DHAKA, Nov 14, (V7N) - Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad Bir Bikram stated today that the sons of Bangladesh are more courageous and braver than those of any other nation in the world, noting that members of the armed forces have never hesitated to sacrifice their lives whenever the motherland needed them.
Speaking as the chief guest at a 'Veterans Day' programme organised by the Retired Armed Forces Officers Welfare Association (RAOWA) at the RAOWA Convention Centre in the capital today, Hafiz Uddin—himself a founding member of the association—described serving in the armed forces and holding RAOWA membership as matters of immense pride, calling his eight years in uniform the best years of his life.
Recalling the Great Liberation War of 1971, the Speaker noted that five battalions of the East Bengal Regiment first revolted across five army cantonments, though the history of the war was distorted immediately after independence and the regiment's contributions were denied. He also paid tribute to ordinary citizens who took up arms to fight for the country's freedom despite having no formal military training.
Reflecting on more recent history, Hafiz Uddin remarked that the past 15 years were marked by misrule, and praised the heroic courage demonstrated by students and citizens during the 2024 mass uprising—specifically recalling Abu Sayeed standing defiantly before levelled bayonets—while acknowledging the supportive role played by the armed forces during the movement. Emphasising that the Liberation War was fought to establish democracy, he asserted that there is no alternative to democratic governance for the nation's progress.
Retired armed forces personnel, former soldiers and officers of the East Bengal Regiment, and other distinguished guests attended the event.
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