the Six-Point Plan. The people overwhelmingly supported it, which alarmed the Pakistani rulers. They tried various tactics to pressure Bangabandhu into abandoning the Six-Point Plan, but he remained steadfast. The Pakistanis realized that implementing the Six-Point Plan meant Bengali independence.
The essence of the Six-Point Plan was Bengali independence. On March 7, 1971, Bangabandhu delivered his historic speech, declaring, “Since we have shed blood, we will shed more. We will liberate the people of this land, Inshallah. This time, our struggle is for our emancipation! This time, our struggle is for our independence!”
Following this speech, the dream of independence burned in every Bengali heart.
Realizing that the Bengalis had found a leader like Bangabandhu, whom they could not suppress, the Pakistani government launched “Operation Searchlight” on the night of March 25, 1971, committing mass killings, arson, and brutal atrocities.
Assessing the situation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence in the early hours of March 26. Before his arrest, he announced, “This may be my last message. From today, Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh—wherever you are, with whatever you have—resist the enemy with all your strength until the last Pakistani soldier is driven out and final victory is achieved.”
After nine months of struggle, with the sacrifice of three million lives and the honor of countless mothers and sisters, Bangladesh emerged victorious on December 16, 1971.
The historic proclamation of independence by Bangabandhu on March 26 is enshrined in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. It was broadcast nationwide through the transmitter of the East Pakistan Rifles (EPR) and later relayed by the independent Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra (Independent Bangladesh Radio).
However, after the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu and his family on August 15, 1975, efforts were made to distort and erase this history. But they failed. The ideals of Bangabandhu are far stronger than any conspiracy.
As long as Bangladesh exists on the world map, as long as the history of its hard-fought independence is remembered, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will remain immortal—an eternal guiding light for the oppressed and the downtrodden.
Writer: Manik Lal Ghosh, Former Vice-President of the Dhaka Journalists’ Union and central executive member of Bangladesh Awami Jubo League.
