Bangladesh history: The March days

"Songs of liberation echo from the dust" and these famous words of Brandon Boyd came true for us in 1971. After the Awami League had won a decisive majority (capturing 167 out of 313 seats) in the 1970 Pakistan parliamentary elections, the Bengali population expected a swift transfer of power to the Awami League based on the Six Point Program. On 28 February 1971, Yahya Khan, the President of Pakistan, under the pressure of PPP of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, postponed the national assembly meeting scheduled for March.

The Pakistan People's Party had already started lobbying to weaken the stand of Sheikh Mujib, and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was heard saying that he wanted the Bengalis to stay away. The Awami League, in response to the postponement, launched a program of non-co-operation which was largely outlined in the 7 March Awami League rally by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the program was turned out so successful that the authority of the Pakistan government became limited to the cantonments and government institutions only in the-then East Pakistan.

Clashes between civilians and the Pakistani Army and between Bengali and Bihari communities erupted and became a commonplace. President Yahya Khan flew to Dhaka to hold talks with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, leader of the Awami League and majority party leader of Pakistan in March, and was later joined by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, then the leader of Pakistan People's Party, which had secured the second largest share of seats. Unwilling to transfer power to East Pakistan as demanded by Awami League to lose face by backing down in face of the non-co-operation movement, the Pakistani generals most of which supported the Pakistan People's Party, finally decided on a military crackdown.

On March 2, 1971, this initial version of Bangladesh's flag with a red circle which had a yellow map of the country inside the red disc was hoisted in Bangladesh for the first time at Dhaka University, by student leader A. S. M. Abdur Rab, the-then Vice President of Dhaka University Students' Union (DUCSU). The flag was conceived so as to exclude the crescent and the star considered as symbols of West Pakistan. It signaled that Bangladesh is an independent and sovereign country. Robert Frost competently said, "Freedom lies in being bold."

A sequence of related events arranged in chronological order and displayed along a line in March, 1971: March 1: Pakistan's President Yahya Khan announced the postponement until a later date of the National Assembly. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman reacted angrily to the postponement at a press conference and called for emancipation of 75 million Bangalis.

He announced a 6-day program which included observance of complete strike in Dhaka on 2nd March and a country-wide strike on the 3rd March, the day the National Assembly was supposed to meet. He also announced a public meeting to be held at the Race Course Ground, Dhaka on 7March where he would announce the final program.

March 2: Curfew was declared by Pakistan's military junta from dawn to dusk but the Bengali protestors took to the street. Many were killed by Pakistani troops. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman denounced the firing on unarmed men and declared province-wide strike on each day from 2 March, 1971 to 6 March, 1971 from 6am to 2pm.

March 3:  Mujib rejected Pakistan's President General Yahya Khan's proposal for a conference of political leaders. He called a nationwide strike and launched a non-violent non-cooperation movement. The upsurge by then had spread to the other parts of the country.

Everywhere the people responded to the great leader Bangabandhu's appeal and the movement became more orderly and effective. Bangabandhu also ordered continuous strikes - a daily shutdown from 7am to 2pm and accordingly, everything in the country ceased to function during those hours.

There was serious trouble in Chittagong that night when the authorities tried to unload the MV Swat which had arrived with troops and a cargo of ammunition. Dock workers spread this news. Soon thousands of people were locked in battle with West Pakistani soldiers and sailors. The trouble gained a new dimension when a unit of the East Pakistan Rifles refused to fire on Bangali demonstrators. This action gave a sharper edge to Bangali resentment. It was in that situation that Lt.-Gen. Tikka Khan flew into Dhaka who had already acquired the bad name of "Butcher of Baluchistan".

After the daily strikes ended in Dhaka at 2pm meetings were held at the stadium and other places. As the intensity of the movement was increasing so did the demand for independence. All eyes were being turned to the Race Course Ground in Dhaka where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman expected to proclaim independence on 7 March, 1971.On the other side, Yahya Khan saw the remedy only in terms of applying greater force - a military solution for a political problem.

March 4:  Non-violent non-cooperation movement and daily shut-down from 7 am to 2 pm continued. Government offices were closed, banks bolted shut, even postal, telegraph, telephone, airlines and train services came to a standstill. There were clashes and killing all over the country. General Tikka Khan took over as Governor East Pakistan.

March 5: Three hundred people killed in army action against Awami League volunteers and supporters. Yahya Khan was clear in his mind about what he would do. The strategy would be to provide the necessary force, buy time for the preparations and strike hard at the appropriate moment. Encouragement also came from Tikka Khan, "Give me enough force and I will crush them in 48 hours."  Accordingly, Yahya Khan ordered the massive airlift of army and ammunitions to begin from Pakistan to kneel a crushing blow to the just cause of the Bengalis.

March 6: Yahya Khan announced that the National Assembly would meet on 25 March, 1971. Whoever heard Yahya khan's broadcast that day would never forget the experience. The manner in which the gesture was made and the tone of voice left no doubt whatsoever of his real intentions. He had not a single word to assuage outraged Bangali sentiment, nor did he make the slightest effort at reconciliation. Instead, he heaped invective on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League.

