The 6 Point demands: East Bengale’s charter of freedom

The long movement against the Pakistan government’s discriminatory policy and indifferent attitude to the people of East Pakistan took a clear shape in the six point demands. Awami Leaguage leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman participated in a conference of the opposition leaders on 5-6 February 1966 in Lahor. He stated the six point charter demands in a press conference to defend the rights of the people. The points are as follows:

1. There will be the Parliamentary form of government under federal system. The poling will be held under the general electoral system, and adult voters will enfranchise.

2. The central government will keep two ministries in there hand, the defense and the foreign affairs. The states will have full autonomy of other affairs.

3. Two different but convertible type of currency should be introduced in the country, or a single currency might be used on same terms and conditions.

4. The state government will preserve the right to impose taxes, and a part of the collected revenue will be deposited to the treasury of the central government.

5. The stated will be the owners of the foreign currency that the will clean, and similarly a portion will be deposited to the treasury of the central government.

6. The state will be given the power of formatting military force for their regional security.

The six points included economic, political, martial and other rights of the people of East Pakistan. The Ayub regime termed it as a separatist movement. The demands reflected the national spirit of the Bengalis. Although the demands of independence was not spelled out on it, the charter inspired the Bengalie’s in the spirit of independence, and in the end, it became the national charter of liberation. The Pakistan government did not accept the demands, rather started oppression that made the peoples movement inevitable. At last, after a bloody war of long nine months against Pakistan’s government Bangladesh achieved her independence in 16 December, 1971. The 6 Point demands played very important role in the liberation war of Bangladesh.