The 1969 mass uprising in East Pakistan ( bn, ঊনসত্তরের গণঅভ্যুত্থান, lit=69’s Mass uprising) was a democratic political movement in

East Pakistan East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Policy, renaming the province as such from East Bengal, which, in modern times, is split between India and Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Myanmar, wi ...

(now

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

). The uprising consisted of a series of mass demonstrations and sporadic conflicts between government armed forces and the demonstrators. Although the unrest began in 1966 with the

Six point movement The six point movement was a movement in East Pakistan, spearheaded by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which called for greater autonomy for East Pakistan. The movement's main agenda was to realize the six demands put forward by a coalition of Bengali na ...

of Awami League, it got momentum at the beginning of 1969 and culminated in the resignation of Field Marshal Ayub Khan, the first military ruler of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

. The uprising also led to the withdrawal of the

Agartala Conspiracy Case The Agartala Conspiracy Case was a sedition case in Pakistan during the rule of Ayub Khan against Awami League, brought by the government of Pakistan in 1968 against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the then leader of the Awami League and East Pakistan ...

and acquittal of

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ( bn, শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান; 17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), often shortened as Sheikh Mujib or Mujib and widely known as Bangabandhu (meaning ''Friend of Bengal''), was a Bengali politi ...

and his colleagues.

Timeline of events in 1969

* 4 January: ''

Shorbodolio Chatro Shongram Porishad Sarbadaliya Chhatra Sangram Parishad (All Party Student Action Committee) was a student organisation that was formed to demand autonomy of East Pakistan and the removal of Ayub Khan from power. It also called for the restoration of democracy in 196 ...

'' (The All Party Student Action Committee) puts forth its 11-point agenda. * 7–8 January: Formation of a political coalition named Democratic Action Committee (DAC) to restore democracy. * 20 January: Student activist Amanullah Asaduzzaman dies as the police opens fire on the demonstrators. Mass_uprising_1969_Daily_Azad

* 24 January:

Matiur Rahman Mallik Matiur Rahman Mallik (24 January 1953-24 January 1969) was a Pakistani Bengali national activist. He was killed by the Pakistani police during 1969 uprising in East Pakistan. He received the Independence Day Award from the Government of Bangla ...

, a teenager activist, is gunned down by the police. * 15 February: Sergeant

Zahurul Haq Zahurul Haq (9 February 1935 – 15 February 1969) was a Pakistan Air Force sergeant. He was one of the 35 persons accused in the Agartala Conspiracy Case in 1969. He was killed in custody and his death led to increase in 1969 uprising in East ...

, one of the convicts of

, is assassinated in the prison of Kurmitola Cantonment. * 18 February:

Shamsuzzoha Mohammad Shamsuzzoha (died 1969) was a writer , professor and proctor at Rajshahi University. Shamsuzzoha was the first university teacher in erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) who was killed by the Pakistani Military forces at the eve of 19 ...

of the

University of Rajshahi The University of Rajshahi, also known as Rajshahi University or RU ( bn, রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়), is a public co-educational research university in Bangladesh situated near the northern Bangladeshi cit ...

is killed as the police open fire on a silent procession in Rajshahi. * 22 February: Withdrawal of

. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the All-Pakistan Awami League, released from his prison cell in the Dhaka cantonment. * 23 February: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is accorded a grand reception, where he is given the title ''

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ( bn, শেখ মুজিবুর রহমান; 17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), often shortened as Sheikh Mujib or Mujib and widely known as Bangabandhu (meaning ''Friend of Bengal''), was a Bengali politi ...

'' (friend of Bengal). * 10–13 March: Ayub Khan calls for a round-table meeting with the opposition. * 25 March: Ayub Khan hands over power to

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

Yahya Khan General Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan , (Urdu: ; 4 February 1917 – 10 August 1980); commonly known as Yahya Khan, was a Pakistani military general who served as the third President of Pakistan and Chief Martial Law Administrator following his p ...

, the army Chief of Staff.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1969 Uprising In East Pakistan History of East Pakistan Causes and prelude of the Bangladesh Liberation War 1969 in East Pakistan 1969 in Pakistan Conflicts in 1969 Student protests in Pakistan Social movements in Pakistan