Bangladesh observed its 55th Independence Day on Wednesday, with renewed calls to realize the spirit of 1971.
The struggle for equality, human dignity, and social justice that fueled the Liberation War remains a driving force in the nation’s ongoing movements. Following the mass uprising of 2024, the aspirations of 1971 once again took center stage, as political leaders, activists, and citizens alike echoed the demand for true freedom and justice.
Floral tributes at National Martyrs' Memorial
At the first light of the day, at 5:43am, President Mohammed Shahabuddin entered the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar. He first paid tribute by placing flowers at the central altar of the memorial. At 6:05am, he left the premises.
Then, at 6:07am, the chief adviser of the interim government, Dr Muhammad Yunus, arrived at the memorial. After paying his respects at the martyrs' altar, he departed at 6:15am.
Following the departure of the president and the chief adviser, the memorial was opened to the general public. A massive crowd of citizens flooded the memorial grounds to honor the nation’s brave martyrs with floral tributes.
From children to the elderly, people of all ages gathered at the National Memorial. Officials and employees from government, semi-government, private institutions, and educational organizations paid their respects to the martyrs with banners and festoons.
The general public also paid their tributes, filling the martyr’s altar with flowers.
Many wounded freedom fighters came to pay their respects as part of the Independence Day celebrations. Many of them carried the red and green victory flag in their hands.
Political voices and calls for reform
Leaders and activists from various political parties also laid floral tributes one after another.
The finance adviser, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, said: “The goal of 1971 and 2024 was to ensure the livelihoods of the common people. Everyone must play their part in achieving this.”
Asif Mahmud, adviser for the Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the Ministry of Local Government, said: “’71 gave birth to the nation, and we achieved independence—a hard-earned, bloody independence. We believe that the mass uprising of ‘24 has preserved that independence.”
A similar sentiment was expressed by Mohammed Mojibur Rahman Bhuiyan Monju, chairman of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party. He said: “Some say, is ‘71 the same as ‘24? No, certainly not. ‘71 was the struggle for independence, while ‘24 is the struggle to restore our independence and its achievements.”
Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), remarked: “The mass uprising of ‘24, our struggle of ‘71, and our fight for freedom in ‘47—all these struggles reflect our desire for an independent, sovereign state with human dignity. The mass uprising has now created an opportunity and a possibility for that. The independence of ‘71 and the independence of ‘24 are not contradictory—we are continuing in that legacy.”
Bazlur Rashid Firoz, general secretary of the Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BaSaD), said: “‘71 was the first phase of the Liberation War. Now, we are fighting the second phase.”
Regarding the ongoing concern over divisive politics in the country, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas commented: “If ever the time comes when we need national unity to protect independence and sovereignty, we will all unite. There is no doubt about that. Right now, we may be speaking separately due to party ideologies and interests, but when the need arises, the people of Bangladesh will come together.”
The same view was expressed by Syeda Rizwana Hasan, the interim government’s environment adviser. She said: “There is no alternative to reaching a consensus on necessary reforms for the welfare of the people.”
Meanwhile, Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir alleged: “For the past 15 and a half years, the history of the Liberation War was one-sided. A similar tendency has been observed after the mass uprising of ‘24.”
On the other hand, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Ganosamhati Andolon welcomed the reform initiatives while calling for a swift move towards elections.
Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of the Ganosamhati Andolon, said: “We have repeatedly said that there are many areas that need reform. Some can be implemented before the election through executive orders. But there are fundamental structural reforms that must be carried out by elected representatives. Changing the constitution without elected representatives is extremely difficult.”
Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), emphasized the urgency of elections, saying: “If good reforms are made, then why wait until December? We believe elections can be held even before that.”
Notably, no presence or activity of the Jamaat-e-Islami was observed at the National Martyrs' Memorial on this day.
The observance of Independence Day at the National Memorial in Savar was also marked by multiple untoward incidents. A clash between two factions of the Jatiotabadi Swechasebak Dal left at least two people injured.
Additionally, a group carrying red flags held a procession in support of the Awami League. At that time, the gathered crowd chased them away and assaulted several individuals. Later, the police intervened and detained three people from the scene.
Additional Superintendent of Police of Dhaka Shahinur Kabir said that around 11am, a group of five to six individuals attempted to destabilize Independence Day by chanting provocative slogans at the National Memorial. "Ashulia police detained them in response to these allegations."
While there was a large crowd until 10am, attendance gradually declined afterward.
The official events concluded with the closure of the memorial gates at 5pm. Throughout the day, approximately 4,000 police officers were deployed to ensure security.
