‘Joy Bangla’ to be national slogan soon

The government has decided to issue a gazette notification making "Joy Bangla" the national slogan of the country.

The directives came at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam told the media.

The premier attended the meeting virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here while ministers and state ministers connected from the conference room at the secretariat.

When asked how long it would take for the gazette notification to be issued Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said, "It shouldn't take more than two, three or four days."

Regarding where to say "Joy Bangla", the cabinet secretary said, "Three or four categories are being considered. Constitutional office holders, all state officials and employees will say this at the end of state or government ceremonies. All educational institutions, including madrasas, if they have any meeting-seminar, assembly or any kind of assembly, they have to give the slogan 'Joy Bangla' there."

"If there is an event or an assembly all those present holding public or private jobs will use the Joy Bangla slogan. This is the cabinet's decision," said the cabinet secretary.

During a recent parliament session, Salman Fazlur Rahman, Private Industry and Investment Adviser of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, thanked and congratulated the President Abdul Hamid for ending his speech with Joy Bangla.

"During my election campaign, some leaders and activists of BNP and Jatiya Party supported me. In one instance, when they finished speech in a public meeting, they were hesitant to give Joy Bangla slogan," he said in the Parliament. 

"I am baffled, said I during my speech. Why are you (BNP and JaPa leaders) hesitant to say Joy Bangla? This is not Awami League's only or any single party's slogan. Joy Bangla is a national slogan," said Salman.

He also noted that during the student movement in his youth, all participated with the slogan Joy Bangla. Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech ended with Joy Bangla slogan, he added.

Salman F Rahman highlighted that even government officials do not utter the slogan to remain "non-partisan".

"They are in office in the country which has become independent with Joy Bangla slogan. If the country was not independent, they would not be in office. How do they say it is a party slogan?" he remarked. 

The lawmaker further proposed that just as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was declared as the father of the nation by amending the constitution, it should be amended once again to recognise Joy Bangla as the national slogan.

Earlier in December 2017, an HC bench issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why "Joy Bangla" should not be declared the national slogan following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Dr Bashir Ahmed.

In December 2019, the court asked the government to take steps to ensure the use of "Joy Bangla" as the national slogan from 16 December.

Later in March 2020, the High Court bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader declared that "Joy Bangla" will be the national slogan of the country and gave three specific directives to the authorities concerned about the use of "Joy Bangla" slogan.

The lawyers who stood for the petitioner said "Joy Bangla" was the main slogan during the Liberation War in 1971. Even, some poets, litterateurs and intellectuals of the then West Pakistan who had supported the Liberation War used to shout the "Joy Bangla" slogan, they said.

Freedom fighters made the supreme sacrifice shouting the "Joy Bangla" slogan after being captured by Pakistan occupation forces, they said.