The non-cooperation movement of 1971 was an historic movement in then
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Scheme, 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 ...
(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 ...
) by the
Awami League In Urdu language, Awami is the adjectival form for '' Awam'', the Urdu language word for common people.
The adjective appears in the following proper names:
*Awami Colony, a neighbourhood of Landhi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
*Awami Front, wa ...
and the general public against the
military government of Pakistan in March of that year. After the announcement of the suspension of the session of the
National Assembly of Pakistan
The National Assembly ( ur, , translit=Aiwān-e-Zairīñ, , or ur, قومی اسمبلی, Romanization, romanized: ''Qaumi Assembly'') is the lower house, lower legislative house of the bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Pakistan, which al ...
on March 1, the spontaneous movement of the people started, but officially on the call 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 Bengalis, Beng ...
, the non-cooperation movement started on March 2
and continued until March 25. The movement lasted for a total of 25 days. The main objective of this movement was to ensure the autonomy of East Pakistan from the
central government of Pakistan.
During this period, the control of the central government of
West Pakistan
West Pakistan ( ur, , translit=Mag̱ẖribī Pākistān, ; bn, পশ্চিম পাকিস্তান, translit=Pôścim Pakistan) was one of the two Provincial exclaves created during the One Unit Scheme in 1955 in Pakistan. It was d ...
over the civilian administration of East Pakistan was almost non-existent. At one stage of the movement, the whole of East Pakistan except the cantonments was practically under the command of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Background
![Partition of India 1947 en](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Partition_of_India_1947_en.svg)
In 1940,
A. K. Fazlul Huq presented the
Lahore Resolution
The Lahore Resolution ( ur, , ''Qarardad-e-Lahore''; Bengali: লাহোর প্রস্তাব, ''Lahor Prostab''), also called Pakistan resolution, was written and prepared by Muhammad Zafarullah Khan and was presented by A. K. Fazlul ...
as a promoter at the
All India Muslim League conference held in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
,
Province of Punjab. The third article of the Lahore Resolution called for the creation of a number of independent and sovereign Muslim majority states in
British-ruled India by specifically adjusting the boundaries of places as territories on the basis of geographical location.
But the Muslim League did not implement the article, instead amending the Lahore Resolution in the Delhi Resolution of 1946 to create a single Muslim state in the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
in 1947 with all Muslim-majority areas.
[ During the ]partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
was divided into two parts by religion. The Hindu-dominated West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
region was incorporated into India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and the Muslim-dominated East Bengal
ur,
, common_name = East Bengal
, status = Province of the Dominion of Pakistan
, p1 = Bengal Presidency
, flag_p1 = Flag of British Bengal.svg
, s1 = East ...
region into Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. In 1955, the name of the province of East Bengal was changed to East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a Pakistani province established in 1955 by the One Unit Scheme, 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 ...
.
Although East Pakistan was governed as a region of Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
under one unit scheme
The One Unit Scheme ( ur, ; bn, এক ইউনিট ব্যবস্থা) was a geopolitical programme launched by the Government of Pakistan led by Prime Minister of Pakistan, Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Bogra on 22 November 1954 and ...
, the region was discriminated against politically, financially, culturally, and militarily. Nineteen years after the establishment of Pakistan, the Awami League In Urdu language, Awami is the adjectival form for '' Awam'', the Urdu language word for common people.
The adjective appears in the following proper names:
*Awami Colony, a neighbourhood of Landhi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
*Awami Front, wa ...
demanded the implementation of a federal system in the state as one of the phases of the six-point movement. The system allows the administrative regions to remain independent under the central government.
Within four years from 1966, 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 Bengalis, Beng ...
, as the president of the Awami League, was able to unite the people of East Pakistan in favor of Bengali nationalism
Bengalism or Bengali nationalism () was a form of nationalism that focused on Bengalis as a singular nation. The people of Bengali ethnicity speak Bengali language. Bengalis mostly live across Bangladesh and the Indian states of Tripura an ...
.[
]
In the 1970 general election, the Awami League won an absolute majority in the country's National Assembly, winning 167 of the 313 seats, including reserved seats for women.
As a result of this victory of the Awami League, the leaders of other political parties in West Pakistan
West Pakistan ( ur, , translit=Mag̱ẖribī Pākistān, ; bn, পশ্চিম পাকিস্তান, translit=Pôścim Pakistan) was one of the two Provincial exclaves created during the One Unit Scheme in 1955 in Pakistan. It was d ...
, including the Pakistan People's Party
The Pakistan People's Party ( ur, , ; PPP) is a centre-left, social-democratic political party in Pakistan. It is currently the third largest party in the National Assembly and second largest in the Senate of Pakistan. The party was founded i ...
, were afraid to realize that the implementation of the six points was inevitable.[ The ruling group felt that the unity of Pakistan would be destroyed if the six points were implemented.
]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 president of Pakistan, came to Dacca
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
(present-day Dhaka) on January 12, 1971. He held two rounds of talks with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said about this discussion:
Similarly, before returning to West Pakistan, President Yahya Khan told reporters,
Returning to West Pakistan, he went to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
Zulfikar (or Zulfiqar) Ali Bhutto ( ur, , sd, ذوالفقار علي ڀٽو; 5 January 1928 – 4 April 1979), also known as Quaid-e-Awam ("the People's Leader"), was a Pakistani barrister, politician and statesman who served as the fourth ...
