The Bangladesh Coast Guard has renamed five vessels, removing ‘Joy Bangla’ and eliminating the names of four prominent leaders from the 1971 Liberation War, who were killed in Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975
DHAKA — The Bangladesh Coast Guard has renamed five vessels, removing ‘Joy Bangla’ and eliminating the names of four prominent leaders from the 1971 Liberation War, who were killed in Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975, according to local media reports.
The move, approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, marked a significant departure from Bangladesh's historical legacy and drew sharp condemnation.
Under the approved changes, BCGS Joy Bangla has been renamed BCGS Adommo Bangla, while the four vessels named after the national leaders have also been rechristened, Bangladeshi daily Dhaka Tribune reported.
The four vessels have been renamed as BCGS Firoz Kabir, BCGS Nurul Islam, BCGS M Humayun Kabir and BCGS Ashraf Siddiqui, replacing their earlier names -- BCGS Syed Nazrul, BCGS Tajuddin, BCGS Mansur Ali and BCGS Kamruzzaman, respectively.
Condemning the move, the Awami League described the ruling BNP government’s decision to rename four Coast Guard vessels bearing the names of four national leaders of 1971—and replace BCGS Joy Bangla with BCGS Adomya Bangla—as an alarming attack on Bangladesh’s historical identity.
“Coming just days after Jail Killing Day, this decision is not merely about renaming vessels. It raises serious questions about an apparent attempt to erase the symbols, legacy and values of our Liberation War,” the party stated.
Jail Killing Day is observed annually on November 3 to commemorate the assassination of four senior Awami League leaders and key organisers of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War --Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, Captain M. Mansur Ali, and A. H. M. Kamaruzzaman, inside Dhaka Central Jail on November 3, 1975.
The Awami League linked the renaming decision to what it described as a growing attempt to distance Bangladesh from its founding ideals and historical legacy, citing political developments under the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman-led BNP government’s ties with the radical Islamist party Jamaat- e-Islami.
“From Yunus’s so-called ‘reset’ to Tarique Rahman’s political alignment with Jamaat, the party whose leadership collaborated in the 1971 genocide, we are witnessing a disturbing pattern: an attempt to redefine Bangladesh by distancing it from its founding history,” the party stated.
According to the Awami League, Joy Bangla was not merely a political party’s slogan but represented Bangladesh, its people, the 1971 Liberation War, and the country's freedom.
“Only the Awami League has consistently stood as the political guardian of the ideals of 1971. This is precisely why defending that legacy matters now more than ever,” it added.
Reiterating its call to protect the country’s historical identity, the party said, “We cannot allow our history, identity and hard-won freedom to be erased or rewritten. It is time for every patriotic Bangladeshi to wake up, unite their voices and stand against forces seeking to undermine the very foundations of Bangladesh. Stop the attack on Bangladesh’s identity. Protect 1971. Protect Joy Bangla.”