Performative discourse and societal mobilization: An exegesis of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's 7th March speech through Austinian speech act theory

Abstract

This paper employs J.L. Austin's Speech Act Theory to analyze Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's seminal 7th March Speech, highlighting its role as a performative discourse that incited collective action and forged a cohesive national identity during Bangladesh's struggle for independence. By deconstructing the speech's locutionary, illocutionary, and perlocutionary acts, the study reveals how his rhetoric served both as an informative declaration and a binding commitment, thereby galvanizing the masses and shaping a unified national consciousness. This research underscores the transformative power of performative utterances in effectuating socio-political change and highlights the enduring significance of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Oratory in Bangladesh's history.