Annual Bangabandhu Lecture 2025 Highlights Bangladesh’s Struggle for Sovereignty

Ansar Ahmed Ullah
Contributing Editor,Shottobani

London: The 7 March Foundation hosted the Annual Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Lecture 2025 in a virtual event chaired by Professor John Eade of Roehampton University. Barrister Tania Amir delivered the keynote address, “Dignity, Right to Self-Determination, and Sovereignty. ” The event was broadcast live on Bridge Bangla 24.

In his opening remarks, Nooruddin Ahmed, Chairperson of the 7 March Foundation, underscored the significance of the lecture in commemorating Bangladesh’s struggle for independence.

Barrister Tania Amir, in her keynote speech, explored the historical journey of Bangladesh’s fight for dignity, self-determination, and eventual sovereignty. She discussed the colonial eras under British, Indian, and Pakistani rule, emphasising how the West Pakistani ruling elite viewed the people of East Pakistan as inferior. Prejudice and racism, she noted, played key roles in depriving Bengalis of their rights, access to services, and business opportunities.

She highlighted the events of March 1971, when the non-cooperation movement effectively dismantled West Pakistan’s control over East Pakistan, making Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the de facto leader. She explained how Bangladesh’s elected representatives formed a constituent assembly and proclaimed independence—an act later cited as a legal precedent at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Kosovo case.

Barrister Tania Amir concluded by reaffirming that sovereignty belongs to the people, stating that Bangladesh’s 1972 Constitution enshrined human dignity, equality, and justice as fundamental principles.

The Annual Bangabandhu Lecture continues to serve as a platform for reflecting on the legacy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangladesh’s path to nationhood.