's residence in Larkana
Larkana ( ur, , translit=lāṛkāna; sd, لاڙڪاڻو, translit=lāṛkāṇo) is a city located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the 15th largest city of Pakistan by population. It is home to the Indus Valley civilization site M ...
and held a secret meeting with the generals.
Then Zulfikar Ali Bhutto came to Dacca with other leaders of the party on the 27th, 28th, and 29th and held several rounds of meetings with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other top leaders of the Awami League at Hotel Intercontinental.
In the meeting on the 27th, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman rejected Bhutto's offer to form an alliance and share power. After the meeting, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman planned to organize a meeting of the National Assembly
In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the rep ...
by February 15 and formulate a constitution based on the six points, but Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto further discussed. He expressed the opinion that it is necessary to do.
He proposed to hold a session of the National Assembly at the end of March. However, President Yahya Khan convened a session of the National Assembly on March 3. But on 15 February Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto announced that he and his party would not attend the session unless the Awami League compromised on their 6 points or changed them.
Four days later on 19 February, Yahya Khan discussed with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto about the next step. After the meeting, Bhutto repeated the same claim. He remained adamant about not attending the session if the Awami League did not meet his conditions.[
On 28 February, he warned that he would start agitation if the session started without his party. He also threatened to kill members of the ]Constituent Assembly
A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...
who wanted to attend the session from West Pakistan in Dacca.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman understood that the West Pakistanis were planning to sabotage the election results. So he was making tough decisions day by day. President Yahya Khan, in consultation with Bhutto, adjourned the National Assembly session indefinitely on 1 March. As a result, the people of Bengal burst into anger; the movement began.
Initial phase (March 1–7)
March 1
General Yahya Khan announced the adjournment of the National Assembly session on 1 March 1971 at 1:50 PM (UTC+6
UTC+06:00 is an identifier for a time offset from UTC of +06:00. This time is used in:
As standard time (year-round)
''Principal cities: Almaty, Dhaka, Omsk, Thimphu, Astana, Bishkek, Camp Justice''
South Asia
*Bangladesh – Bangladesh S ...
) on March 1, 1971, following a threat by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the leader of Pakistan's second largest party, Pakistan People's Party.
During this announcement, the ongoing cricket match between International XI vs BCCP at the Dacca Stadium was stopped in the face of public protests. The student crowd went into a spontaneous movement without any guidance from Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The students first gathered in groups at Battala of the University of Dacca
The University of Dhaka (also known as Dhaka University, or DU) is a public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is the oldest university in Bangladesh. The university opened its doors to students on July 1st 1921. Currently it ...
and decided to hold a public meeting at Paltan Maidan
Paltan is a thana (precinct) of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
It is often said to be the center of Dhaka, dividing "Old Dhaka" and "New Dhaka". Paltan was made a thana in 2005 by then Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Paltan Thana was formed ...
.
On that day, the members of the Awami League parliamentary party including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were busy drafting the constitution based on the 6 points at Hotel Purbani, so the angry crowd gathered in front of the hotel. There, the crowd burned the Pakistani flag
The flag of Pakistan ( ur, ) traces its current form back to a meeting of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11 August 1947, three days before the Partition of British India, when it was adopted by the All-India Muslim League as the offic ...
and pictures of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman then held a press conference and advised everyone to continue the movement peacefully. He simultaneously announced a hartal
Hartal () is a term in many Indian languages for a strike action that was first used during the Indian independence movement (also known as the nationalist movement) of the early 20th century. A hartal is a mass protest, often involving a total s ...
until 2 pm on March 2 and 3 and decided to hold a public meeting at the Race Course Maidan on March 7.
That evening, Muhammad Iqbal Hall and Muhammad Ali Jinnah Hall of Dacca University were renamed as Shahid Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall and Surya Sen Hall respectively.[
On this day, under the instruction of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui, ]Shajahan Siraj
Shajahan Siraj (1 March 1943 – 14 July 2020) was a Bangladeshi politician who served as the vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). As a student, he was involved with the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was one of the founders o ...
, A. S. M. Abdur Rab, and Abdul Kuddas Makhan founded the Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad () in the afternoon after a secret meeting.
March 2
On this day, "Independent Bengal Student Struggle Council" under the leadership of A. S. M. Abdur Rab, the vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union
Dhaka University Central Students' Union, also known by its acronym DUCSU, is the official students' union of the University of Dhaka. Called the second parliament of Bangladesh, DUCSU represents Dhaka University students in the university's decisi ...
, was the first to raise the flag of independent Bangladesh with its map.
On this day Sahabzada Yaqub Khan
Lieutenant General Sahabzada Yaqub Ali Khan ( ; born 23 December 1920 – 26 January 2016) was a Pakistani politician, diplomat, military figure, pacifist, linguist, and a retired general in the Pakistani Army.
Born into an Indian nobility ...
was appointed Governor of East Pakistan. Despite martial law and the imposition of a curfew from 7 pm to 7 am, widespread agitation continued. A strike was observed in Dacca till 2 pm. The movement was fired upon. At Paltan Maidan, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for a nationwide strike until March 3 and announced his decision to address the nation
''Address the Nation'' is the third studio album by the Swedish rock group H.E.A.T and first album with the vocalist Erik Grönwall, released in 2012 by the record company Gain/Sony Music. In January 2013, Dave Ling of ''Classic Rock'' named ''Add ...
on March 7.[ He also said that the program of the movement to achieve autonomy would be outlined in the speech.
