A number of youths representing different groups or forums today said they find Bangabandhu's 7th March speech as a beacon to set their course and actions with the spirit of justified protest and justice.
"We can get the inspiration to make impossible thing to possible from Bangabandhu's epoch-making speech of March 7. It also inspires us not to bow down to any injustice," Bangladesh Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain said while talking to BSS.
He said the speech interconnected the nation's past, present and future as Bangabandhu mentioned the nation's history, heritage and struggle and the then suppression on Bangalee nation by Pakistani rulers as well as the nation's future dreams.
"March 7 speech is also a unique example of undisputed leadership and implementation of directives. Responding to the call of Bangabandhu, Bangalee nation started non-cooperation movement and thus jumped into the great Liberation War to free the nation from the Pakistani subjugation," he said.
Dhaka University Debating Society's general secretary Fouad Hosen said March 7 speech still remained and would always remain as a great source of inspiration to youths.
"It (the speech) encourages all not to tolerate any injustice or exploitation," said Hosen, a post graduate student of international relations.
He called the speech "time-winning" and said the speech visibly relieved the nation from a sense of fright and instill into them a spirit to jump into the Liberation War against the strong and well armed Pakistani occupation forces.
"His logical words and outstanding gesture mesmerized the nation . . . the speech united the entire nation," Hosen said.
Saddam, also a law student of Dhaka University, the speech simultaneously showed the ways to wage democratic movement along with drawing the blueprint for guerrilla warfare.
Citing Bangabandhu's remarks "Despite our majority, we would still listen to any sound ideas from the minority", Saddam said, Bangabandhu, in the speech, redefined democracy by giving the rational and justified ground more priorities in democracy over majority rejecting populist policy.
Saddam said formulating policies giving utmost priorities to the concern of majority has been becoming popular in contemporary politics which ultimately bring sufferings and suppression of minority concerns.
However, Bangabandhu, long before, set examples of giving priorities to justice over the populist political practice of serving majorities, he added.
Imran Shahriar, president of Jahangirnagar University-based recitation troupe Dhwani, said March 7 speech is very momentous to describe the significance and background of the Great Liberation War to the new generation.
He said without the landmark speech, it is not possible to realize in which context Bangabandhu uttered the words, ""The struggle this time, is a struggle for our liberty. The struggle this time, is a struggle for our independence."
The social, political and economic discrimination suffered by the people of East Pakistan in the long 24 years since the birth of the state of Pakistan, Bangabandhu presented an illustrated scenario of the discrimination in his historic speech on 7th March, said Imran, also an MBA student of Marketing Department at JU.
The significance of the March 7 speech is undeniable in making the young generation aware of the deprivation and discrimination inflicted on the people of East Pakistan by the West Pakistani military government, he said.
Imran said even after 52 years of independence, the significance of the historic speech of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 7th March has not faded a little bit.
"In the backdrop of the series of political agitations that took place on March 7 in 1971, finally that fury gave us the taste of freedom," he said.
"Our young generation is still inspired by Bangabandhu's 7th March speech. That speech of Bangabandhu transmits energy to the minds of all generations of youths," Imran said.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)