Staff Reporter:
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus yesterday said the spirit of Amar Ekushey inspired the country’s people to wage the July uprising aiming to build a ‘New Bangladesh’.
“The great explosive power to ensure the July Uprising was hidden in the commitment that was in the blood of Barkat, Salam, Rafiq, and Jabbar. After half a century, this great explosion became a mass uprising and changed the country,” he told the inaugural session of Amar Ekushey Book Fair here.
The chief adviser said this explosion instilled in their determination of building a ‘New Bangladesh’ and it was deeply rooted in the country’s 170 million people.
“We have come to take an oath on this commitment through this ceremony of Amar Ekushey,” he said.
On August 5 last year, Prof Yunus said, the historic student-mass uprising brought down a 16-year autocratic regime. “This unprecedented sacrifice of our brave youth has surprised the world. Through this victory, a vivid commitment to building a ‘New Bangladesh’ has come,” he said.
The chief adviser recalled with deep respect all the courageous students, masses and workers who laid down their lives and were brutally injured in the July uprising.
The uprising achieved through great sacrifice has brought this year’s book fair before the people with a new significance, he said, adding that the theme of this year’s book fair is “The July upris-ing: Rebuilding a new Bangladesh”.
Focusing on the significance of Amar Ekushey, Prof Yunus said Ekushey means facing one’s own identity and Ekushey means constant struggle.
“The perspective of this Ekushey has taken us to a new horizon,” he added.
The chief adviser said Amar Ekushey shows the people a path and it awakens all.
“The July uprising made the nation united to a historic depth just six months ago. Because of this, we found the courage to prepare to quickly rebuild a country devastated economically, politically, institutionally and humanly to its intended destination,” he said.
Prof Yunus said the student-people jumped in to transform the devastated Bangladesh into a new one and they made the impossible possible.
“Our young men and women, teenagers, painted their dreams, their aspirations, their demands on the walls of the streets with incredible determination. Our street walls have now been transformed into historical documents,” he said.
Congratulating the book fair organizers for beautifully presenting these murals at gates of the fair, the chief adviser said the book fair, organized by Bangla Academy, has become an integral part of national life.
Stressing the need for recognizing the contributions of Bangladeshi expatriates and expatriate workers, he said Bangladeshis are showing their achievements in various fields all over the world.
“We want to remember all of them on Ekushey. They all celebrate Ekushey remembering their country. They introduce their children as part of our family,” Prof Yunus said.
