Prof Anu Muhammad calls March 7 a pivotal event, warns against erasing history

Prominent economist and activist Prof Anu Muhammad has emphasized the historical significance of March 7, describing it not as an occasion belonging to any single political party, but as a pivotal moment of national unity and the beginning of Bangladesh’s struggle for freedom.

In a Facebook post today, Prof Anu Muhammad underscored that the speech delivered by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 7 in 1971 was not a personal address, but rather a reflection of the collective consciousness and determination of the people of Bangladesh.

“March 7 is not an exclusive day for the Awami League. The speech Sheikh Mujib gave that day was not his alone; it was the voice of a nation rising,” Anu Muhammad wrote in the Facebook post. He further elaborated that the strength behind Mujib’s historic words was drawn from the extraordinary unity and movement of people across all levels of society. “It was the spirit of unity from almost all political parties and groups, an awakening that spanned the entire country,” he added.

He went on to emphasize that the true commencement of the Liberation War began on March 7, driven by the mass movement that had been building up.

Professor Anu Muhammad acknowledged the critical role Sheikh Mujib played in the nation's history while cautioning against any attempts to erase or rewrite that history. “Mujib’s political character and his actions should be open to critique, but efforts to erase history must not be made,” he wrote.