On three separate occasions between 3rd March and 24 March, Bangali members of armed forces approached Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for guidance because they had no illusions about what was coming. In the evening Bangabandhu was engaged in an emergency meeting of the party's working committee to consider the President's new date for the national assembly meeting.

The Awami Leaguers also had to decide whether or not to make the declaration of independence that the people were clamoring for. The pressures for this were extreme. On the one side, was the powerful student groups insisting to announce the break with the West Pakistan, with them also were the street crowds. Finally Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman decided to speak out about this issue - tomorrow 7 March, 1971 on the Racecourse Ground.

March 7:  Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman asked the people not to pay taxes and asks the government servants to take orders only from him. He also put forward his 3 conditions for attending the Assembly session and declared "Our current struggle is a struggle for independence". There was a meeting on the Race Course Ground to mark a dramatic turn in the Bangali struggle. All eyes were centered on the dais where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was expected any moment. In his speech, Bangabandhu declared a four-point demand to consider the national assembly meeting on 25 March 1971, which were:

1. The immediate withdrawal of the martial law.
 2. Immediate withdrawal of all military personnel to their barracks.
 3. An inquiry into the loss of life.
 4. Immediate transfer of power to the elected representative of the people before the assembly meeting on 25 March.

Bangabandhu also unfolded a program of several directives that was the extent of the civil disobedience movement. Those were:

1. No tax campaign will continue.
 2. The secretariat, government and semi-government offices, High court and other courts throughout East Pakistan would observe strikes. Appropriate exemptions will be announced from time to time.
 3. Railway and ports would function, but railway and port workers would not cooperate if railway or ports were used for mobilizing of Pakistani forces for the purpose of repression against the people of East Pakistan.
 4. Radio, television and newspapers must give complete versions of Bangabandhu's statements and must not suppress news about the people's movement, but if otherwise Bangali worker in these establishment must not cooperate.
 5. Only local and inter-district telephone communication would function.
 6. All educational institution must remain closed.
 7. Banks must not effect remittances to the Western wing either through the State Bank or otherwise.
 8. Black flags would be hoisted on all buildings every day.
 9. Strikes were withdrawn in all other spheres but complete strikes might be declared at any moment depending on the situation.
 10. A 'Sangram Parishad' (Movement Body) should be organized in each union, each area, sub-division under the leadership of the local Awami League units.
Bangabandhu exhorted his people to turn every house in East Pakistan into a fortress. Finally, raising his fist, he cried out at the top of his voice, "OUR STRUGGLE THIS TIME IS A STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, OUR STRUGGLE THIS TIME IS A STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE. JOY BANGLA."

March 8:
Civil disobedience movement was launched. "People's rule" by Bangabandhu, became the order of the day. The Bangalis were supremely disciplined and dedicated in this matter. Every man, woman and child scrupulously following the dictates of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In the evening, Tajuddin Ahmad issued several clarifications and exemptions to mitigate public hardship and to prevent damage to the East Pakistan's economy.
March 9:

East Pakistan judges refused to swear in Lt. Gen. Tikka Khan as governor. Tikka Khan had arrived in Dhaka a few days after the non-cooperation movement had started, to take up the dual role of Governor and Martial Law Administrator for the Eastern part. But he had not yet sworn it. Finally, he decided to be formally sworn in as Governor and summoned the chief justice of East Pakistan for the purpose of administering the oath. Justice Siddique very politely declined. So did the other judges of the Dhaka High Court. This proved that Bangabandhu's directives were being obeyed even at that top level.

March 10-13:
Pakistan International Airlines cancelling most of its international services concentrated all available aircraft of ferrying Government Passengers to Dhaka. But those were the troops in civilian dress. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's called for non-violent non-cooperation and civil disobedience movements were becoming a part of daily life, for the people of the East Pakistan.

March 15: Announcement of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - issued 35 directives (laws) to carry on with civilian rule:
- Non-co-operation movement to go on.
- Peoples determination commended.
- Fresh action programme as struggle enters 3rd week.
President Yahiya Khan arrived along with several other generals at Dhaka at 2:20 pm to meet Mujib for negotiations.

March 16: Mujib arrived at the President House hoisting a black flag to protest the horrendous massacre for the so called negotiations.

March 18: Second day of negotiations. Mujib declined to accept probe body set up by the Martial Law Administrator Zone-B to go into the circumstances which led to the calling of the Army in aid of civil power in various parts of East Pakistan between March 2nd and 9th March.

March 19: Clash near Dacca - Curfew clamped in Joydevpur. After 90 minutes of heated discussion with Yahiya, Mujib heard that the military had fired upon people at Tongi, Joydebpur and other places. Hearing this he found no reason to continue talks. Mujib condemned the killings and said, "No sacrifice would be considered enough to emancipate the people of Bangladesh. Bangladesh could not be suppressed by force. If necessary, we shall give the last drop of our blood to see that our posterity lived happily as a free citizen in a free country."March 20: Mujib and Yahiya talked for 2 hours, this time with their advisors.
To be continued…

The writer is a political
commentator