Poets were the voice of resistance after Bangabandhu’s murder: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said poets and reciters were most vocal against the ban on politics after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"After August 15, 1975, when political activities were not possible at all, the language of protests was poetry and people were inspired by words," she said.
She also pointed out that nothing else can inspire people to protest as much as poetry, songs, drama and culture in general.
The premier made these remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of "Bangabandhu National Recitation Festival 2020-2022" and awarding Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib National Recitation Medal 2020-22 as the chief guest.
She joined the function held at Shilpakala Academy in the capital virtually from her official residence Gono Bhaban.
"We have been attacked many times, but Bangalees did not sit idle, rather they protested every time," she said, adding, "… whatever poets, artists, writers, reciters had given us, those are our resources."
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni also spoke as special guests on the occasion.
After the assassination of Father of the Nation, the prime minister said, poets and reciters of this country contributed the most to each movement. She expressed her profound gratitude to everyone in this connection.
Without mentioning names, Sheikh Hasina said many people at that time had written, performed in drama, authored literature, printed books, and even had to be arrested for staging protest "but they didn't stop".
Referring to the infallible power of poetry, she said, "When we started the movement against dictatorship, we saw many plays, poems and recitations as a form of protest."
She, however, said there had been many obstacles and the poetry festival of that time had to be organised through many barriers.
Sheikh Hasina said the nation witnessed the first blow on its culture and language soon after the emergence of Pakistan and so, the struggle for making Bangla as a state language started in 1948.
Mentioning the leading role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Language Movement, she said the great leader, who was then a law student of Dhaka University, protested the attacks on Bangla language, formed Chhatra League and Bhasha Shongram Parishad taking student leaders and Tamaddun Majlish, and called for the movement.
She said Bangabandhu with many others were incarcerated during the March 11 strike in 1948.
Citing the great verses -- "The struggle this time is a struggle for emancipation, the struggle this time is a struggle for independence" -- of Bangabandhu's March 7 Speech, she said the historic speech is timeless poetry.
On the inaugural day of the five-day poetry festival organised by Bangladesh Recitation Coordination Council, the two special guests on behalf of the prime minister handed over "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib National Recitation Medal 2020-22".
Eminent drama personality and President of Bangladesh Recitation Coordination Council Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, presided over the function.