On the same day, the East Bengal Labor Movement handed over pamphlets to people calling to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the independence of East Pakistan by fighting against the central government of Pakistan. In the evening, Awami League's branch in ]Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
held discussions with Pakistani political parties. The Pakistan People's Party was absent from the discussion aimed at the latest political situation in Pakistan. In the meeting, the Awami League demanded to hold the National Assembly session by 7th March.
On this day, there were reports of looting of shops by unknown perpetrator in various parts of East Pakistan. The people resisted the looters and burnt the looted goods. A curfew was imposed in Dacca through radio announcements at night. When the students broke the curfew and took out a procession at night, they were fired upon in different parts of the city.
March 3
On this day, in the presence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Paltan Maidan, under the banner of Student Struggle Council, Shajahan Siraj, the then General Secretary of Chhatra League
The Bangladesh Chhatra League ( bn, বাংলাদেশ ছাত্রলীগ; translation: Bangladesh Students' League; BSL), formerly known as the East Pakistan Student League, often simply called the Chhatra League, is a students' po ...
announced the independence manifesto of Bangladesh. It declared East Pakistan to become an independent and sovereign state called Bangladesh as well as defining its goals. is It also declared Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the Commander-in-Chief of sovereign Bangladesh.
On this day, almost all government, semi-government and autonomous offices and institutions of East Pakistan, Secretariat, High Court and other courts, Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines ( ur, ; abbreviated PIA, ur, ) is an international airline that serves as the national flag carrier of Pakistan under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation. It ...
, Railways and all other communication media, industrial and commercial institutions were observed in all places in the country and meetings and marches were held. A procession was held on this day with the bodies of several people who had been shot dead the previous night. Many places in East Pakistan were shot at during these processions. As a result, 75 people were shot dead in Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
besides 23 people in the city of Dacca. Curfew was imposed in Dacca, Rangpur and Sylhet.
Yahya Khan announced the decision to hold a conference of leaders in Dacca on March 10 and promised to start the National Assembly session within two weeks of this conference. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto agreed but Sheikh Mujibur Rahman rejected it. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman told Bhutto that if the Bhuttos did not want to accept a democratically constituted system of governance, then a separate system of governance would be created for East Pakistan.
At night, when troops and goods were disembarked from the MV Swat ship at Chittagong port
The Chittagong Port ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম বন্দর) is the main seaport of Bangladesh. Located in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong and on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the port handles over 90 percent of Bangladesh' ...
, a clash broke out between the army and the protesting sailors. Seven army personnel were tried by a court-martial and sentenced to death by the Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
after refusing to open fire on the protesters.
March 4
Curfew was lifted from the provincial capital. But Martial Law No. 113 was issued in the district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
and hill tracts area in Chittagong. East Pakistani artists and journalists joined the movement. On this day, Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani
Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani (12 December 1880 – 17 November 1976), often shortened as Maulana Bhashani, was a Bengali politician. His political tenure spanned the British colonial India, Pakistan and Bangladesh periods.
Maulana Bhashani was pop ...
, the president of National Awami Party
The National Awami Party (NAP), translated from Urdu to English as National People's Party, was the major left-wing political party in East and West Pakistan. It was founded in 1957 in Dhaka, erstwhile East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), by A ...
, demanded the rights of the people of this country based on the Lahore Resolution of 1940. Sahibzada Yakub Khan, the chief martial law administrator of East Pakistan, resigned as the situation deteriorated.
East Pakistani politician Nurul Amin
Nurul Amin ( bn, নুরুল আমিন; ur, ; 15 July 1893 – 2 October 1974) was a prominent Pakistani leader, and a jurist who served as the eighth prime minister of Pakistan and as the first and only vice president of Pakistan. H ...
called on Yahya Khan to convene a session of the National Assembly that day. At a press conference in Karachi, Asghar Khan
Air Marshal Muhammad Asghar Khan (Retd.) ( ur, 17 January 1921 – 5 January 2018), was a Pakistani politician and an autobiographer, later a dissident serving the cause of pacifism, peace, and human rights.
Born into a military fam ...
called on the central government to give power to Awami League to maintain the unity of Pakistan.
On this day, Radio Pakistan
Radio Pakistan serves as the national public broadcaster for radio in Pakistan. Although some local stations predate Radio Pakistan's founding, it is the oldest existing broadcasting network in Pakistan. The network was established on 14 Augus ...
and the Dhaka center of Pakistan Television
Pakistan Television Corporation ( ur, ; reporting name: PTV) is the Pakistani state-owned broadcaster. Pakistan entered the television broadcasting age in 1964, with a pilot television station established at Lahore.
Background
Historical co ...
, the government television channel, changed their names to Dacca Betar Kendro and Dacca Television respectively. From this day to March 6, Sheikh Mujib ordered a strike from six in the morning to two in the afternoon.
March 5
The movement continued. 4 people were killed and 25 were injured in the shooting in Tongi
Tongi ( bn, টঙ্গী) is a major township in Gazipur District, Gazipur, Bangladesh, with a population of 350,000. It hosts the Biswa Ijtema and features a Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industry Corporation, BSCIC industrial area, which prod ...
. As a result of firing in Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
, the death toll has increased to 138. Curfew was again imposed in Rangpur and Rajshahi
Rajshahi ( bn, রাজশাহী, ) is a metropolis, metropolitan city and a major urban, commercial and educational centre of Bangladesh. It is also the administrative seat of the eponymous Rajshahi Division, division and Rajshahi District ...
