Mujibur Rahman Manju, chairman of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party, has said that many people ask whether 1971 and 2024 are the same.
"No, of course not. 1971 was the struggle for independence, while 2024 is the struggle to restore our independence and its achievements," he said.
He made these remarks while speaking to journalists after paying tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War at the National Memorial in Savar on Wednesday, on the occasion of Independence Day.
He added: "However, there is a strange similarity. In both cases, genocide took place, and in response, the masses took to the streets. That led to the birth of Bangladesh and brought us to a new era of expectations. Now, we face enormous challenges and pressures to meet those expectations."
He further said: "Our immediate challenges include restoring peace and order in the country. Then, we need to establish a justice system to hold those responsible for killings and enforced disappearances accountable. Third, we must implement the reforms we envision to transform the state. Lastly, we must ensure a free and fair election. If we can achieve these four goals, Bangladesh will move in the right direction, and we will be able to fulfill our dreams for independence and our aspirations for 2024."
At this moment, Mujibur Rahman Manju emphasized: "We must embrace new expectations and take a fresh oath. Independence Day is a moment for that. When our country was born, like a child, we had great aspirations. But over time, we lost many of those dreams, and we suffered from the pain of unfulfilled hopes. This pain accumulated, leading to the mass uprising of the 1990s."
He further mentioned: "After enduring a dark period of 15 to 16 years, on August 5, 2024, we entered a new era."
He also recalled: "In 1970, conspiracies surrounded the elections, and even after winning, the people of Bengal were not allowed to take power. Then, on March 25, a massacre was carried out, triggering a backlash on March 26, which led to a long, bloody nine-month war."
During the event, leaders and activists from various levels of the AB Party were present.
