Short History of Bangladesh

Primary thoughts

The best chapter of our national history is the liberation war of 1971. Independent sovereign Bangladesh was born through this war of liberation.

The Indian Independence Act of 18 July 1947 proposed the formation of a state called Pakistan with two major Muslim-dominated territories in India. The boundary between East Bengal and West Bengal was formally demarcated in the Radclip Award published on 12 August. Pakistan was established on 14 August 1947. East Bengal is part of Pakistan - East Pakistan. People had hoped from the east that this time their hopes and aspirations would be fulfilled. Their expected independence will be established in the new state. Be entitled to a better life. Within a few days, the people of East Pakistan felt that their expectations were not being met. The ruling class of Pakistan has conspired to establish a pre-planned unified culture in a pluralistic society. The participation of the people of East Pakistan in the political arena is being curtailed. They have been economically deprived. Even East Pakistan's resources have been used to ensure the development of West Pakistan.

Thus the background of the freedom struggle was created in East Pakistan. In 1952, the students of East Pakistan had to give their lives to defend their language rights. In 1956, General Ayub Khan seized power by imposing martial law. On 5 February 1976, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made a six-point demand for the establishment of Bengali autonomy. The Awami League won the first general election in Pakistan on December 6, 1970 with a six-point mandate. He passed as the majority party in the National Assembly of Pakistan. The people expected the elected political party to form the Awami League government to change the course of East Pakistan's long history of deprivation. The ruling class of Pakistan some political leaders and some military officers arranged the conspiracy theories in such a way that the ruling power was never taken over by the Bengalis. The people of East Pakistan understand that correctly.

Language movement

Since the establishment of Pakistan, the people of East Pakistan have been demanding that Bengali be made one of the state languages. The government of Pakistan completely opposed this logical claim and declared Urdu as the only official language in 1947. There was a growing protest against this decision which later came to be known as the language movement. This movement was revived in 1952 and on 21 February of that year the students gathered on the campus of Dhaka University to demand language. Rafiq, Salam, Barkat, Jabbar and many others were martyred as a result of police firing on the rally. This incident gave a new dimension to the movement and greatly increased its political importance. In 1958, Bengali was finally adopted as one of the major national languages ​​along with Urdu in the constitution. The language movement was referred to as the rise of Bengali nationalism in East Pakistan and the mass uprising of the 6-point movement, 69, was considered as an important step on the path to the liberation war of Bangladesh.

United Front general election of 1954 and military rule of 1956

In the general elections of Pakistan held on 10 March 1954, the United Front won the majority in East Bengal and formed the government. But the ruling class of Pakistan could not accept this domination of the Bengalis. In just two and a half months, on May 30, the central government dissolved the cabinet and the presidential rule was issued. When general elections were scheduled for the whole of Pakistan in 1959, there was a huge response among the Bengalis. 56% of the population is Bengali, so the central government conspired to thwart the election thinking of the outcome of this election. At the same time, the military's strategy of seizing power has caused controversy within the central government. Following this, military rule was imposed in Pakistan on 7 October 1956. When the military rule was lifted in 1972, the student movement started again demanding social rights.

Movement against the policy of contraction of education in 1962

This movement of students started a new mass movement after the lifting of the nationwide rule against the policy of restricting education of the government of Pakistan. Wajiullah, Mostafa and Babul, among others, were shot dead by police on September 17 during a student protest against the austerity policy. A vigorous movement was formed across the country on the occasion of the celebration of 'Education Day' on 17th September '63, centering on the 22-point demands of the student community. Political parties and the intellectual community come forward with all the support of the student movement.

Preparation of armed movement of student society

Considering the impossibility of developing Bengali nationalism in the structure of Pakistan, some of the leaders of the then student society secretly tried to organize the students in 1962. Mr. Sirajul Alam Khan, Mr. Abdur Razzak and Kazi Aref Ahmed led this student organization inspired by Bengali nationalism. This organization was known as 'Swadhin Bangla Biplobi Parishad'.

