New generation must embrace Liberation War history: Health Minister

If the spirit of the Liberation War is not preserved among the new generation, the true values of independence will eventually be lost, said Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhavat Hossain.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a memorial meeting for BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member and freedom fighter Professor Dr Md Abdul Quddus at Shahbagh in the capital on Tuesday (July 21).

The Health Minister said the Liberation War is the most important chapter in Bangladesh's history. If the new generation fails to embrace this history and the spirit of the Liberation War, the nation will face great losses. He said many are currently trying to interpret the history of 1971 in the light of various other issues, which is not correct. Without the 1971 Liberation War and without the declaration of independence by martyr President Ziaur Rahman, the establishment of independent Bangladesh would not have been possible.

Recalling the horrific experiences of the Liberation War, the Health Minister said that during that time, various regions of the country, especially Hindu-majority villages, were subjected to brutal destruction. Countless villages were burnt down and ordinary people were subjected to savage torture. Recalling the horrifying incidents of violence against women, he said many women were brutally killed and their bodies were left by the roadside.

Recalling his own memories, the Health Minister said that while on duty in the Bilonia border area in late September during the Liberation War, he witnessed the tragic condition of a woman who had been tied up in a bunker and tortured for a long time. He alleged that Razakars were also involved behind such barbaric acts of torture.

He said it is extremely important to present the true history of the Liberation War to the new generation accurately, because if history is forgotten, the true significance of independence will eventually be lost.