. The teachers of University of Dacca and East Pakistan University of Engineering and Technology joined the movement.
From this day, on the orders of Sheikh Mujib, all government and private offices, banks, ration shops are open from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm only for urgent needs and for the purpose of paying salaries to employees.
Bhutto and other leaders of the People's Party had a long meeting with Yahya Khan in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...
. After the meeting, the spokesperson of the party, Abdul Hafiz Pirzada
Abdul Hafeez Pirzada ( ur, ; 24 February 1935 – 1 September 2015) was a Pakistani lawyer, legal theorist, and politician, who served variously as minister for information, minister for law, minister for finance, and minister for education ...
, called the response of the Awami League unwanted and unreasonable in view of the suspension of the National Assembly session.
A absentee funeral prayer of those killed in the ongoing movement in East Pakistan was organized in Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, West Pakistan. Prayers and prayers are offered in memory of the victims after friday prayers in various mosques of East Pakistan.
March 6
General Yahya Khan in his address to the nation announced that the National Assembly session would be held on March 25. Tikka Khan
General Tikka Khan ( ur, ٹکا خان; 10 February 1915 – 28 March 2002) was a Pakistan Army general who was the first chief of army staff from 3 March 1972 until retiring on 1 March 1976. Along with Yahya Khan, he is considered a chief ar ...
was appointed as the Governor of East Pakistan. Flights of Pakistan over Indian airspace remain banned.
After Yahya Khan's speech, an emergency joint meeting of the executive committee of the central and eastern branches of Pakistani Awami League was held. After several hours of closed-door meeting, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman refused to enter into negotiations with Yahya Khan "trampling on the blood of martyrs".
14 people were injured and 1 person was killed in Rajshahi that day.[ 86 people were injured and 18 people were killed in ]Khulna
Khulna ( bn, খুলনা, ) is the third-largest city in Bangladesh, after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is the administrative centre of Khulna District and Khulna Division. Khulna's economy is the third-largest in Bangladesh, contributing $53 b ...
. On the other hand, 341 prisoners escaped by breaking the gate of Dhaka Central Jail
Dhaka Central Jail was the largest jail in Bangladesh, located in the old section of Dhaka, the country's capital. The jail has been used to house criminals as well as political prisoners, especially during the Language Movement of 1952, the 6 ...
.
March 7
On this day, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman delivered the historic 7th March speech to the nation at Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka. In his speech, he said that if 4 conditions are fulfilled, he will join the session. They are:
# Martial law must be withdrawn immediately.
# Military men should go back to barracks.
# Genocide must be investigated
Power must be transferred to the people's representatives.
He forbade the people of Bengal to pay tax. All the courts of East Pakistan, including the secretariat, other government and semi-government offices, the eastern branch of Supreme Court and the Dacca High Court
The High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh ( bn, হাইকোর্ট ডিভিশন) popularly known as the 'High Court' is one of the two divisions of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, the other division being the Appellate D ...
, were asked to remain closed. However, he allowed to keep the bank open only for 2 hours daily. Allowed all types of bus-trucks, rickshaws, taxis for the transportation of civilians other than the military.
Dacca Betar was shut down that day in protest of Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
activists for not airing this speech. The angry crowd threw bombs in front of the Betar building at seven in the evening.
That day President Yahya Khan appointed five military officers, including Lieut. General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi
Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi (1915 – 1 February 2004) was a Pakistan Army general. During the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, he commanded the Pakistani Eastern Command in East Pakistan (now Bang ...
, as Assistant Military Administrators.
Middle phase (March 8–15)
March 8
The non-cooperation movement took a new form after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's speech on 7th March. Student leaders declared solidarity with this speech. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's speech will be aired - on this condition the radio workers joined the work. Chhatra League leaders proposed to form 'Swadhin Bangladesh Chhatra Sangam Parishad' () on this day.
Although the speech of March 7 was not broadcast the previous day, due to the pressure of the situation, this speech was broadcast from Dacca Betar at 8:30 am. It is also relayed from other radio stations in East Pakistan.
An official press note claimed that 172 people were killed and 358 injured in the ongoing agitation. But on behalf of the Awami League, the party's general secretary Tajuddin Ahmad
Tajuddin Ahmad ( bn, তাজউদ্দীন আহমদ; ; 23 July 1925 – 3 November 1975) was a Bangladeshi politician and statesman. He led the Provisional Government of Bangladesh as its prime minister during the Bangladesh Liberat ...
protested this press note of the military authorities and complained that the number of casualties had been greatly reduced.
As per Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's March 7 speech, all government offices began to come to a standstill. Tikka Khan came to Dhaka on this day to serve as the military governor of East Pakistan.
In a statement at night, Tajuddin Ahmad explained the various instructions announced by Bangabandhu in his March 7 speech. There are mentions:
# The bank will be open from 9 am to 3 pm. Besides, it is said to keep the Post Office Savings Bank open. According to the directive, banks are only allowed to transact within Bangladesh (actually East Pakistan). Besides, customers are allowed to pay up to a maximum of .
# Essential areas for electricity, water, gas and fertilizer supply and diesel supply to power pumps were ordered to remain operational.
