The Postal Department has issued commemorative stamps, inaugural envelopes, data cards and special seals on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the swearing in of the Mujibnagar government.
Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar released a commemorative stamp worth Taka 10, an inaugural envelope worth Taka 10, issued a data card worth Taka 5 and a special seal at his office in Dhaka on Saturday (April 17th). The Minister made a statement highlighting the significance of the day.
Commemorative stamps, envelopes and data cards can be collected from the Philatelic Bureau of Dhaka GPO and later from other GPOs and major post offices in the country as informed in a press release from the Department of Posts and Telecommunications.
The golden jubilee of the swearing in of the Mujibnagar government on April 17 is an unforgettable day in the history of Bangladesh. After the declaration of independence on 26 March 1971, the formation of the government was announced on 10 April. The Mujibnagar government was sworn in on 17 April 1971 at Baidyanathtala village in Meherpur district and the Mujibnagar government was established. The village of Baidyanathtala was named Mujibnagar after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Mujibnagar government served till January 12, 1972.
The Minister of Posts and Telecommunications said in a statement, “April 17 is a historic milestone in the history of the independence we have achieved through the long 23-year struggle of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
Highlighting the historical context of the establishment of the Mujibnagar government, the Minister said, ‘On April 10, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was declared the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and declared the Sovereign People’s Republic of Bangladesh. This government was sworn in on 17 April. This government selected Syed Nazrul Islam as the Deputy Foreign Minister and in the absence of Bangabandhu as the interim Head of State and the Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The cabinet was formed with Tajuddin Ahmed as prime minister, Capt M Mansur Ali as finance minister, Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed as foreign, law and parliamentary affairs minister and AHM Kamruzzaman as home, agriculture, relief and rehabilitation minister. Four ministers were given responsibilities in 12 ministries.
Mustafa Jabbar said, “If the Mujibnagar government had not been formed, we would have become separatists or rebels internationally. As a result, a review of the various functions of the Mujibnagar government will show how comprehensive and well-organized the program and structure of this government was.
Professor M Yusuf Ali formally read out the Declaration of Independence of Independent and Sovereign Bangladesh on April 10, the minister said.
