Euro-Bangla Desk
Today is April 17, the historic Mujibnagar Day. An unforgettable day in the history of Bangladesh’s freedom struggle. On this day in 1971, the first government of independent Bangladesh was sworn in at Amrakanan (Mujibnagar) in the then Meherpur sub-division Baidyanathala. On the occasion of the day, there have been various government programs in the past years, but this time no program is being celebrated.
Mujibnagar government was formed with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as President, Syed Nazrul Islam as Vice President and Tajuddin Ahmad as Prime Minister. MAG Osmani was appointed Commander-in-Chief. This government led the 9-month armed liberation war and promoted Bangladesh as a nation in the international world, which led to this government being called the ‘House of Freedom’.
The place of oath taking was Baidyanathtala in Meherpur. The then Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad named this place as ‘Mujibnagar’. In the absence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, acting President Syed Nazrul Islam was given a ‘guard of honour’ by 12 Ansar members.
On 25 March 1971, after the brutal attack on the unarmed Bengalis by the Pakistani invading forces, the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh was officially formed on 10 April. Bangladesh became independent on December 16, 1971 through a 9-month armed liberation war under the leadership of the Mujibnagar government.
