Bangabandhu’s March 7 speech should be included in textbooks: HC

The High Court (HC) today observed that Bangabandhu’s historical March 7 speech, declaring independence of Bangladesh, should be included in textbooks for all students so that the youths can learn about its significance.

On March 7 in 1971, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered the speech at the then Race-course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan), inspiring the nation to go for the Liberation War.

In the speech, Bangabandhu called on the freedom-loving Bengalis to wage a decisive struggle against the Pakistani rulers.

During hearing a pending rule today, the HC observed that steps should also be taken so that the current generation hear the 7th March historical speech of Bangabandhu as they don’t know about it very well.

The court expressed dissatisfaction as the Shishu Park was not relocated from the Suhrawardy Udyan where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered the speech.

“The Shishu Park was established at Suhrawardy Udyan in order to damage the memories of Bangabandhu,” said the HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader.

The current government, which upholds the spirit of the Liberation War, has been in power for a substantial period, but the Shishu Park is still there, the bench observed.  

The HC asked the cabinet secretary to submit a report on the future plan of the government about Suhrawardy Udyan by February 11 and fixed that date for further hearing on the rule, Assistant Attorney General Md Saiful Islam told The Daily Star.

Following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Bashir Ahmed, another HC bench on November 20, 2017 issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to declare March 7 as a historic national day.