March 7, 1971 goes down in history as on the day when Bangabandhu's historic speech set the ball rolling towards independence. 

But on the same day in 1976, military ruler Ziaur Rahman made a nefarious attempt to revert to the 'Crescent and Star' flag of Pakistan.

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Lashing out at Zia's initiatives to restore the anti-liberation elements, pro-liberation activist popular blogger Omi Rahman Pial has said this in a webinar organized by online platform GURUKUL titled “My Opinion" recently. 

"Siratunnabi Mehfil" took place on March 7 (in 1976) on the same spot where Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had delivered his speech in 1971, Pial said.

Though Zia did not make it to the venue, he delegated the responsibility to his deputy Air Vice Marshal M G Tawab, Pial added. 

He said convicted war criminal Delwar Hossain Sayedee was the key speaker where ambassadors from Pakistan and Libya were present too.

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The slogan 'Tawab Vai, Tawab Vai, Chand Tara Pataka Chai (O Tawab, O Tawab, Lead us back to Crescent and Star Flag)' was being raised at the spot intermittently, Pial said.

This testify to Zia's effort to revive anti-liberation elements and who he considered as friends, he added.