Today is Victory Day, the most glorious day achieved through our long struggle for independence. Bangladesh accomplished final victory and forced the occupying Pakistani Army to surrender unconditionally on this day.
The day has returned with more glory and significance on the Golden Jubilee of independence. Today we remember the sacrifices of the martyrs with deep respect and love. We also remember the undisputed leader of Bengal, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at whose call people of all walks of life took part in the battle and liberated the country.
The people of Bangladesh were never united to such extent before 1971. The unflinching unity of the people made it possible to achieve victory against the occupying forces.
On that day, people not only fought to oust the occupying Pakistani forces, their goal was to establish a democratic state and a just society, where all the injustices of Pakistani rule will come to an end.
The state will be governed in a truly democratic manner by elected representatives. In that state, all citizens will enjoy equal political, economic, cultural and religious rights irrespective of race, religion and caste.
We achieved the primary goal of our liberation war through victory on 16 December. Bangladesh made its place as an independent and sovereign country in the world map. We have made great strides in the economic and social spheres in the last five decades.
Poverty has been significantly reduced while infant mortality and maternal mortality rate declined. Average life expectancy has increased, nutrition situation, healthcare and education facilities has improved. But not all people have yet reaped the benefits of the progress.
We could not achieve the political consensus and commitment required to establish a true democratic country. Democratic stability has also been repeatedly disrupted. Democratic institutions are getting weaker. Party rule has taken the place of rule of law, which affected the state and politics.
Parliamentary democracy prevails in the country for almost three decades, but the national parliament has not been the centre of politics. The fundamental spirit of the Bangladesh state is secularism, egalitarian society. We have deviated far from that. Civil liberties, freedom of expression and freedom of the press have been severely curtailed.
Some laws have been enacted which are an obstacle to the development of a free democratic society. Corruption and irregularities have increased at all levels of public administration due to the severe lack of transparency and accountability in the running of the state. Proper enforcement of the law to curb crimes could not be ensured. As a result, victims are being deprived of redress for various serious crimes including murder and rape.
50 years is not a short time for a nation. We need to retrospect into how much we have been able to fulfil those dreams and aspirations that inspired the people in the war of liberation, the dreams that were behind the sacrifices of 3 million martyrs.
We must not limit ourselves to mark the day through celebrations only but to bear the significance of the day in our heart. Everyone must work together to fulfil the dream of independence.