Light procession in Dhaka on first day of victory month

Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, Bangladesh Chhatra Union and Bangladesh Juba Union held a light procession and candle-lighting programme on the first day of December, the month of victory.

The procession began in front of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Monday, December 1, and ended at Shikha Chironton, where members of the three organisations paid tribute to the martyrs of the Liberation War.

Participants in the procession rendered mass songs broadcast by the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in chorus and chanted various slogans. Later, all attendees recited an oath.

A brief rally was held after paying tribute at Shikha Chironton, presided over by Mahmud Selim, acting president of the Udichi central committee. Speakers included Bir Muktijoddha Mokbul-e-Elahi Mashgul, a member of the joint guerrilla force of NAP–Communist Party and Chhatra Union; former CPB general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince; former assistant general secretary Mihir Ghosh; president of the Bangladesh Khetmajur Samity Dr Fazlur Rahman; Chhatra Union president Mahir Shahriar Reza; and Juba Union general secretary Jahangir Alam Nannu, among others. The rally was conducted by Udichi general secretary Amit Ranjan Dey.

Speakers said that after nine months of armed struggle and the sacrifice of countless martyrs, the Pakistani occupation forces were compelled to surrender on 16 December 1971, leading to the birth of independent Bangladesh. However, even 54 years after victory, various attempts continue to distort the ideals of the Liberation War. They said that any attempt to erase the spirit of the Liberation War, including the Constitution of 1972, would be resisted along with the patriotic people.

They further said that the spirit of the Liberation War does not represent a communal or fundamentalist state; rather, the struggle was waged to build a society based on equality, secularism and justice. The speakers said that the struggle of progressive forces will continue until the dreams of the valiant freedom fighters are fulfilled.