Liberation War of Bangladesh

Bangladesh, as we see today is the product of a series of events beginning from 1971. The nine-month long Liberation War fought by the people of Bangladesh in the year 1971 will always be recorded as the most glorious chapter in the history of Bangladesh.

People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the sovereign and independent state as it stands today, is the result of a big struggle of the countrymen under the competent leadership of Bangabandhu Shekh Mujibur Rahman. The declaration of independence, the proclamation of the liberation war, the National Flag- all these people owe to the inspiration and vision of Bangabandhu. He managed to shape the very history and aspiration of people. He rejuvenated the people with unbending spirit of Bengalee Nationalism. It is Bangabandhu who charged the people with courage, resilience, valour and unity and triggered off the armed struggle for freedom.

The Genesis: The War of Liberation did not start overnight. It was brewing for long 23 years. Since the birth of Pakistan in Aug 1947, Bengalees felt ignored and in the scheme of country’s governance. People gradually found themselves deprived and exploited by power elite dominated by West Pakistani bureaucrats and the military personals.    

Though Bengalees constituted the majority of the country’s entire population, the Bengalees of the Eastern wing just had a poor representation in civil service and in armed forces. They had almost no place in commerce and industry. The Muslims of the Eastern wing were being considered as inferior Muslims. Effort was there to cleanse them and to make them as ‘good’ as the Muslim of West Pakistan. There was constant political irritation and it was the existence of East Pakistan. Political and economic deprivation had led Bengalees to demand a greater provincial autonomy and control over such natural resources as tea and jute which because of the Korean War boom in fifties, had become the prime earners of foreign exchange for Pakistan of that time. This paves the way for constitutional changes.

Pakistani rulers viewed this demand as a strategic move by the Bengalees to make way for secession. Demand for establishing Bangla as one of the state languages of Pakistan also taken in suspicion. These led to repression and bloodshed. Many students were killed in Dhaka in 1952 while trying to win a place of honour for their mother tongue. Demand for provincial autonomy assumed a new meaning and urgency.

Historic Six-points:  By the year 1958, Pakistan went under the military dictatorship. It blocked normal avenues for political resolution of the constitutional issue. Field Marshal Ayub Khan, in Sep 1965 fought his country’s second costly war with India which exposed the military vulnerability of the eastern wing. It also made an experiment with democracy to get himself elected as President through a limited franchise of 80,000 ‘basic democrats’. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman against this basic background, put forward his historic six-points in 1966 which in effect, structured the foundation for the future independence of East Pakistan. The six-points were:

1. Pakistan should be a federation of states with parliamentary system of government.
2. Only defense and foreign affairs should remain with the federal government.
3. There should either be separate currencies for the two wings or there should be one currency for the entire country with inner-wing flow to be regulated by reserve banks of the two wings.
4. Taxes should be levied only by the regional governments. But a specified portion will go to the federal government automatically.
5. Separate accounts should be maintained for foreign currencies earned by every region.
6. A separate militia or a parliamentary force should be created for the eastern wing.

In January, 1968, Bangabandhu and 34 Bengalees both civil and military officials were arrested on charges of their involvement in the so-called Agartala conspiracy for declaring independence of East Pakistan. The trial proved the charges to be baseless and thereby the case had to be withdrawn by Feb 1969. Sheikh Mujib along with other accused was released on Feb 22, 1969.

Thus the design of Ayub Khan and his military personals to make Sheikh Mujib unpopular was seriously defeated. Actually he came out as a great hero and the leader of the Bengalees. Thereafter Ayub Khan was obliged to invite Sheikh Mujib to the round table conference of political leaders in Rawalpindi. Sheikh Mujib withdrew from this conference because he found that the six-points were not entertained by West Pakistani leaders as the agenda for constitutional talks.       

Declaration of the war of Independence:

President Ayub Khan on 25^th March, 1969 was thrown out of power by his army chief General Yahya Khan. Again Pakistan was put under Marshal Law. Yahya Khan took steps to hold general election and to permit political activities.

On 28^th October, 1970, Sheikh Mujib passed a broadcast over radio and television as a part of election campaign. In the election held on 12 December, 1970, the Awami League came out as the largest party in the Parliament of Pakistan winning 167 seats out 313. But unfortunately, Awami League was not allowed to form the government because of the machinations of General Yahya Khan in collusion with West Pakistani leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto won only 88 seats.

The inaugural Parliamentary session that was supposed to begin in Dhaka was postponed on the pretext of resolving differences between the political leaders of the two wings. The Bengalees found that it was nothing but a further conspiracy of the Pakistan military to deny power to the Bengalees which they had won by the fair democratic election.  In the historic speech on 7^th March, Bangabandhu in a public meeting at Swarardhy Uddyan asked his people to continue non-cooperation movement they had already started. Sheikh Mujib asked his people to prepare for a decisive battle for independence. But Muib kept the door open for political negotiation in order to avoid direct confrontation with Yahya’s military.

In spite of serious opposition from his followers especially from the student community, Sheikh Muib sat with Yahya Khan and his advisors to negotiate a constitutional settlement. When things seemed to go well, the dialogue was snapped on 25^th March. A military crackdown was ordered and Sheikh Mujib was attested and taken away to West Pakistan. But just before his arrest, he sent out a call for War of Liberation to begin.

Known as the Declaration of the War of Independence, this hurriedly written Historic Document reads as follow-

“Pak Army suddenly attacked EPR Base at Pilkhana, Rajarbagh Police Line and killing citizens. Street battles are going on in every street of Dhaka, Chittagong. I appeal to the nations of the world for help. Our freedom fighters are gallantly fighting with the enemies to free the motherland. I appeal and order you all in the name of Almighty Allah to fight to the last drop of blood to liberate the country. Ask police, EPR, Bengal Regiment and Ansar to stand by you and to fight. No compromise. Victory is ours. Drive out the enemies from the holy soil of the motherland. Convey this message to all Awami League leaders, workers and other patriots and lovers of freedom. May Allah bless you. Joy Bangla.” – Sheikh Mujib.

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