PM: Bangladesh Must Never Again Be Reduced to a Subservient State

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday called for national unity, saying Bangladesh must never again be turned into a subservient state or have its independence, sovereignty and people's rights taken away.

He said this year's November 7 pledge should be to ensure that no one can ever undermine the country's sovereignty or deprive its citizens of their democratic rights. He also urged the nation to uphold the spirit of the 1975 Sepoy-People's Revolution.

"National unity is essential to fulfil this pledge. Considering Bangladesh's socio-economic, geographical and political realities, we must embrace the spirit of the Sepoy-People's Revolution to strengthen national unity," he said.

The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing a programme at the Army Stadium in Banani, Dhaka, marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day.

Tarique Rahman said the 1971 Liberation War, the November 7, 1975 Sepoy-People's Revolution, the 1990 anti-autocracy movement and the 2024 mass uprising against fascism had all demonstrated that the people of Bangladesh would never compromise on national interests, independence or sovereignty.

"Bangladesh comes first for its people," he said.

Describing November 7 as a day of immense significance and pride for patriotic, freedom-loving and democratic people, he recalled how soldiers and civilians united in 1975 to foil conspiracies against the country's independence and sovereignty.

Recalling the political turmoil of that period, he said conspiracies against Bangladesh reached their peak during the first week of November 1975. On the night of November 3, then Army Chief Lt Gen Ziaur Rahman and his family were placed under house arrest.

He said soldiers and ordinary citizens joined forces to defeat the conspiracy that began with the confinement of the country's proclaimer of independence.

According to the Prime Minister, the revolution defeated those who sought to turn Bangladesh into a dependent state, establish one-party rule by denying people their democratic and political rights, and undermine the dignity of the armed forces.

However, he said, the defeated forces did not abandon their ambitions and later regrouped to once again turn the country into a subservient state.

"The honour of the armed forces was undermined through the planned killing of military personnel at Pilkhana, while fascist rule was established by stripping people of their democratic and political rights," he said.

Tarique Rahman said those forces were defeated once again through the 2024 student-people uprising, which claimed thousands of lives and liberated the country from fascist rule.

He paid tribute to all those who were killed or injured during the prolonged movement against fascism and the 2024 uprising.

"The Liberation War of 1971 was fought to achieve independence, while the struggle in 2024 was to protect it," he said.

He drew a parallel between the two historic moments, saying that just as people from all walks of life took to the streets on August 5, 2024, soldiers and civilians had united on November 7, 1975.

The Prime Minister said subsequent history had demonstrated that November 7, 1975 played a defining role in shaping Bangladesh's future. Whenever the country moved away from the spirit of that day, he added, its independence and the sovereignty of its people came under threat.