7 March Speech to be translated into ethnic group’s languages

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during his historic 7 March speech. Photo: Collected
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during his historic 7 March speech. Photo: Collected

Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) affairs minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing on Tuesday said the historic 7 March (1971) speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will be translated into Chakma, Marma and Tripura languages on the occasion of ‘Mujib Year’.

The minister revealed the information at a preparatory meeting of the ministry and all government agencies under the concerned ministries as the chief guest at his secretariat office in the capital on the occasion of birth centenary of Bangabandhu.

Along with those three languages, the English and Bengali versions of the historic 7 March speech of Bangabandhu will also be available during the ‘Mujib Borsho’ (Mujib Year), the minister said.

The ministry has taken various programs throughout the year to mark the Mujib Year, he said, adding that the programmes include planting of 500,000 saplings in three hill districts, organising Bangabandhu Parbatya Mela, mountaineering in an unnamed range in the Himalayan province and naming it after Bangabandhu.

The ministry has also taken programmes of the inauguration of the 71-feet Bangabandhu Mural at Betbunia satellite centre, Rangamati, ‘Tour-De CHT Mountain Biking’ and making a smart village on CHT areas, he added.

In the light of the national programme marking the birth centenary, he said, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council under the ministry and three Hill District Councils – Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachari – will organise seminars, cultural events, art and sports competitions on the Bangabandhu’s life and works.

Ministry’s secretary Md. Mesbahul Islam presided over the meeting while additional secretary Sudatta Chakma and senior officials of the three hilly district councils were also present, among others, on the occasion.