Fiery March: The beginning of the month of independence

BD Digest Report

The month of March began with an atmosphere of remembrance and pride of independence. It was in this month of 1971 that the then East Pakistan moved towards its final independence.

The Liberation War began with a long political struggle, non-cooperation movement, and massacres by the Pakistani military.

Immediately after that dark night of March 25, the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared independence.

Then began the nine-month armed liberation war. Through a long, bloody struggle, independent Bangladesh was achieved at the cost of the sacrifices of three million martyrs and more than two hundred thousand oppressed women.

Although the background for Bangladesh’s independence was laid much earlier, the Six-Point Demand of 1966, the mass uprising of 1969, and the general elections of 1970 organized the Bengali freedom movement.

The Bangladesh Awami League won a majority in the then East Pakistan in the 1970 elections . However, the ruling party in West Pakistan began to delay the transfer of power.

On March 1, 1971, when the then President of Pakistan, Yahya Khan, announced the postponement of the Constituent Assembly session scheduled for March 3, East Pakistan erupted in anger. In protest, a strike was observed in Dhaka on March 2 and across the country on March 3. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman called for a non-cooperation movement .

In a historic speech at Dhaka’s then Race Course Maidan, now Suhrawardy Udyan , on March 7 , he called for readiness for the struggle for independence. Amid the turbulent situation throughout March, the Pakistani military began preparing for repression under the guise of negotiations.

On the midnight of March 25, the Pakistani army launched a planned genocide called ‘Operation Searchlight’. Indiscriminate killings, arson and attacks took place in various places including Dhaka. A horrific massacre was carried out at Dhaka University . Rajarbagh Police Line and Peelkhana (then EPR headquarters) were attacked.

Immediately after that dark night of March 25, the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared independence.

Preparations for discussions, meetings, and cultural programs have begun across the country since the first day of March on the eve of the 55th anniversary of independence. That historic March still reminds the nation of the value of independence and the spirit of struggle.