Bangladesh Awami League: A Triumphal March Through 76 Years of Glorious Legacy

Today marks the 76th anniversary of the Awami League—the preeminent political force in Bangladesh and the nation’s founding party.

With deepest reverence, I bow my head to this towering institution of our political heritage and to its illustrious architect, the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Like a massive book, history is narrating the legendary stories of the discovery, development and progress of mankind. As an ancient nation with a history of thousand years, the Bengali nation has had a glorious civilization and experienced misery and catastrophe. In those times, under the aggression and plunder of imperialism and colonialism, Bangladesh was once on the verge of national subjugation and extinction. To save the nation and to survive, on June 23 in 1949, as a new political party named Awami Muslim League was formed from a meeting of the supporters of Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Shamsul Haque and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Rose Garden situated in KM Das Lane, Old Dhaka.

In the history, 'Bangabandhu-Awami League-Bangladesh', these three names are immortal and indestructible. The history of independent Bangladesh and Awami League is based on one source. Awami League means freedom of the country, independent map, independent flag. Similarly, the name of history, tradition, success and achievement is Bangladesh Awami League. Today is the founding anniversary of Awami League, the beloved party of the ancient and traditional people of the country.

Since its establishment, most of the time has been spent in struggle. Killings, coups, conspiracies - the team has seen it all. 'Rose garden to Gana Bhavan' - a long history of 74 years. Language movement, mass movement, independence movement, independence war - the development of independent sovereign Bangladesh and all the subsequent achievements and prosperity of the country is covered by one name Bangladesh Awami League. And at the birth of this party, the 'dream of establishing an independent Bangladesh state' sprouted.

Awami League is the senior most political party of the country. It is the mainstream of Bengali nationalism. It is the image of struggling people. A caravan of hardworking people covered in the mud of Bangladesh. As in the past, the future of Bangladesh is inextricably linked with Awami League. Today is the glorious 74th anniversary of the establishment of Bangladesh Awami League, the oldest and traditional large political party of the subcontinent, born democratically on June 23, 1949, initiated by the motto of the liberation of the Bengali nation.

From independence to independence, transition from military dictatorship to democracy, the only political party leading the struggle for each achievement is the Bangladesh Awami League. This ancient and vast political party claims every achievement of the Bengali nation.

Awami League is the only party in the history of Bangladesh who has experience of running the government for the fourth term including three consecutive terms. Awami League, the party built by the father of the nation Bangabandhu, is running the state for the third time in a row due to the capable, wise, strategic and courageous leadership of the party's president and Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina.

The overwhelming public support and popularity of the Awami League, which has successfully moved the country forward with the platform of development, the political existence of the rival and opposition political parties is now facing a crisis. The opposition has lost the strength and support to stand up against the Awami League. Therefore, Awami League is really unrivaled and irresistible in the political arena. Bangabandhu gave independence, and his daughter Sheikh Hasina is building the golden Bengal of Bangabandhu's dream by working tirelessly.

However, a review of history shows that the party's birth was not a happy one at all. When AL was born, the-then Pakistani occupation government was scared. A new political party emerged by unanimously making Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani the president, Shamsul Haque as the general secretary and the imprisoned Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the joint secretary in the conference held under the chairmanship of Ataur Rahman Khan.

The party was named Awami Muslim League at the conference. The movement program of Awami League which started the next day on June 24 with a public meeting in Dhaka's Armanitola Maidan, has not stopped in 74 years. Bangladesh Awami League, a political party of soil and people, has been making a unique contribution to the formation of the country in the midst of many setbacks, sometimes in the opposition party, sometimes in the government.

Where does the Awami League stand today? On this day of the 74th founding anniversary, this question is for all Bengalis who believe in the spirit of the liberation war. Everyone agreed that there is no alternative to Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, she is the only alternative. Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina led the long movement-struggle in exchange of many tears, sacrifices and blood, the Bengali nation regained the 'right to rice and vote'; The democratic march began with the end of the long autocracy. Nowadays, the international community is increasingly turning its attention and focus on Bangladesh.

Direction determines the way, and the way determines destiny. Today, under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and efficient state management, good governance, stable economy, increase in agricultural production, dynamism in development, digital Bangladesh, expansion of education, ensuring health care, employment, increase in power generation, social safety net, food security, as a result of groundbreaking development in various fields including women's empowerment, Bangladesh has established itself as a self-respecting nation in the world. Already, Bangladesh has been promoted from a less developed country to a developing country.

The bearer of the thoughts of the masses. It was through the establishment of this party that the seeds of the Bengali freedom struggle cherished for a thousand years were planted. The commitment of the party's leaders and workers to the country's soil and people since birth, and the history of the glorious struggle of the Bengali nation against the Pakistani colonial rule begins with sacrifice. This team thrives with the unwavering love and support of the people.

As a result of which Bangladesh has crossed the territorial boundaries of the country and has been able to gain recognition as one of the largest and popularly supported non-sectarian, progressive, democratic, human welfare political parties of this subcontinent. Awami League, founded on the motto of independence, independence, culture, language, self-determination of Bengalis, has established itself today as a modern institution through scientific programs in the evolution of time.

The party was founded in Rose Garden under the name of 'East Pakistan Awami Muslim League'. In the party council held in Mymensingh in 1956, the party became non-sectarian by dropping the word 'Muslim' and naming it 'Bangladesh Awami League'. In a word, all the great achievements of the Bengali nation were led by the people's beloved organization Awami League, whose great hero was the great man of politics, the greatest Bengali of all time and the great architect of independent Bangladesh, the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

For more than half a century since its birth, the traditional party has survived with huge support of the people as the largest political party in the country. After its establishment, Awami League is taking the country forward on the highway of development by winning more than three-fourth seats for the third time in a row, breaking the record of history.

After the establishment of Awami League, the Bengali nation gradually moved towards independence under the leadership of this party through the great language movement, the election of the United Front in 1954, the historic six points in 1966, the popular uprising in 1969 and the elections in 1970.

It was under the leadership of this party that Bangladesh gained independence in 1971 through the armed liberation war. Bangladesh occupies its place on the world map as an independent and sovereign state. And the pioneer and unequivocal hero of these movements was Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the great hero of history. And since birth, in the last 74 years, from independence to all the achievements of the country, everything has come under the leadership of Awami League.

Awami League is the mainstream of Bengali nationalism. It is the glory of the Bengali nation that a great person like Bangabandhu, the father of the nation, restored the Bengali nation from the sands of biracialism, who embodied the truth of the thousand years of the Bengali nation's pursuit, meditation, knowledge of its vast cultural heritage. And liberating us from the distortions of nationalism combined with politics. Even in the next century or two, it is unimaginable that a great man, an epoch-maker like Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib will emerge. Therefore, the Bengali nation will remember Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the greatest Bengali of all time, with humble respect and gratitude on the auspicious birthday of Awami League.

An old verse says, the way ahead is long and has no ending; yet high and low I'll search with my will unbending. 74 years ago, the founding of Bangladesh Awami League enabled the Bengali people to embark on a bright way of national independence and liberation, start a magnificent journey to become a strong and prosperous country. Bangladesh will adhere to the common values of peaceful development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom for all mankind, and join hands with other countries in the world, in building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a better future.

Joy Bangla. Joy Bangabandhu.

Sent- In by: Anwar A. Khan

The writer is a freedom fighter and an independent political analyst who writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs

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