The Mass Uprising in 1969

The Mass Uprising in 1969

 We achieved our Bangladesh after a bloody war of long nine months. The mass upsurge of 1969 played a vital role in preparing the nation for the Liberation War in 1971. Mass Upsurge, 1969 started with the student unrest of 1968 against the tyrannical rule of Ayub khan, President of Pakistan. The movement soon engulfed the whole of the then East Pakistan, peasants, artisans; workers joined the movement almost in masse. Due to continuous exaction of undue demands the laboring class of the industrial belts and low and medium income groups soon turned the movement into a struggle for economic emancipation. The racial repression and the deprivation of the Bengalis within the frame work of Pakistan and, to the contrary, starting from the language movement the feeling of separate identity together with struggle for autonomy had direct influence on the mass upsurge of 1969. Indeed, this mass upsurge was the greatest mass awakening ever since the creation of Pakistan.

On 4 January 1969 leaders of the East Pakistan Students League, East Pakistan Students Union and a section of the National Students Federation formed the Students Action Committee (SAC) and declared their 11-point Programme. The 11 Points included the Six Points of Awami League as declared by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman including provincial autonomy, the demands centering round students own demands as well as the demands relating to the problems of the workers. As a matter of fact the step the student leaders took through the 11-Point programme was timely and appropriate. The demand for Sheikh Mujibs release and withdrawal of the agartala conspiracy case began to get the utmost priority. Together with the Dhaka University Central Students Union the student leaders of SAC holding different positions throughout East Bengal played a very important role in the 1969 mass upsurge.  Immediately after the 11-Point programme had been launched on 8 January 1969 eight political parties, including Awami League and NAP formed the Democratic Action Committee (DAC). They demanded Federal form of government, election on the basis of universal adult franchise, immediate withdrawal of emergency and release of all political detainees including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They took the decision to invigorate the movement to achieve their goal. In spite of that the movement gradually got momentum and the spirit of 11- points reached every nook and corner of the province. To voice the protest against government repression the students arranged a meeting at the Dhaka University campus and resolved to bring out a procession. In the procession police opened fire and Asaduzzaman, a leader of the Students, was killed. The death of Asad stirred the entire nation and the movement took the shape of a national upsurge. The situation of Dhaka went beyond control of the police when Matiur, a student of class IX, died of police firing on 24 January. Army was deployed in the city and curfew was imposed for an indefinite period. Sergeant Zahrul Huq, an under-trial prisoner in the Agartala Conspiracy Case, died of bullet injury in the Dhaka Cantonment on 15 February 1969. The death of an under-trial prisoner was so provocative that Maulana Bhasani declared from a public meeting held that very evening that there will be no payment of taxes if the 11-point demands were not fulfilled and all political prisoners were not released within two months. He further declared, if necessary, Sheikh Mujib would be forcibly taken out of jail. After the meeting people began to set on fire the houses of the ministers. On 18 February 1969 Dr Mohammad Shamsuzzoha, Proctor of the Rajshahi University, was bayoneted to death. The news spread like wild fire throughout the country. People indiscriminate of professions took to the streets everywhere in East Pakistan to protest against the autocrat, and in the end, Ayub Khan was forced to release Sheikh Mujib unconditionally on 22 february 1969. Similarly the other political detainees were released too. The Agartala Conspiracy Case was withdrawn. Chatra Sangram Parishad gave a warm reception to Sheikh Mujib at the Racecourse on 23 february , and he was awarded the title BANGABANDHU in the reception meeting. Pakistani janta Ayub Khan was forced to resign as the consequence of mass uprising in 1969, and before his resignation, he withdrew the Agartala case. The new government of General Yahia Khan was forced to declare the general election in 1970.The nationalist ideals started germinating in the minds of the people of East Bengal for the successful uprising in 1969. They realized a greater unity based on the Bengali nationalism. The mass uprising of 1969 had an influence in the poling of 1970 and the liberation war of 1971, and the achievements were made possible for the spark of the Bengali nationalism in the people’s mind.