Also on that day, share prices of East Pakistan-based companies on the Karachi Stock Exchange
The Karachi Stock Exchange ( ur, or PSX-KSE) was a stock exchange located in Karachi, Pakistan. Since 1947, it has been located at the Stock Exchange Building on I. I. Chundrigar Road. It has now been consolidated in the Pakistan Stock Exchan ...
fell sharply.
March 9
On this day, the control over the civil administration of East Pakistan to the central government almost stopped. As a result, the then general secretary of Awami League, Tajuddin Ahmad, issued 16-point instructions on behalf of Awami League for the management of civil administration. Pakistan National League leader Ataur Rahman Khan
Ataur Rahman Khan ( bn, আতাউর রহমান খান; 1 July 1907 – 7 December 1991) was a Bangladeshi lawyer, politician and writer, and served as Chief Minister of East Pakistan from 1 September 1956 – March 1958, and as the P ...
and Chhatra League leaders advised Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to form a "Bangladesh National Government" that day.
On this day, NAP leader Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman discussed the political situation of the country. That afternoon, in a speech at Paltan Maidan, Maulana Bhasani announced his decision to join forces with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He also asked Yahya Khan to accept the independence of East Bengal. He also announced that if no effective action was taken by the government by 25 March, he would launch a simultaneous mass movement like in 1952.
Tikka Khan took over the duties of Chief Martial Law Administrator on this day. But Badruddin Ahmed Siddiky
Badruddin Ahmed Siddiky (1915-1991) was a Bangladeshi Jurist and the Chief Justice of East Pakistan.
Early life
Siddiky was born on 4 January 1915 in Dhaka, East Bengal, British Raj. He was born in the Baliadi Zamindar family. He graduated from ...
, Chief Justice of East Pakistan, told him that he was unable to take oath.
On this day, the military authorities issued an indefinite curfew in the city of Rajshahi for the next 8 hours from 9 pm.
Citizens of other countries in Dhaka landed in the city to take back their respective countries. The UN Secretary-General
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary- ...
ordered the removal of their workers from Dhaka if necessary. On the same day, the East Pakistan Communist Party called on the people to fight for the independence of East Pakistan.
March 10
On this day, actors and other artists of the country, led by poet Golam Mustafa
Golam Mustafa (2 March 1935 – 20 February 2003) was a Bangladeshi actor.
Early life and career
Mustafa first acted in a play named ''Pallimangal'' in Barisal in 1945.
Filmography
* ''Chanda'' - 1962
* ''Binimoy'' - 1970
* '' Dhire Bohe ...
and Khan Ataur Rahman
Khan Ataur Rahman (known as Khan Ata; 11 December 1928 – 1 December 1997) was a Bangladeshi film actor, director, producer, screenplay writer, music composer, and singer, best known for his role in the film '' Jibon Theke Neya'' (1970). He r ...
, protested under the banner of 'Disgruntled Artist Society'. Class II Bengali employees of the Pakistan Civil Service
The Central Superior Services (CSS; or Civil Service) is a permanent elite civil service authority, and the civil service that is responsible for running the bureaucratic operations and government secretariats and directorates of the Cabinet of ...
expressed their loyalty to the Awami League-led movement.
On this day, black flags were hoisted at various places across the country as part of the protest. Even government and private office buildings, Rajarbagh Police Line, various police stations and the house of the Chief Justice of Dhaka High Court were also hoisted.
The indefinite night curfew issued in Rajshahi city was withdrawn today.
On this day, the armed ship 'MV Swat' from West Pakistan arrived at Chittagong port and anchored. But the dock workers refused to take the weapons off the ship. The military attempted to lower the weapons, but the crowd successfully resisted.
On this day, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto offered to meet Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a telegram message, pleading to save the state.
March 11
Bhutto, the leader of the PPP, sent a telegram to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to come to Dacca to agree to negotiate. As Khulna Newsprint Mill stopped sending paper to West Pakistan from March 1, the quality of various newspapers including ''Dawn
Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's hori ...
'' decreased drastically from that day on due to the lack of newsprint.
A statement of Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangam Parishad called for the boycott of titles and medals given by the government. Therefore, on that day, U Thant
Thant (; ; January 22, 1909 – November 25, 1974), known honorifically as U Thant (), was a Burmese diplomat and the third secretary-general of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971, the first non-Scandinavian to hold the position. He held t ...
, the then Secretary General of the United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
, ordered all their officers and employees working in East Pakistan to return to the United Nations Headquarters
zh, 联合国总部大楼french: Siège des Nations uniesrussian: Штаб-квартира Организации Объединённых Наций es, Sede de las Naciones Unidas
, image = Midtown Manhattan Skyline 004.jpg
, im ...
.
Tajuddin Ahmed on behalf of Awami League published 14-point instructions for the purpose of the common people for the management of civil administration. Also on this day representatives of various parties of West Pakistan met with Sheikh Mujib.
A ship named 'Vintage Horizon' carrying 32 thousand tons of wheat from the United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
was coming to Chittagong Port for Pakistan. But the Pakistani government ordered the ship to go to Karachi port
The Port of Karachi ( ur, , ''Bandar gāh Karāchī'') is one of South Asia's largest and busiest deep-water seaports, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo (25 million tons per annum) located in Karachi, Pakistan. It is located on the Kar ...
that day.
March 12
On this day, Awami League ordered the formation of Sangram Parishad in every union of the province. Bengali CSP and EPCS officers working in East Pakistan, employees of government and semi-government and autonomous organizations supported the movement. The CSP officers donated their one day salary to the fund of Awami League on this day. The owners announced the closure of all movie theaters
A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall (Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...
in East Pakistan for an indefinite period. They donated to the Awami League relief fund for the movement.
