1. What Victory Day Means:

Victory is not a celebration of a single day; victory is the name of a nation’s long journey of self-struggle. Victory does not merely signify remembrance of past glory—rather, it entails the acceptance of present responsibility and the articulation of future direction. In that sense, Victory Day 2025 has emerged as a significant milestone in Bangladesh’s political and moral history.

On 15 December, the all-party declaration announced from the Central Shaheed Minar, the symbol of the nation’s conscience, has given this Victory Day a unique dimension. The declaration was clear and unequivocal—the firm commitment to keep Bangladesh free from Indian aggression as well as all forms of external and internal domination.

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2. A Stage of Historical Responsibility:

The Central Shaheed Minar is not merely a memorial of the Language Movement; it is the permanent abode of Bengali identity, resistance, and self-respect. At crucial turning points in history, this place has borne witness to the nation’s rightful demands, resistance against oppression, and the pledge never to bow before injustice.

When an all-party declaration is voiced from the Shaheed Minar, it ceases to be a mere political programme—it transforms into a proclamation of the national conscience.

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3. Political and Historical Significance of the Declaration:

The most important aspect of this declaration is that it did not stop at merely raising the issue of a neighbouring state’s influence; rather, it presented the concept of aggression in a multidimensional reality.

The declaration clearly highlighted the following—

(1). An uncompromising stance on the question of national sovereignty.

(2) Opposition to any form of unilateral dominance in borders, economy, politics, and culture.

(3) Foreign relations based on mutual respect, fairness, and equality.

(4) Commitment to the people’s voting rights, freedom of expression, and state accountability.

(5). Recognition of dissent not as an enemy, but as an indispensable element of democracy.

This proves that Victory Day 2025 is not confined to nostalgia for the past; rather, it outlines a framework for future statecraft.

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4. The Internal Form of Aggression: Politics of Fear and Violence:

Against this backdrop, the recent attempted assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi is particularly significant. The use of violence to silence the voice of a politically active citizen exposes an unsettling aspect of our state reality.

This incident reminds us— Aggression does not come only from across the border.
Aggression sometimes arrives by instilling fear,
sometimes by suppressing dissent,
and sometimes through state silence and impunity.

The attack on Hadi, therefore, is not an isolated crime; it is a dangerous reflection of the crisis of political tolerance and fear-based politics.

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5. A Modern Interpretation of the Spirit of the Liberation War:

The Liberation War taught us that freedom does not merely mean geographical independence. Freedom means—

The right to speak without fear,

The security to hold dissenting views,

The assurance of civic life,

And the primacy of the people in state decision-making.

Judged by this standard, incidents such as the attempted assassination of Hadi stand in direct contradiction to the spirit of the Liberation War. Such an event on the eve of Victory Day compels us to engage in self-reflection—have we truly succeeded in building a fear-free state?

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6. From Celebration to Responsibility:

Victory Day 2025 thus presents us with a new responsibility. Alongside the red-green flag, illuminations, and remembrance, what is needed is—

Public participation in state decision-making,

Effective implementation of the rule of law,

Zero tolerance for political violence,

And a self-respecting balance in foreign policy.

An aggression-free Bangladesh is not merely a slogan; it is a long-term project of statecraft.

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7. The True Meaning of Victory:

The all-party pledge announced from the Central Shaheed Minar, together with incidents such as the attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, convey a clear message—

To safeguard independence, equal firmness is required against both external aggression and internal repression.

Victory Day 2025 teaches us— Victory attains completeness only when the state is fear-free,
politics is humane,
and sovereignty rests in the hands of the people.

Let this be our victory—
the victory of an aggression-free, fear-free, and self-respecting Bangladesh.