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.

The National Martyr Monument

After a bloody war of nine months a small beautiful country Bangladesh has emerged as an independent country in the world atlas. Jatiyo Smriti Soudho is the national martyr monument of Bangladesh. It is the symbol of the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Bangladesh. This is one of the beautiful monuments of Bangladesh and it is situated at Savar, near the capital Dhaka, Bangladesh. This is one of the major tourist attractions of Bangladesh and it reminds us our great heroes, who gave up their valuable lives for the independence of Bangladesh. Several mass-graves and a pool of water are placed in front of this beautiful monument. A man-made lake, a twin bridge, a reflective pool and a picturesque garden surround the monument. The dual bridge crossing a natural canal ends up in the foremost sacred a part of the monument.

The main plans of this monument were initiated after the independence in 1972. For the memory of the unforgettable unsung heroes of the country the muse stone of the monument was arranged at Savar on 16 December, 1972 by the daddy of the nation Bangabandhu Sheik Mujibur Rhaman.

In 1978, a nation-wide design competition was held and among the 57 competitors Architect Syed Moinul Hossain's design proposal was approved. The main structure, the artificial lake and other facilities were completed of this monument in 1982.

This beautiful complex is spread over an area of 34 hectares and it is wrapped around by a green belt of 10 hectares. This beautiful environment creates this monument very attractive. The monument tower is made by concrete and other structures and pavements are made by red bricks. This red bricks reminds us about the blood of the 3 million people, who sacrificed their blood for the liberation of Bangladesh. This monument is composed with 7 isosceles triangular pyramid shaped structures but the middle one being the tallest. The highest point of the monument is 150 feet. The seeds of the movement up through the struggle for the honor of the national language, Bengal in 1952 and thenceforth grew in phases through the mass upheavals of 1954, 58, 62, 66, 69 and eventually the liberation movement in 1971. This unique arrangement of the planes has created a structure that seems to change its configuration when viewed from different angles. Several mass graves and a beautiful reflection water body are placed in front of this monument. If anybody enters into the complex through the main gate, he or she can see the monument axially. But to reach it one has to walk through different ups and downs of pavements and cross an artificial lake by a bridge-all these represent the struggle for independence.

The Public Works Department of the Government of Bangladesh supervised the construction of the project. This project was involved in to build the mass graves, pavements, parking spaces, helipad, the main structure, apart from the artificial lake, green belt, cafeteria, housing etc.

Now, this monument shows the Bangladesh’s history and this is one of the major tourist spot of Bangladesh. Everyday lots of people visit here to see this extra-ordinary monument. Every year on 16 December, lots of people visit here and remember the supreme sacrifice of all martyrs with great respect.

National Election of 1970

Election is a method of choosing among candidates for some posts or offices in the government, legislature and corporate bodies, by the vote of enfranchised to cast an open or secret ballot. The election 1954 to the provincial legislature in East Bengal was the first to be held on the basis of universal franchise and last on the basis of separate electorates. The general elections of 1970 are considered one of the fairest and cleanest elections in the history of Pakistan, with about twenty-four political parties taking part. The general elections presented a picture of a Two-party system, with the Awami League, a Bengali nationalist party, competing against the extremely influential and widely popular Pakistan People’s Party, a leftist and democratic socialist party which had been a major power-broker in West Pakistan.

Pakistan was created in 1947, during the Partition of India. Its territory comprised most of the Muslim-majority provinces of British India, including two geographically and culturally separate areas, one east of India and the other west. The western zone was called West Pakistan; the eastern zone was called East Bengal and then East Pakistan. West Pakistan dominated the country politically, and its leaders exploited the East economically, leading to popular grievances. When East Pakistanis were elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, they were swiftly deposed by the predominantly West Pakistani establishment. The military dictatorships of Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan both West Pakistanis worsened East Pakistanis discontent. In 1966, the Bangladesh Awami League, led by the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, launched the Six Point Movement to demand provincial autonomy for East Pakistan. The Pakistani establishment rejected the leagues proposals, and the military government arrested Sheikh Mujib and charged him with treason in the Agartala Conspiracy Case. After three years in jail, Mujib was released in 1969, and the case against him was dropped in the face of mass protests and widespread violence in East Pakistan.

President Ayub Khan resigned his post on march 25, 1969. Yahia Khan succeeded him as the next dictator. In a statement on 28 march, he promise to hold a general election, but the people were confusion because previously no general election was called by the despotic ruler. No law was enacted to run the country smoothly, moreover the autocrat Ayoub trick fully hold the power again in the name of basic democracy. Finally on 7 December 1970, the general election was held for the first time in Pakistan on the basis of ‘one person one vote’. The Awami League, the NAP, the Muslim League, the Pakistan People’s Party, the Democratic Party, the Jamat-e- Islami and some other political parties took part in the election. The Awami League termed this election as a referendum in favor of 6 point demands. 3 crore and 22 lakh out of 5 crore and 64 lakh voters belonged to East Pakistan. In the central parliament election held on 7 December 1970, the Awami League bagged 167 (with 7 female seats) out of 169 seats preserved for East Pakistan. In the election of provincial assembly held on 17 December, the Awami League got 288 out of 300 seats. The landslide victory of the Awami League was unprecedented. They got the verdict of the people in favour of 6 point demands and the formation of government.