In view of the ongoing movement, the military government announced the cancellation of all pre-scheduled events including the parade of the Armed Forces, awarding of titles, to be held on the occasion of Pakistan's Republic Day
Republic Day is the name of a holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they became republics.
List
January 1 January in Slovak Republic
The day of creation of Slovak republic. A national holiday since 1993. Officially cal ...
on March 23. Awami League leader Muhammad Mansur Ali
Muhammad Mansur Ali (16 January 1917 – 3 November 1975) was a Bangladeshi politician who was a close confidant of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh. A senior leader of the Awami League, Mansur also served as the Prime ...
expressed deep concern and condemnation that the US food cargo ship sent to East Pakistan was diverted to Karachi instead of Chittagong. Maulana Bhasani reiterated his support for Awami League in a public meeting in Mymensingh
Mymensingh ( bn, ময়মনসিংহ) is the capital of Mymensingh Division, Bangladesh. Located on the bank of Brahmaputra River, about north of the national capital Dhaka, it is a major financial center and educational hub of north ...
that day.
On this day, 27 prisoners escaped from the jail in Bogra
Bogra ( bn, বগুড়া), officially known as Bogura, is a major city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in Rajshahi Divi ...
. 1 inmate was killed and 15 wounded by guards during the escape.
March 13
All salaried officers and employees from the defense sector were ordered to join the workplace on the morning of March 15. If the order is not obeyed, they are threatened with dismissal from the job. Calling it provocative, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman strongly opposed this decision.
265 officials from West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, the United States, the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and the United Nations were sent back to their respective countries from Dacca.
On the same day, the leaders of various opposition parties in West Pakistan such as Council Muslim League
The Council Muslim League was a faction of the Pakistan Muslim League that divided from the Convention Muslim League that was supportive of the military regime of the President of Pakistan Gen. Ayub Khan. Sardar Muhammad Zafarullah, Mian Mumtaz ...
, Convention Muslim League
The Convention Muslim League (CML) was a faction of the Pakistan Muslim League that split-off in 1962, in support of the military regime of the President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan. The opposition party was known as the Council Muslim League
...
, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam ( ur, جمیعت علماءِ اسلام, abbreviated as JUI) was founded by Shabbir Ahmad Usmani as an offshoot of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (JUH) on 26 October 1945.
History
The original Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind was formed in Bri ...
, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan
Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) ( ur, ) is a Islamist political party in Pakistan. It was founded in 1948 by leaders of All India Sunni Conference. JUP exercised considerable political influence in Pakistani politics during 1970s to 2003. Its stude ...
organized a meeting regarding the ongoing situation. PPP and Pakistan Muslim League (Qayyum)
The Pakistan Muslim League (Qayyum), also referred as Qayyum Muslim League (QML) or Muslim League (Qayyum) was a Pakistani political party. After an attempt to neutralize the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Awami League by uniting the PML-Conventi ...
were absent from the meeting. At the end of the meeting, they demanded immediate transfer of power to Awami League to prevent the inevitable disintegration of Pakistan. Abdul Hakeem Chowdhury and Zainul Abedin
Zainul Abedin (29 December 1914 – 28 May 1976) was a Bangladeshi painter born in Mymensingh, East Bengal, British India (now Bangladesh). He became well known in 1944 through his series of paintings depicting some of the great famines in ...
renounced their titles in support of the movement.
March 14
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto proposed to Yahya Khan the formula to give power to Awami League in East Pakistan and PPP in West Pakistan, i.e. two parties in two Pakistans. The leaders of almost all the political parties in Pakistan at the time except Muslim League's Abdul Qayyum Khan
Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan Kashmiri ( ur, عبدالقیوم خان کشمیری) (16 July 1901 – 23 October 1981) was a major figure in British Indian and later Pakistan politics, in particular in the North-West Frontier Province, where served a ...
criticized this stubborn and undemocratic decision.
Western industrialists affected by the Non-cooperation movement submitted a memorandum to the military government to accept Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's four points.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman published an instruction book containing 35 instructions regarding the movement. The purpose of these instructions was to inform how to manage the movement without harming the country's economy.
March 15
On this day, the control of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Awami League was established in all areas of the province except the cantonments.
Yahya Khan came to Dacca that day to discuss with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His itinerary was secret. He did not speak to reporters at the airport.
There were massive protests in West Pakistan against Bhutto's proposal to give power to two parties in two Pakistans. Leaders of other parties in West Pakistan strongly opposed his decision, calling it undemocratic.
Final phase (March 16–25)
March 16
A report published in ''Newsweek'' that day said that he actually declared independence in his March 7 speech.
A meeting began between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan. After discussing with local leaders, he went to the Bangabhaban, Governor's House. On his way to the meeting, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman rode in a white car with a black flag on the front and a map of Bangladesh on the window shield.
In the meeting, Yahya Khan expressed his regret to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the previous incidents and wished to solve the problem politically. Then he said that he accepted the 4-point condition of power transfer proposed by Awami League. The terms were – removal of military rule and transfer of power to a democratic government, transfer of power to majority political parties in each province, retention of Yahya Khan's presidency as head of the central government, and two Pakistani members of the National Assembly meeting separately.[
]
March 17
On this day, the second round of talks took place between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan. However, neither the military government nor the Awami League have disclosed details about this discussion.
