Dhaka, March 9 (NationPress) The Awami League of Bangladesh reported on Monday that multiple Dhaka University students and other individuals were subjected to physical assault and torture, followed by their arrest for playing the historic March 7, 1971 speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Criticizing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Tarique Rahman, the Awami League expressed concerns that the current administration appears to be emulating the path of the former interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, which saw a significant degradation of Bangladesh's historical narrative regarding the 1971 Liberation War.

The party claimed that treating the broadcast of Bangabandhu's iconic March 7 speech as a criminal act led to the detention of several Dhaka University students by police from the Shahbagh Police Station on Saturday. They further alleged that these students experienced abuse and mistreatment at the hands of radicals prior to their arrest.

The Awami League also noted that several rickshaw drivers were detained at the historic residence of Bangabandhu at 32 Dhanmondi—now in ruins due to militant attacks—for paying homage to the Father of the Nation at this significant site.

These individuals were subsequently presented in court on charges filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The party highlighted that many leaders and activists across various regions have faced intimidation and mob aggression for similar reasons. This raises a pressing question: does Bangladesh truly have a functioning government?

Emphasizing the importance of the speech that sparked the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistani forces, the Awami League stated, "The pivotal struggle for Bangladesh's sovereignty effectively commenced on March 7, 1971, and concluded on January 10, 1972. The conflict ignited by Bangabandhu's historic address on March 7 reached its climax with the return of the Father of the Nation to his homeland."

The party pointed out that in previous years, various military, civilian, and so-called "civil society" administrations in Bangladesh have attempted to erase March 7 from the national narrative. Nevertheless, they asserted that the spontaneous remembrance by the populace has only heightened its significance.

In October 2017, the speech was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as part of the 'Memory of the World' documentary heritage.

Condemning the recent "arrests and oppression," the Awami League affirmed, "As a historical truth, March 7 and the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, will always be remembered and will continue to shine even brighter. No falsehood or distorted narrative can suppress that truth."