Bangabandhu’s gift Constitution of Bangladesh is the document of rights of the Bengali nation: Prime Minister

Dhaka, November 3, 2023 (BSS) : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that within 11 months of independence, Bangabandhu gifted the document of rights to the Bengali nation, the long-awaited Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
In a message given today on the occasion of National Constitution Day tomorrow, he extended his sincere greetings and congratulations to all the citizens of the country and said, ‘In response to the call of the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the long twenty-three years of political struggle and the nine months of the Great War of Liberation ended on December 16, 1971. Within just eleven months of victory, the Bill of Rights of the Bengali Nation was adopted on November 4, 1972, the long-awaited Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister said that the Awami League won a single majority in the 1970 general elections under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib. In this election, the people of Bangladesh elected Awami League candidates in 167 out of 169 seats in East Pakistan out of a total of 313 seats in the National Assembly of Pakistan and in 298 out of a total of 310 seats in the Provincial Assembly elections. But since then Pakistan’s military junta indulged in conspiracies without handing over the responsibility of running the country to Awami League. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib called for non-cooperation movement with all the people of Bangladesh. On March 7, 1971, the Father of the Nation stood in the crowd of the Race Course Maidan in Dhaka and announced in a thunderous voice – ‘This time is our struggle for freedom, this time is the struggle for freedom’.
Referring to the brutal massacre of innocent and unarmed Bengalis by the Pakistani invading forces on the night of March 25, he said that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman formally declared the independence of Bangladesh in the early hours of March 26, 1971, before being arrested. The announcement was spread across the country through telegrams, teleprinters and the then EPR’s wireless. The announcement was also broadcast in the international media. During the freedom struggle, the Proclamation of Independence, 1971 was announced on 10 April 1971; Which is considered as the first constitution of the interim government of Bangladesh. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as President, Syed Nazrul Islam as Vice President, Tajuddin Ahmad as Prime Minister, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Kamaruzzaman as Ministers took oath in the first government of Bangladesh in Mujibnagar on 17 April. The war of resistance against the occupying forces began. The final victory was achieved on December 16 at the end of the bloody liberation war of 9 months.
Sheikh Hasina said, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib returned to the country on January 10, 1972 after being released from Pakistan’s captivity and issued the Provisional Constitution of Bangladesh Order, 1972 on January 11, 1972; Which is known as the second constitution.
He said, Bangladesh Constituent Assembly Order, 1972 was issued on March 23, 1972 for the purpose of drafting a complete and self-contained constitution. Under the said order Constituent Assembly was formed with members of National Assembly and Provincial Assembly elected in 1970 General Election of Pakistan. The Constituent Assembly is entrusted with the task of framing the constitution. In the first session of Constituent Assembly, a draft constitution drafting committee with 34 members was formed on 10 April 1972. In the second session of the Constituent Assembly on October 12, the draft constitution was presented to the Constituent Assembly in the form of a bill. On November 4, the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was adopted by the Constituent Assembly.
Recalling the day when the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was adopted in the Constituent Assembly, the Prime Minister said, “During his speech on the Constitution in the Constituent Assembly, the Father of the Nation said, ‘Mr. Speaker, today is the first day that seven and a half million Bengalis are going to get their constitution. It seems that for the first time in the history of Bengal, Bengalis are giving their own governance system. I don’t think, it is really the first time that the representatives of the people of Bangladesh are giving the governance for their country through people’s vote. He also said, ‘How many struggles have there been in this country for this regime. Today, part of the promise my team made was fulfilled. It is the rule of the people. If you don’t see, accept, or use any good thing, its results cannot be understood. If future generations can establish a non-exploitative society based on socialism, democracy, nationalism and secularism, then my life will be worthwhile, the blood donation of martyrs will be worthwhile’.”
The Prime Minister said, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s lifelong dream was to build a happy-rich ‘Golden Bangla’; Where equality, human dignity and social justice will be ensured. To realize this cherished dream of Bangabandhu, the Preamble of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh declared that one of the main goals of the state shall be the establishment of an exploitation-free socialist society in a democratic system where the rule of law, fundamental human rights and political, economic and social equality, freedom and justice are guaranteed to all citizens. will be
Pointing out that the father of the nation rebuilt the war-torn country after only 3 years, 7 months and 3 days in power, Sheikh Hasina said, with the help of friendly countries, he rehabilitated the devastated people, restored and developed the infrastructure, and put the manufacturing sector and the economy on a solid foundation. Stand up. During Bangabandhu’s tenure, the GDP growth rate exceeded 9 percent. But unfortunately for us, the defeated anti-independence forces illegally seized power by killing President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975. The politics of assassinations, coups and conspiracies began; Development progress of Bangladesh stopped.
He said, after long 21 years in 1996, Bangladesh Awami League won the people’s vote and got the responsibility of running the country. We are committed to the mission of changing the quality of life of the poor and marginalized people by introducing social security programmes. Make the country self-sufficient in food production. We established community clinics to provide primary health care to marginalized people of the country. We build shelters for homeless people by taking shelter projects. Strengthen the local government system. Make mobile phone and computer technology accessible. In 1996, we signed a 30-year Ganga water sharing agreement with India. In order to establish peace in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, we concluded the historic peace agreement in 1997. The 1996-2001 tenure of our government was a march from darkness to a brighter future by breaking all the chains of backwardness, underdevelopment and poverty.
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh Awami League has been consistently running the government since 2009 with the unwavering support of the people in all the national elections. We have already transformed Bangladesh into a developing country by implementing ‘Vision 2021’. We established ‘Digital Bangladesh’. We have brought hundreds of people under electricity service. By establishing sovereignty over the vast waters of the sea, we have opened the door to the Sunil economy. By implementing the land border agreement with India, we have put an end to the long-standing sufferings of the people of the enclaves. We have built Padma Bridge with our own funding. We have already inaugurated mega projects like Metro Rail, Elevated Expressway, 3rd Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under Karnaphuli. We launched Bangabandhu-1 satellite into space. We are implementing the Second Vision Plan ie ‘Rupkalp-2041’ for a period of 20 years. We are implementing ‘Bangladesh Delta Plan-2100’ for future generations. Bangladesh of 2041 will be ‘Smart Bangladesh’.
He said, ‘We believe in the philosophy of developing people’s destiny. In the progress of the country we are managing the state through immediate, short, medium and long term plans. Under the far-reaching and strong leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, the formulation of the constitution in a very short time to ensure democracy and the rule of law is very significant in the national life of Bengalis. It is my hope that the observance of National Constitution Day will play an important role in building the future of Bangladesh from generation to generation for the consciousness of our great liberation war and constitution.
The Prime Minister wished for the overall success of ‘National Constitution Day-2023’.