Two slogans
When I look back to this day of victory in 1971 (16 December 1971), it flashes before my eyes hundreds of freedom fighters entering Dhaka City with arms up in their hands and Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu in their thunderous voices. But the slogan that contributed to the birth of this nation was let to sink into oblivion only after four years of our victory.
Joy Bangla was the slogan Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman began to utter at the conclusion of his speeches he made during the election campaign of 1970 across the country, from Teknaf to Tetulia and the people all over the country took the slogan by their hearts, as if it carried in their blood the eternal sense of belonging to their motherland, and they used that slogan, adding to it, Joy Bangabandhu to win the election as well as to win the ultimate victory.
Only a two worded slogan became the sharpest weapon. Bangabandhu concluded his historical 7th March speech with Joy Bangla, and the greatest ever gathering of people hearing his speech rent the sky in full throated slogan-- Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu. Until 25 March '71, Dhaka and the rest of the then East Pakistan had the tumultuous days of movements, meetings and processions and the people took it ritually to echo Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu. The slogans everywhere in festoons and walls worked magic and marvel to create passion, impulse, zeal, enthusiasm, determination and inspiration for achieving the ultimate objective.
The slogans had massive appeal among the freedom fighters who before each and every attack against Pakistani soldiers shouted them at the top of their voices and even before courting martyrdom the FFs loved to utter the slogans.
The Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra concluded each bulletin with Joy Bangla and Joy Bangabandhu. That the slogans are an emblem of our liberation and an inalienable part of our history should be known to the new generation.
With the assassinations of Bangabandhu and the four national leaders who led the liberation war movement, the damned killers and the men behind them replaced the slogan by Bangladesh Zindabad and also muffled our voice from uttering the name of Bangabandhu, the Father of the Nation.
But now with the verdict of death sentence to the killers, Joy Bangabandhu or Victory to Bangabandhu has come to stay for ever. An it is natural now to remember the appeal and glory of Joy Bangla.
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