Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said no one will be able to erase the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the hearts of Bangalees.

"Bangabandhu isn’t amongst us. As long as Bangladesh remains, not only Bangladesh but also the entire world will recall forever his contributions. He (Bangabandhu) is immortal, eternal and everlasting and will remain forever in the hearts of Bangalees. No one will be able to erase his name," she said.

The Awami League chief was addressing a seminar titled 'Bangabandhu's 7th March Speech: Philosophy of Change in State and Social Structure' held at the Krishibid Institution, Bangladesh in Dhaka.

Recalling the glorious contributions of Bangabandhu to the country's struggle for freedom and independence, she said each and every step of Bangabandhu was very well-planned and farsighted whereby the nation could gain victory through the War of Liberation.

Terming Bangabandhu‘s historic 7th March speech a 'certificate of freedom' of the Bangalee nation, Hasina said he had also great contributions to the Language Movement which she alleged many had tried to erase.

Referring to various interviews given by Bangabandhu on various occasions before the War of Liberation, she said he had never wanted to be separatists as he had always said the majority of a nation could never be separatists. "Independence had always been in his (Bangabandhu's) mind, but he had never uttered it publicly for some certain reasons," she added.

The Prime Minister said the killers of Bangabandhu had poisoned people’s minds through various propagandas against the great leader as if he had committed a great crime helping a new nation to emerge.

She lamented that Bangladesh which could have moved ahead in the global arena keeping its head high after the hard-fought victory in the War of Liberation got its image tarnished and the Bengalees were identified as assassins through the August 15 incident.

Mentioning that the playing of the Bangabandhu's historic 7th March speech had been banned after the 1975, Hasina said many AL and BCL leaders and workers even had to lay down their lives for playing the speech. "It seemed that the victory of Bengalees and the creation of Bangladesh were a crime and ill-efforts were there to confuse our generations after generations through erasing the name of Bangabandhu forever, distorting the history and thus creating a own artificial history," she noted.

An eyewitness to the historic speech, Hasina said Bangabandhu had nicely described the deprivation of the Bangalee nation as well as the history of blood-shedding starting from the Language Movement.

"Bangabandhu had also given directives as what should be done in the near future and a certain preparation for a guerrilla war," she said adding that perhaps no country in the world could have waged such a successful non-cooperation movement of March 1-25, 1971 under Bangabandhu’s stewardship.

Recalling some moments at the house of Bangabandhu before delivering his inspirational speech, the Prime Minister said her mother Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib had suggested Bangabandhu to say those words which were in his mind instead of taking others’ suggestions.

About the possible war tactics, she said, Bangabandhu knew that the Bangalees should never be the first to launch any attack as those who would launch attacks would be regarded as offenders internationally. "So, we should never be separatists. If so, we will never be successful," she quoted Bangabandhu as saying.

Sheikh Hasina said Bangabandhu had earlier taken the mandate of the common people which was very much essential at that time before waging such a massive non-cooperation movement against the Pakistani occupation forces.

Criticising the role of some student leaders of that time who were not happy with the historic speech of Bangabandhu, she said many had left the party.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust member secretary Sheikh Hafizur Rahman delivered the welcome address at the seminar while Professor of Sociology Department of Dhaka University Dr Md Moshiur Rahman the keynote speech and Trust CEO Maksura Hossain the vote of thanks.

DU Sociology Department Professor Dr Zinat Huda and Chairman of Suchinta Foundation Mohammad A Arafat spoke at the seminar as discussants.