‘Implementing’ Pak ideology? Bangladesh cancels all national days tied to Liberation War and Mujibur

DHAKA: In a controversial move seen as an attempt to implement Pakistani ideology in the country, Bangladesh’s interim govt, led by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus, has decided to cancel eight National Days, including the March 7 and Aug 15 celebrations which are associated with the country’s Liberation War spearheaded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This decision, viewed as an attack on the spirit of the 1971 War of Independence, has sparked widespread criticism from various quarters.
The decision was taken by the council of advisers in a recent meeting but there was no briefing on this.However, it was stated on Wednesday on Yunus’s verified Facebook page that the cabinet would soon issue a gazette notification in this regard.
Awami League said on its verified Facebook page: “The illegal Yunus govt wants to erase everything related to the history of the birth of Bangladesh by pressing the reset button.” Awami League described the decision as “audacity”, suggesting it was part of a broader effort to promote Pakistani ideology in Bangladesh. It accused the interim govt of systematically dismantling historical symbols, citing the removal of murals and sculptures of Bangabandhu on Aug 5.
According to the party, the decision to cancel the March 7 national holiday, a date that marks Sheikh Mujib’s iconic speech that galvanised the people to fight for independence, was motivated by an ideological rejection of Mujib’s role in the nation’s founding. Similarly, the cancellation of Aug 15 as National Mourning Day is seen as an attempt to downplay the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family.
The interim govt also targeted other national days connected to Bangladesh’s history of independence. These include the cancellation of March 17 as the Father of the Nation’s birthday and National Children’s Day, and Nov 4 as Constitution Day, which celebrates the aspirations of the Liberation War.
Govt does not recognise Sheikh Mujib as the “Father of Nation”, Awami League said. Instead, it now celebrates the birthday of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, it added. Awami League called upon the people to vocally protest against the “illegal” actions and the erasure of national history.
People from all walks of life expressed displeasure over the remarks of adviser (posts, telecom and IT) Nahid Islam, who said the interim govt does not recognise Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as “Father of Nation”. “Our history didn’t begin in 1952. We have anti-British struggles in 1947, then in 1971, 1990, and now in 2024. We have many founding fathers, and our freedom came through their collective struggles,” he said.