Liberation War was for Bangalee nation, not any party: Speaker

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad has said Bangladesh's Liberation War was a struggle for the survival of the Bangalee nation, not for any political party.

He said the East Bengal Regiment (EBR) played the leading role in the armed resistance that led to Bangladesh's independence.

"Had the East Bengal Regiment not started resisting the Pakistani military's genocide in 1971, this country would still have remained Pakistan," he said.

The Speaker was speaking at a programme titled 'East Bengal Regiment: History, Heritage and Emergence of Bangladesh'at the Retired Armed Forces Officers Welfare Association (RAOWA) Convention Centre in Mohakhali on Saturday.

Hafiz said the regiment's five battalions revolted independently and mobilised people across the country, inspiring widespread participation in the liberation struggle.

"The East Bengal Regiment is very close to my heart," he said, adding that he had proudly served in the regiment since receiving his commission and would remain proud of it for the rest of his life.

"I am now 82 years old. Looking back, I feel that everything happened according to God's will and destiny," Hafiz said.

He noted that he had never planned to join the Army, as he had been focused on football while preparing for the civil service.

Pakistan national football team official Major Mohammad Malik repeatedly encouraged him to join the Army, he added.

Initially commissioned into the Education Corps, Hafiz said he later transferred to the East Bengal Regiment on the advice of a senior officer.

He also recalled his first meeting with Major Ziaur Rahman at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul during a football match, saying Zia encouraged him to join the East Bengal Regiment despite reservations from some senior officers.

Referring to the political context preceding the Liberation War, the Speaker said the 1970 general election reflected the growing resentment of the people of East Pakistan over longstanding political and economic discrimination.

Recalling the events before the 1971 Liberation War, he claimed that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not declare independence before the military crackdown, while Ziaur Rahman's declaration later inspired people to join the resistance.

Describing the East Bengal Regiment as one of the Bangladesh Army's greatest sources of pride, Hafiz said its officers and soldiers were the first to revolt against the Pakistani occupation forces following their attacks on unarmed Bengalees.

He said the regiment not only resisted the Pakistani military but also organised freedom fighters during the Liberation War, inspiring Bengalees from all walks of life to take part in the struggle that culminated in Bangladesh's independence on December 16, 1971.

"The pivotal role of the East Bengal Regiment in our Liberation War is unparalleled and will be remembered for all time. The regiment led the Liberation War and remains a symbol of defending the country's independence and sovereignty," he said.

Liberation War Affairs Minister Advocate Ahmad Azam Khan, RAOWA Chairman Brigadier General (Retd) Md Abdul Hoque and senior retired armed forces officers, among others, attended the programme.

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