16 December 1971. From this day, Bangladesh started its journey as an independent country. The Pakistani invasion forces and their countrymen, Razakar and Albadr, did everything necessary to prevent a nation from standing up for independence. In such a situation, the responsibility of building the war-torn Bangladesh rests on the Awami League, which won the absolute victory in the 1970 elections by gaining the highest confidence of the people of the country. Along with that, Awami League showed incredible success in just 3 years to establish Bangladesh as a prestigious nation in the world.
Even during the long 9-month liberation war, Awami League formed the temporary Mujib government and carried forward the war of independence. To run an independent country, the people of the country needed a political party in which they could have full confidence. And the people of the country showed their confidence in the Awami League by voting in the 1970s elections.
After independence, on January 10, 1972, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned to independent Bangladesh after stopping his journey from London to Delhi. Bangabandhu gave a historic speech at the Race Course Maidan, surrounded by the love of millions of people, and gave an important indication of the future structure of independent Bangladesh. On his return, Bangabandhu devoted himself to the service of the country and took on the great challenge of creating a war-torn independent Bangladesh. Despite various conspiracies of anti-independence forces and internal terrorist activities within the country, Bangabandhu successfully reconstructed Bangladesh due to his honesty and extraordinary patriotism.
Bangabandhu undertook extensive rehabilitation activities in the post-war country. For this, Awami League leaders and workers relief and rehabilitation committee was formed at all levels. Housing facilities for the homeless, emergency cash, food assistance, financial assistance to start education programs, provision of shelter to orphaned women in sub-district headquarters, provision of clean water, restoration of destroyed communication systems, rehabilitation of war-victims. People with professions like farmers, blacksmiths, potters, weavers, fishermen etc. are given livelihood support. So that they can continue their respective professions. The interesting thing is that all the activities that were undertaken or planned to be undertaken under the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at that time, are still being managed by Bangabandhu’s worthy daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Inspite of the fragile post-war situation, the country has taken initiatives to provide 60% more electricity every month than in 1969-70. By formulating five-year plan, per capita income is set to increase by 2.5 percent and GDP by 5.5 percent. During the financial year 1974-75 jute and jute products were exported in significant quantities to Egypt, Germany, Myanmar and Sudan. This progress of a war-torn country in just three and a half years was an unimaginable event. Facing all the obstacles, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his party Awami League were moving forward with the goal of building a golden Bangladesh. During his three-and-a-half-year rule, Bangabandhu gained recognition from 116 countries and membership of 27 international organizations. He brought the agricultural economy into a framework and took initiatives in the development as well as the establishment of industry.
According to state experts, the conspiracy against Bangabandhu and his assassination is considered to be one of the reasons for the post-war development of Bangladesh under his leadership. Because when Pakistan emptied the country’s reserves before December 16, killed intellectuals and destroyed most of the country’s roads, railways and waterways, it was quite clear from the words of various Pakistani media and activists that Bangladesh was going to be a failed state under the leadership of Bangabandhu. But in just 3 years the development of Bangladesh stopped their such statements. Even Henry Kissinger, who participated in the conspiracy against Bangabandhu at that time, did not take this development of Bangladesh well. And as part of making Bangladesh a failed state, Bangabandhu and most of his family members and relatives were brutally killed on the last night of August 15, 1975. And through this, the progress of the development of a newly independent country is stopped. Which gained speed again in 1996 after the country’s traditional party Awami League came to power.