Elderly participants recall 1975 uprising, chant pro-Zia slogans at rally.
The slogans 'Long Live the Sepoy Revolution, Long Live General Zia' echoed through the streets of Nayapaltan in the capital today, reviving memories of the events of November 7, 1975.
A historic rally marking National Revolution and Solidarity Day turned Nayapaltan and its adjoining areas into a sea of people, with thousands of BNP leaders, activists and ordinary citizens joining the programme.
BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the rally.
Amid the party slogans and anti-fascist chants, a group of elderly people in front of Jonaki Cinema Hall caught BSS's attention. They were chanting slogans recalling the Sepoy Revolution and the role of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.
'Sepoys and people are brothers, we want Zia's release' and 'Long Live the Sepoy Revolution, Long Live General Zia' were among the slogans they chanted.
BSS approached the person leading the chants. Introducing himself as Humayun Kabir, he said he is now 74 years old. Despite his age, he appeared fit and energetic.
Humayun said he had lived in Shahbagh in 1975 and still resides there. He was deeply concerned about the political developments following August 1975, particularly the events of November that year.
The uprising began in Dhaka Cantonment on the night of November 6 and continued into the early hours of November 7. Before the uprising, then Army Chief Ziaur Rahman had been placed under house arrest amid a period of political and military uncertainty.
Humayun said he had developed deep respect for Ziaur Rahman because of his role in the Liberation War and his subsequent military career.
"Although I was young at the time, I knew about Ziaur Rahman's contributions to the Liberation War, his role as the proclaimer of independence, his position as a sector commander and his becoming the Army chief. I had also heard about him from my father and uncles. This had created a sense of respect for Ziaur Rahman," he said.
On November 7, rebellious soldiers went to Ziaur Rahman's residence and freed him from house arrest. Soldiers and civilians subsequently took to the streets of Dhaka, creating an unprecedented scene.
Humayun said he and many of his classmates from Shahbagh joined the processions that day. They climbed onto army tanks, chanted slogans and enthusiastically accompanied the soldiers as the tanks moved through the streets.
"The scene that day was unprecedented. Many people do not know this history. The younger generation must be informed of the correct history," he said.
The slogans of November 7 became a defining feature of the uprising. 'Sepoys and people are brothers' and 'Long Live General Ziaur Rahman' echoed through the cantonment and the streets of the capital. Soldiers also chanted 'Nara-e-Takbir, Allahu Akbar' and demanded Ziaur Rahman's release.
As news of the uprising spread, ordinary people joined the soldiers on the streets. They climbed onto tanks, hoisted the national flag and chanted slogans against hegemony.
The rebellious soldiers eventually reached Ziaur Rahman's residence and freed him from house arrest.
The uprising brought an end to the military coup initiated on November 3 under the leadership of Khaled Mosharraf. The events also reflected growing discontent within the army and the wider political tensions prevailing in the country at the time.
Following his release, Ziaur Rahman began speaking directly with soldiers in the cantonment from November 8, emphasising the need to restore discipline and the chain of command in the army.
That afternoon, he addressed soldiers of the 4th Bengal Regiment near their lines at Dhaka Cantonment. Most of the soldiers present were armed. He firmly instructed them to surrender their weapons and return to their respective barracks, while assuring them that their legitimate demands would be addressed.
The slogans of November 7 were not merely expressions of anger or demands for Ziaur Rahman's release. They also reflected the solidarity between soldiers and civilians, as well as the political and military tensions surrounding the change of power.
From 'Sepoys and people are brothers' to 'Long Live General Zia', the chants captured the aspirations, unrest and political sentiments of the time. The events remain a significant chapter in Bangladesh's political history and are commemorated as National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
Humayun said many of his classmates who had joined the processions alongside soldiers that day, including himself, were no longer alive.
He added that his classmates Rahim Uddin and Sharif Mia, along with several BNP supporters from the Shahbagh area, had joined him at today's observance.
"I knew that the BNP would observe National Revolution and Solidarity Day with importance this year. So, despite my age, I came to the rally and gathering, driven by emotion, respect for history and remembrance of the sacrifices of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman," he said.