The Awami League achieved the landslide victory in the national and provincial assembly. So it was authenticated that the people supported the 6 and 11 point demands. The Bengali nationalism marked a political victory. On the other hand it was a big blow to the Pakistani rulers. So they started hatching new plot against the Bengalis not to hand over the power to the elected body. The people of East Pakistan stood firmly against the dictatorship of West Pakistan.

The significance of the election in emerging an independent Bangladesh in 1971 becomes clear. It also played a vital role to transform the spirit of freedom. As a result, a new country named Bangladesh emerged and secured her place in the world map.

The historic Seventh March Address

The 7th March is a red-letter day in our national history. On this day in 1971 Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in his historic address, made clearly for the first time the assertion about independence and his informal proclamation ultimately reshaped the history. The 7th March address of Bangabandhu in 1971 was a great event as such a historic speech is delivered rarely once in a century. Long 45 years have elapsed since 7th March 1971, but the whole scenario, including the mammoth gathering of freedom loving people and the epoch-making address by Bangabandhu, the poet of politics. Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech is rightly compared by many with the Gettysburg Address of Abraham Lincoln. And to us it was more than that. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic Mar 7 speech that effectively declared Bangladesh’s independence has been selected as one of the most rousing and inspirational wartime speeches in the last 2,500 years. ‘The book, ‘We Shall Fight on the Beaches: The Speeches That Inspired History’ is a collection of “extracts from the most rousing and inspirational wartime speeches of the last 2,500 years. Bangabandhu’s speech has been placed on page 201 under the title ‘The Struggle This Time Is the Struggle for Independence’. There is no doubt that Bangabandhu’s historic speech is one of the best in the world. In the general election held in 1970, the Awami League secured absolute majority in the National Assembly. But when the time for transfer of power arrived, the non-Bengali rulers of Pakistan started conspiracy against the transfer of power to the Awami League in the Centre. The inaugural session of the National Assembly was scheduled for 3 March. But suddenly, on 1 March, President

General Yahya Khan postponed the session through a Radio announcement. On hearing this news, people came out in streams onto the streets. The Bengali people of East Bengal then started a relentless movement for establishing their rights. Protesting this move of the Pakistani ruler Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called a hartal in Dhaka on 2 March and another throughout the province on 3 March. On 3 March, he announced a programme for non-cooperation while addressing a huge public rally at Paltan Maidan. In this backdrop, the historic public meeting at the Ramna Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) was set for 7 March 1971. The whole Race Course Ground, now Suhrawardy Udyan, had turned into a human sea. About one million people of all ages and from all parts of the country came, all chanting thunderous slogans ‘Joy Bangla’, ‘Joy Bangabandhu’. In his oration Bangabandhu mentioned four conditions. The immediate lifting of martial law; withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks; transfer of power to elected representatives of the people; and a proper inquiry into the loss of life during the conflict. On that day Bangabandhu made a historic address at Race Course Ground that reshaped the history and led the nation towards independence. Bangabandhu in his address narrated the stories of deprivation of and repression on the People of Bangladesh and urged the people to turn every house into a fortress and get ready with whatever is available to fight the enemy. He vowed, “As we have shed blood, we would give more blood, but must we liberate the people of Bangladesh, Inshallah”. As the elected leader of 75 million people Bangabandhu declared amid thunderous applauses of the crowd, “The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for independence”.

 He issued the guidelines to be followed by the people during the struggle. “Continue the fight with whatever you have near your hands. Even if I am unable to issue directives and even if my colleagues also are not available, you will close the roads permanently.” Bangabandhu in his speech tactfully stopped short of making unilateral declaration of independence in order to avert a possible massacre of the people starting from the Race Course that very day. He took time and left the option open for eventual ‘talks’ only on strategic ground. This showed another aspect of Bangabandhu’s prudence, political sagacity and love for his people.

Bangabandhu’s 7th March address contained clear assertion about independence for the first time amid growing demand by the people. And from that point of view 7th March address was the informal proclamation of independence, which was given the final shape by him in the early hours of March, 26,1971. Since the beginning of the Non-Cooperation Movement, the administration of Pakistani rulers had virtually collapsed and Bangladesh was being run under the directives of Bangabandhu. Specially, after his historic 7th March speech, everybody in Bangladesh took him as the lawful and real ruler of Bangladesh.

The speech lasted about 19 minutes and concluded with, “The struggle, this time, is a struggle for our emancipation. The struggle, this time, is a struggle for our independence. Joy Bangla!”. It was a de facto declaration of Bangladesh’s independence. It was the maiden formal message of Bangabandhu to the people to get ready for armed struggle to achieve independence. Bangabandhu’s speech changed the course of history and the whole nation started preparing for final showdown with the Pakistani rulers. People across the country- from the capital to remote villages- continued to raise slogans like:

‘Sab Kother Shesh Kotha, Bangladesher Swadhinata’ and

‘Bir Bangalee Astro Dhoro, Bangladesh swadhin Koro’.

The entire country from Teknaf to Tetulia was boiling with tension running high. And finally, Bengali nation took up arms for liberation as Bangabandhu had asked them to do. In other words, the nation fought and achieved independence through armed struggle as outlined by Bangabandhu in his historic 7th March address.