The 6-point movement of 66

During the Pak-India war in 1965, it was proved in practice that East Bengal was completely unprotected. It became clear that the military rulers of Pakistan did not make any effort to minimize the security situation in East Bengal in the face of social, cultural oppression and economic exploitation. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman presented a six-point demand at the 'All-Party National Solidarity Conference' convened in Lahore on 5 February 1966, presenting a realistic picture of this racial discrimination against Bengalis. In his speech, he said, "I am proposing a six-point proposal to remedy the way East Bengal has been exploited over the past two decades and considering the geographical distance of East Bengal."

Agartala conspiracy case

In the context of the Bengali nationalist movement, a number of members of the military, in collaboration with political leaders, under the leadership of Lt. Commander Moazzem, made an attempt to seize state power by isolating East Bengal. As a result of the negligence of one of the members of the organization, the plan was leaked to the Pakistani government. In December 1967, the Pakistani government arrested 28 military and civilian civilians in a plot to divide East Pakistan. On June 19, 1968, the Pakistani government arrested 35 people, including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and filed a sedition case. This case is known as 'Agartala conspiracy case'.

The trial of this case started on 19th June 1968 in Dhaka Cantonment. From the time of the trial, the slogan was - 'I will break the lock of the jail - I will bring Sheikh Mujib.'

The mass movement of 69

A nationwide movement of nationalist political parties and student organizations was formed to demand autonomy for East Bengal. Political slogans change. ‘Your is my address- Padma Meghna Jamuna.’ Pindi Na Dhaka- Dhaka Dhaka. ‘Jago Jago-Bangali Jago’. In this continuity, the movement for autonomy paved the way for the independence movement of Bangladesh. The non-violent movement continues to move towards violence. At this time the 6-point demand of the political party turned into a people's demand. As a result of the Bengali single nationalism movement, the President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan, imposed martial law on the country and handed over power to the Chief of Army Staff, General Yahya Khan. During this mass movement, student Asaduzzaman was killed by police firing on January 20, 1969 and Matiur Rahman on January 24, 1969. Shaheed Asad-Matiur are two notable names in the role of student movement. The Ayub Gate at the junction of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Mohammadpur was renamed 'Asad Gate' and the park in front of Bangabhaban was renamed 'Matiur Rahman Shishu Udyan'. The 11-point movement of students adopted in January 1969 further accelerated.

Sergeant Zahurul Haque, a prisoner accused in the Agartala case, died on 15 February 1969 after being shot by the Pakistan Army. On 16 February '69, Dr. Shamsuzzoha, Proctor of Rajshahi University, was shot dead by police. The news of this death added another dimension to the mass movement. The government of Pakistan was forced to withdraw the case on February 21, 1969 in the face of violent protests. On 22nd February '69, all the accused including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were released from Dhaka Cantonment. Through this movement Sheikh Mujibur Rahman emerged as the sole and undisputed leader of the Bengali nation. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was conferred the title of 'Bangabandhu' on 23 February '69 by the All-Party Students' Struggle Parishad at a grand public reception at Dhaka Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan).

The nation pays tribute to Sergeants Zahurul Haque and Dr Shamsuzzoha, who were shot dead by the army while in custody. Both are identified as one of the soldiers of the freedom movement. Dhaka University's 'Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall' and Rajshahi University's 'Shamsuzzoha Hall' have been named in their memory.

Sirajul Alam Khan, Abdur Razzak, Kazi Aref Ahmed, Abdur Rauf, Khaled Mohammad Ali, Tofail Ahmed, Asam Abdur Rob, Noor Alam Siddiqui, Shahjahan Siraj, Samsuddoha, Mostafa Jamal Haider, Rashed Khan Menan led this student movement of '69. Begum Matia Chowdhury, Deepa Dutt, Haider Akbar Khan Rano and many others.

Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Comrade Moni Singh, Professor Mozaffar Ahmed and Sri Manoranjan Dhar were some of the leaders of the political parties under whose tireless work and guidance this movement for the right of self-determination of Bengalis came to fruition.