On this day, in a public meeting in Chittagong, the president of NAP, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, called to celebrate that day as 'Independent East Bengal Day' instead of the Republic Day of Pakistan on March 23.
The government formed a five-member inquiry committee to investigate the ongoing killings from March 1. But that inquiry committee was rejected by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. On the same day, Yahya Khan ordered Khadim Hussain Raja to finally implement Operation Searchlight.
March 18
There was no meeting between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan on that day.
Awami League rejected the aforementioned inquiry committee. On the other hand, another 3-member inquiry committee consist of Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, Abidur Reza Khan and Muhammad Mansur Ali
Muhammad Mansur Ali (16 January 1917 – 3 November 1975) was a Bangladeshi politician who was a close confidant of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh. A senior leader of the Awami League, Mansur also served as the Prime ...
was created by Awami League.
March 19
The fourth meeting between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan took place. It was decided in the meeting that the next day Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan would discuss with their advisors. Therefore, on this day, a separate meeting was held between the advisory councils. On behalf of Yahya Khan, Gul Hassan Khan, Lieutenant General S.G.M.M Pirzada and Alvin Robert Cornelius and Tajuddin Ahmed, Kamal Hossain and Syed Nazrul Islam participated on behalf of Awami League. On this day they had a meeting about the topic of the next day's discussion. But during the negotiations, Pak forces opened fire on the crowd in Rangpur, Syedpur and Gazipur, Joydevpur. The Bengalis were able to resist the Pakistani army in Jaidebpur. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said that he would not join the parliament unless there was an impartial investigation into the massacre by the army.
March 20
That day, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came to discuss with 6 representatives of Awami League (top leaders) named Syed Nazrul Islam, Khandaker Mostaq Ahmed, Tajuddin Ahmed, Kamal Hossain, M. Mansoor Ali and Abul Hasnat Muhammad Qamaruzzaman. On the other hand, among the representatives of Yahya Khan was Lieutenant General S.G.M.M Pirzada, AR Cornelius, and Col Hassan. Representatives of both sides met twice.
After the meeting, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reported some progress in the discussion. He also informed that he and his advisers will meet with the President and his advisers the next day.
On this day, the government asked all civilians of the country to submit their licensed weapons to the nearest police station.
March 21
On that day, in the meeting between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan, the then General Secretary of Awami League Tajuddin Ahmed helped Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the discussion.
Leader of PPP along with 12 advisors came to Dacca to join the discussion. Maulana Bhasani called everyone in Chittagong to join the movement under the leadership of Awami League.
The Central Chhatra Sangram Parishad began preparations to observe Pakistan Day as "Resistance Day" on this day. Other political and social organizations supported their proposals. From Pakistan Day, the Swadhin Bangladesh Sramik Sangam Parishad () called for a boycott of West Pakistani products.
March 22
As Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was adamant about not attending the session of the National Assembly if martial law was not withdrawn, President Yahya Khan again announced the suspension of the session of the National Assembly.
Tripartite talks were held between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Yahya Khan and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Also on this day there was a discussion between four advisers of Yahya Khan and five lawyers of Pakistan Peoples Party. With the argument of legal complications, they strongly opposed giving power to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by withdrawing martial law before the session. Also on this day President Yahya Khan discussed this issue with other leaders of West Pakistan.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto opposed the demand of Awami League to abolish military rule and transfer power to a democratic government by president, saying that if Awami League's demand is implemented, the president's order will lose legal validity by creating a constitutional vacuum. However, in a written statement on this day, A. K. Brohi stated that the 4 clauses in the transfer of power were not inconsistent with the law.[
]
March 23
On this day, the flag with the map of independent Bangladesh was hoisted in place of the Pakistani flag everywhere in East Pakistan, except the cantonment, Tejgaon Airport, airport and governor's house. On this day, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially hoisted this flag for the first time at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, his house on Road No. 32 in Dhanmondi Thana, Dhanmondi. According to his pre-announced instructions, a general holiday is observed across the country on this day. Maulana Bhasani's NAP observed the Pakistan Day as 'Independent East Bengal Day'.
On this day, the flag of independent Bangladesh was hoisted by protesters at the diplomatic offices of different countries in Dacca. The flag of independent Bengal was hoisted at the British Deputy High Commission and the Soviet Consulate in the morning. The Pakistani flags were hoisted by the supporters of Pakistan at the embassies of China, Indonesia, Iran and Nepal, Pakistan's ally at the time, first, but later the students lowered them and hoisted the map-embossed Bangladesh flag. However, no flag was hoisted at the US consulate in Dacca that day.
Due to the unstable situation in the country, President of Pakistan Yahya Khan canceled the scheduled Republic Day speech and issued a written statement.
Although there was no discussion between Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Yahya Khan on that day, there was a discussion between Awami League and President Yahya Khan's advisers. Awami League representatives presented the draft proposal of the 6-point system of governance. In the evening, the economic aspects of the regime were discussed again.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto held a meeting with President Yahya Khan and his Chief Secretary Lt. Gen. Pirzada on this day. Also, leaders of various political parties from West Pakistan came to Dacca and held a meeting with Yahya Khan that day.
On the same day, riots between Bengalis and Mahajir (Pakistan), Muhajirs took place in several places in East Pakistan instigated by the Pakistan Army. During the riots there were casualties from army firing.
March 24
Awami League and President Yahya Khan and his advisers discussed the economic sections of the draft constitution proposed on the 23rd.
