A commemorative postage stamp on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Homecoming Day 10 January, 1972 :

Issued by Bangladesh

Issued on Jan 10, 2021

Issued for : On this issue, Bangladesh Post has issued a Commemorative Postage Stamp of denomination of Tk. 10, a First Day Cover of Tk. 10, a Data Card of Tk. 5.00 and a Special Canceller.

Designer : Mr. Sanjiv Kanti Das

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

No. of Stamp : 01 (One) Pcs

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination of Stamp : Tk. 10/- (Ten)

Size of Stamp : 32 mm x 48 mm

Perforation of Stamps : 12.5

Qnt of Stamps : 50,000 (Fifty Thousand) pcs

Process of Printing : Offset

Printer : The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Ltd., Gazipur-1703

About : 

• When the Pakistan Army in the dark night of 25 March, launched “Operation Search Light” against Bengali civilians, intelligentsia, students, politicians, armed personnel and started the worst, hellish and devised genocide of the 20th century, the Undisputed Leader of the Bengali (Bangalee) Nation, the Greatest Bengali (Bangalee) of all time, The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh through the wireless of the then EPR at the first hour of March 26, 1971. Right after the proclamation of independence Bangabandhu was arrested and flown to West Pakistan and kept in a prison there.
• After the proclamation of the independence of Bangabandhu, Mukti Bahini (the Freedom Fighters also called as Liberation Army and Bangladesh Forces) was formed. Indian and Bangladesh forces were put under a joint command structure led by Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora and this force came to be known as Mitro Bahini (allied force). Mitro Bahini provided training, arms, ammunition and combat tactics to freedom fighters. India joined the Bangladesh Liberation War on 3 December 1971, after Pakistan launched “Operation Chengiz Khan” (Pakistan launched pre-emptive air strikes) on North India. With air supremacy achieved in the eastern theatre and the rapid advance of the Indian and Bangladesh forces toward Dhaka, Pakistani Army compelled to take decision to surrender. On 16 December 1971 at the Ramna Race Course garden in Dhaka Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, Martial Law Administrator Zone-B and Commander, Eastern Command (Pakistan) surrendered to Lieutenant-General Jagjit Singh Aurora, General Officer Commanding in Chief, India and Bangladesh forces in the Eastern Theatre. On behalf of Bangladesh, Group Captain A. K. Khandker acted as witness to the surrender. Over 93000 Pakistani troops surrendered to India and Bangladesh forces making it the largest Surrender since Second World War. Under the indomitable, undaunted, persevering, courageous, brave and vigorous leadership on 16 December, 1971 a sovereign and independent state – Bangladesh manifested in the world map.
• The Government of Pakistan was forced to release Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on January 08, 1971 under immense international pressure. On January 08, early in the morning a PIA Boeing took Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to London. The President of Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto saw Bangabandhu off at the Rawalpindi airport amid safety. On that very day, Bangabandhu traveled to London on his way to Dhaka. There at a crowded press conference in his hotel in London, he spoke to the World Press and on January 09, met the British Prime Minister, Edward Heath. Prior to returning to Dhaka, Bangabandhu stopped over at Delhi, where the Indian President V.V. Giri and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi along with others welcomed with grace. When the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reached Dhaka on January 10, 1971 millions of jubilant citizens of the newest country in the World welcomed him with open arms, who were eagerly waiting for his return.
• The joy of this great victory and independence was incomplete, unfulfilled, imperfect, pale and melancholy in the absence of Bangabandhu who was then in a Pakistani prison. The joy of this great victory and independence became perfect and the nation’s expectations were fulfilled and the people of Bangladesh got the real taste of this great victory and independence with the home coming of Bangabandhu on January 10 in 1972 being get back Bangabandhu among them who being prisoner in the condemned cell awaiting hanging thought for the independence and liberation of Bangladesh which had manifested in his eloquence as in a news conference in London where he said “I was a prisoner in the condemned cell awaiting hanging. From the day I went into jail, I didn’t know whether I was to live or not. I was mentally ready to die. But I knew Bangladesh would be liberated.”
• Bangabandhu went straight from the airport to the Ramna Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan). At the Ramna Race Course Maidan he broke down in tears as he paid tribute to the millions of martyrs who had sacrificed their lives for freedom. There he addressed the people of independent and sovereign Bangladesh for the first time.
• Bangabandhu left behind an eternal legacy of strong personality like the Great Himalayas and emancipation and Independence. The legacy of Bangabandhu will live on forever.
• Narrator:
  Shafiee Billah Jabber
  Son of Martyred Intellectual Abdul Jabbar of Bangladesh Liberation War and
  Author of the Trust: Martyred Intellectuals’ Memorial Trust, Bangladesh.
  Editor and Publisher: The Daily Asian Express and Fortnightly City of Joy.
  

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