General election of 1970

Although state power was transferred through the imposition of martial law across the country on March 25, 1969, the military government could not muster the strength to ignore the people's demands. So General Aga Mohammad Yahya Khan, the chief martial law administrator, was forced to hold general elections on a one-man, one-vote policy across the country. The election was scheduled to take place between December 7, 1970 and December 19, 1970, and was held peacefully across the country. In the election, the majority of the people of the country voted in favor of 6 points and Bengali nationalism. In this election, the Awami League under the leadership of Bangabandhu won 18 out of 310 seats in the National Assembly and got the mandate to form the central government with an absolute majority.

The policy of ‘Bengali rule cannot be accepted’ became an obstacle to the transfer of power to these elected representatives by the Pakistani military rulers. The national leaders of Bengal under the leadership of Bangabandhu stood in protest. The conflict of rights began. Student society adds a new dimension to this movement. At 70, Bangabandhu presented a flag with a map of East Bengal in a procession. This flag was later adopted as the flag of Bangladesh. This organization of students started military training exercises in every district and subdivision town in preparation for the war of resistance. The participation of students and youth in this nationalist movement makes the society more enthusiastic.

Non-cooperation movement of '71

After winning the election, General Aga Mohammad Yahya Khan, the military ruler of Pakistan, refused to allow Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to form a government. A political party has received a mandate to form a government with a majority of the people's vote. They will form the government, that was the reality. But the military rulers began negotiations, excluding the process of forming a government or handing over power to elected representatives. It did not take long for the Bengali leaders to understand what the discussion was for. In protest of the adjournment of the scheduled session of the Jatiya Sangsad, Bangabandhu called for non-cooperation on 1 March 1971. People of all walks of life unanimously responded to Bangabandhu's call and paralyzed all the administrative and economic systems of East Pakistan. On March 2, 1971, the flag of Bangladesh was officially displayed at Dhaka University. On March 3, 1971, the 'Declaration of Independence' was read on behalf of 'Swadhin Bangladesh Chhatra Sangram Parishad' at Ramna Racecourse (now Suhrawardy Udyan). In this manifesto, the song 'Amar Sonar Bangla I Love You' was recognized as the national anthem and it was decided to continue the struggle with confidence in the leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On 7 March 1971, Bangabandhu Rahman called on the entire Bengali nation at the Racecourse Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) to prepare for a one-way address as the Pakistan Army-led government failed to resolve the issue of devolution of power to the elected representatives of the National Assembly. In this speech, he said, "If I cannot give orders, I have a request for you to build forts from house to house." ……… This time the struggle is for our liberation, this time the struggle is for our freedom. '' This speech of Bangabandhu is considered as one of the speeches of notable leaders in the world.

This instruction of Bangabandhu in his speech on March 7 was not the instruction of any party leader. Was the instruction of a national leader. This directive raises the awareness of students, people and intellectuals of all walks of life in the country as well as all Bengali military, civilian officers and employees. From 2nd March 1971 all the administrative work of East Bengal continued under the direction of Bangabandhu.

On the morning of 23rd March 1971, a parade of Joy Bangla Bahini was held at Paltan Maidan. At the end of the ceremony, the leaders of this force entered Bangabandhu Bhaban with the flag of Bangladesh in a procession and officially hoisted this flag at home. At the same time this flag was put on Bangabandhu's car. Pakistan Day celebrations were canceled in every city of East Bengal on 23 March and the flag of Bangladesh was seen flying instead of the flag of Pakistan.

On the other hand, in the name of handing over power, Pakistan military spokesman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto created a new crisis instead of a political solution. As a result of making unreasonable demands, the path of fair political solution was blocked at one time. The military rulers of Pakistan prepared to exercise military power by conspiring with vested interests. Behind political negotiations for a planned assassination, the military was able to transfer two divisions of non-Bengali troops from Pakistan to East Bengal in just 22 days. In fact, this was the main purpose of their discussion. On March 24, 1971, the military rulers handed over the plan of attack to all the cantonments by helicopter. The infamous massacre of the Bengali nation by the Pakistani military is known as "Operation Search Light".