On this day, Awami League representatives proposed confederation instead of federation in the draft constitution. But the government opposed it as it was in conflict with the constitution of Awami League.
President Yahya Khan held a meeting with People's Party leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on that day, but most West Pakistani political party leaders left East Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman advised to strengthen the movement on this day. Tajuddin Ahmad demanded the announcement of the President as soon as possible.
Muhajir residents in Mirpur Thana, Mirpur, with the help of Military Intelligence (Pakistan), Pakistani army intelligence, lowered Bangladeshi flags and black flags from the roofs of Bengali houses there and set them on fire, causing panic in the area.
The Pakistan Army unloaded its weapons from the MV Swat in Chittagong port and faced strong resistance from fifty thousand people.
March 25
Bhutto held talks with Yahya Khan for 45 minutes that morning. After the discussion, in response to reporters' questions about the proposed autonomy of East Pakistan, Bhutto said that the Awami League's proposed autonomy was not real but rather close to sovereignty.
In addition, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through a press release announced changes in the points contained in the instructions and added a new point. In addition, the Awami League issued a press release in which the party claimed that Yahya Khan had agreed to hand over power to their party and that they Expect the President to make an announcement in this regard.
On the same day, during the unloading of arms from the MV Swat at the Chittagong port, the general public obstructed it. Pak forces opened fire to avoid the obstacle. After that, curfew or evening law was issued in various parts of East Pakistan due to extreme protests across the country.
The Awami League called a nationwide strike on March 27 to protest the killing of 110 people by Pakistani forces firing on civilians in Joydevpur, Rangpur and Syedpur. On this day, the full report of the draft regime was supposed to be presented to President Yahya Khan, but that meeting did not take place. President Yahya Khan secretly left Dhaka at 4:45 pm on that day.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto announced his return to Karachi on 26 March after receiving the news of Yahya Khan's departure from East Pakistan. At a 9pm meeting held at his residence, an hour after receiving the news of Yahya Khan leaving Dhaka, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman expressed fear that he might be killed and Yahya Khan wanted to solve the problem by force of arms. However, he then expressed hope that an independent country called Bangladesh would be created in the future.
Ending and aftermath
On the pretext of protecting the unity of Pakistan and stopping the ongoing non-cooperation movement, Pakistani forces led by Tikka Khan, Rao Farman Ali, and Khadim Hussain Raja carried out indiscriminate massacres of unarmed sleeping Bengalis in Dhaka from 11:30 pm on 25 March. The non-cooperation movement officially ended when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence, declared independence in Bangladesh that night (early hours of 26 March).
In a radio address on the evening of March 26, Yahya Khan declared the Awami League treasonous and banned the party. In addition to this, the government seized the bank accounts of the Awami League. Although Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Kamal Hossain were imprisoned, most of the Awami League leaders managed to escape from the government. In such circumstances, the people of East Pakistan began to resist the Pakistan Army and this movement resulted in the liberation war of Bangladesh.
Impact
News of the non-cooperation movement was quickly spread throughout East Pakistan by newspapers and radio. Various published news stories about the Awami League, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and Yahya Khan in the newspapers of East Pakistan during the movement prove that the media was in favor of the movement at that time. Banks in East Pakistan also contributed to this movement. At that time, patriotic poems and songs written in leaflets in support of the non-cooperation movement were distributed in the branches of the banks.
According to Anthony Mascarenhas, this movement started on March 1, which has no precedent in the history of Pakistan. The Pakistan Army did not expect any such movement to break out in East Pakistan.
Sharafat Hossain wrote in ''The Daily Ittefaq'' that although Sheikh Mujibur Rahman believed in armed struggle like Subhash Chandra Bose, he started a peaceful movement called non-cooperation as a political strategy. Although Mahatma Gandhi conducted his non-cooperation movement in an entirely peaceful India, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman withdrew from the peaceful movement out of necessity. National Awami Party
The National Awami Party (NAP), translated from Urdu to English as National People's Party, was the major left-wing political party in East and West Pakistan. It was founded in 1957 in Dhaka, erstwhile East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), by A ...
leader Abdul Wali Khan said of the impact of the non-cooperation movement, "Gandhi would have been overwhelmed by this success".
Rehman Sobhan said about this movement that since the beginning of this movement, the existence of a central government in East Bengal was dissolved politically. When the government tried to regain control after March 26, the people here saw it as foreign interference. According to him the movement was successful and Bangladesh regained its power to rule 213 years after the Battle of Plassey.[
Political scientist Rounaq Jahan called the movement an unprecedented mass movement, which she attributed to Yahya Khan's postponement of a pre-scheduled meeting of the Pakistan Constituent Assembly. According to her, during this movement the people of East Pakistan started to consider themselves as citizens of a new state. She also felt that the people's participation in this movement and their desire to be independent created a general will for the Bangladesh Liberation War, independence of Bangladesh.]
According to political scientist Zillur Rahman Khan, through this movement, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established a separate de facto government in the region. The state of Bangladesh was created as a result of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's contribution in rallying public support against Pakistan's military government.
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Gallery of Non-cooperation movement
on Bangabandhu Memorial Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Non-Cooperation Movement
1971 protests
1971 in Pakistan
History of East Pakistan
Civil disobedience
Economic history of Bangladesh
Nonviolent resistance movements
Social movements in Pakistan
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Causes and prelude of the Bangladesh Liberation War