At 11 pm on March 25, 1971, the Pakistani army left the cantonment or attack preparation area in preparation for a surprise attack. At the same time the Bengali regiments of all the major cities and cantonments of the country, including Dhaka, were attacked. Before Bangabandhu was captured by the army from his Dhanmondi residence at 12.30 pm, he instructed the party leaders to change their position. At the same time he declared Bangladesh as an independent sovereign state. This announcement of Bangabandhu was disseminated through various means.

Operation Searchlight and the March 25 massacre

On March 25, the Pakistani army began massacres in major cities in East Pakistan. Their premeditated massacre is known as "Operation Searchlight". As part of this plan of genocide, attempts were already made to kill or arrest all Bengali officers serving in the Pakistan Army. Military paramilitaries from across the country, including Dhaka's Peelkhana, Dhaka's Rajarbagh Police Line, Dhaka University, Chittagong's EBR, were brutally killed. The movement of all foreign journalists has already been curtailed and many have been deported so that the outside world does not know about the killings. However, Simon Dring, a well-known journalist of the Washington Post, published a report in Bangladesh on the risk of life. Through this the world became aware of this genocide. President Yahya's delay in the name of negotiation was also part of this genocidal plan.

The Pakistani forces started killing them on March 25 at around 11:30 pm. One of the main targets of the Pakistani operation was the indiscriminate killing of Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall and Jagannath Hall students of Dhaka University. A large number of teachers and general staff of Dhaka University and its environs were also killed. Massive genocide was also carried out in the areas inhabited by the Hindu community in old Dhaka. Many members of the police force were killed in the attack on the Rajarbagh police line. Unarmed members were killed indiscriminately in a surprise attack on the EPR center in Peelkhana. A few newspaper offices were incinerated. Men and women sleeping in different areas were killed indiscriminately with the aim of creating panic in the country. Children and the elderly were also killed. It is estimated that about one lakh innocent men and women died in Dhaka and its environs that night alone.

Declaration of Independence

In the early hours of March 26, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared the independence of Bangladesh. In this declaration he called upon the people of Bengal to wage all-out struggle against the Pakistani armed forces. It was sent to Chittagong through a transmitter of the then East Pakistan Rifles. On March 26, Chittagong Awami League leader M. A. Hannan read the Declaration of Independence. On the afternoon of 26 March, Major Ziaur Rahman of the 7th East Bengal Regiment read another declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib from the Kalurghat radio station in Chittagong. In this declaration, he mentioned that an independent sovereign state has been formed in Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He further added that the government of this newly formed state is interested in establishing friendly relations with other countries of the world without allying. The declaration also called on governments around the world to build public opinion against the genocide in Bangladesh. (Documents of the War of Independence of Bangladesh: Mujibnagar Administration, Volume 3, Published: November 1982)

Formation of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh

On 10 April 1971, the elected MPs gathered in Agartala and formed the government by a unanimous decision. This government is an independent sovereign "Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh". The functioning of this government is constitutionally recognized as the Charter of Independence. On 17 April 1971, the "Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh" was officially sworn in at Vaidyanath Tala in Bhaberpara village of Meherpur subdivision. Speaker Yusuf Ali administered the oath of office to the cabinet members of this presidential system of government. The leaders with whom the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was formed are:

1. President                 Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (Captive in Pakistan)

2. Vice President         Syed Nazrul Islam (Acting President)

3. Prime Minister         Tajuddin Ahmed (in charge of the Ministry of Defense)

4. Finance Minister Capt. Mansur Ali (in charge of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce)

5. Foreign Minister Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed (Acting Minister of Law)

6. Home Minister         AHM Kamruzzaman (in charge of Relief and Rehabilitation Ministry)

On this occasion, it was decided that Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam would be acting President (in the absence of Bangabandhu) and Colonel MAG Osmani would be the Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation Army. MP Mr. Abdul Mannan conducted the swearing in ceremony in the presence of hundreds of journalists and thousands of people from home and abroad. The acting president of the newly formed government was officially given a guard of honor. The place was named "Mujib Nagar" after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the lifeblood of the Bengalis.

(To be Continue...)