Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Name of Language
Bangla Pustu Panjabi Urdu Hindi English
Percentage (%)
54.6 27.1 6.1 06 4.8 1.4
[Source: Census-1951]
The question of Bengali as a state language came up immediately after the creation of Pakistan. On 6 and 7 September 1947 the youth workers of East Pakistan held a Conference in Dhaka which was presided over by Tasadduk Hossain. This Conference, for the first time took a resolution demanding Bengali as the language of the offices and the courts and also as the medium of instruction in East Pakistan. The Tamuddun Majlis came next with the demand of making Bengali one of the state languages of Pakistan. On 15 September 1947 the Tamuddun Majlis published the first booklet on the Language Movement entitled 'Pakistaner Rastrabhasha Bangla Na Urdu'. Professor Abul Kashem, Dr. Qazi Motahar Hossain and Abul Mansur Ahmed were the authors of this booklet. They argued in favour of making Bengali one of the state languages of Pakistan along with Urdu and also gave an outline of the Language Movement. In this booklet Professor Abul Kashem made a call to everybody in East Pakistan to join the Language Movement.
reconstituted with a view to making Bengali a state language. The Sangram Parishad raised the following demands regarding the question of language: 1. 2. Bengali shall be the medium of instruction and the language of There will be two state languages of Pakistan Bengali and Urdu. the offices and law Courts of East Bengal (East Pakistan);
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 among the students, teachers and civil societies of East Bengal. As a mark of protest, a strike was observed on 26 February in Dhaka. On 2 March 1948 the various organizations of East Bengal held a meeting at the Fazlul Huq Hall of Dhaka University to realize the demand for the state language. The meeting chaired by Kamruddin Ahmad resolved to form an All-Party Rashtrabhasha Sangram Parishad. The Samgram Parishad called a general strike on 11 March 1948 to resist the conspiracy of the Government in the language issue. On that day, many students were injured and many leaders including Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Shamsul Huq and Oli Ahad were arrested. In protest against this incident and to make Bengali a state language, another strike was observed at Dhaka University and other educational institutions on 13 March. This strike was extended up to 15 March. A general strike was also observed in all the districts of the province. In such a situation, the Chief Minister Khwaja Nazimuddin met the Sangram Parishad on 15 March and signed an agreement with them. By this agreement, he agreed to release the arrested students, to investigate police excesses, to move a Bill in the Assembly for making Bengali a state language and to lift section 144 and the restrictions imposed on the news papers. In March 1948, Muhammad Ali Jinnah visited Dhaka and on 21 March, addressed a public meeting at the then Race Course Maidan. In that meeting he declared, "Urdu and only Urdu shall be the state language of Pakistan". When he repeated these words at the Dhaka University Convocation Ceremony held on 24 March at the Curzon Hall, the students present protested vehemently by shouting 'No, No'. On that very day, Rastrabhasha Parishad submitted a memorandum to Muhammad Ali Jinnah demanding for Bengali the status of a state language of Pakistan. The Move to write Bengali in Arabic letters: The Pakistani ruling clique never stopped its attempt to spread its network of conspiracy in regard to the language issue. In 1948, the All Pakistan
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 Education Conference held in Karachi, proposed the introduction of Arabic script, or in other words, Urdu letters for writing Bengali in the name of honoring the Islamic ideal. Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah was proposed to be appointed for the purpose of introducing Arabic script for writing Bengali. But he rejected the proposal. In April 1949 the students of the Bengali Department of the University of Dhaka submitted a memorandum to the Pakistan Education Advisory Board and the Alphabet Expert Committee strongly protesting against this objectionable move to introduce Arabic script to write Bengali. In the memorandum the demand was also made not to change the Bengali alphabets.
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 made its Convener. This Sangram Committee resolved to carry on the Movement until the demand for the state language was met. This All Party Rashtrabhasha Sangram Committee decided to call a student's strike on 4 February and observe 21 February as the State Language Day and to observe hartal throughout the country. On 16 February 1952 Sheikh Mujib and student leader Mohiuddin Ahmed , while detained in the Dhaka Central Jail as political prisoners, started the fast unto death Movement on the question of 'Bengali as a state language and the release of the political prisoners'.
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 of that, another Shaheed Minar was built later on the same site and that is the present Central Shaheed Minar.
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 The Muslim League Government again and again deferred the date of the general election of East Bengal. At last, it was declared that the general election in East Bengal would be held in March 1954 on the basis of adult franchise. To confront the ruling Muslim League in the general election of 1954 the opposition parties in East Bengal formed a United Front. On 4 December, 1953 the Awami League, the Krishak Sramik Party, the Nejam-iIslam and the Ganatantri Dal combined together formed this United Front under the leadership of Mauiana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq and Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy.
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 16.Establishment of the Bangla Academy at the 'Burdwan House' for conducting research in Bengali, 17.Erection of a monument in memory of the martyrs of the Language Movement, 18.To declare 21 February as the Martyrs' Day, 19.To establish autonomy for East Pakistan on the basis of the Lahore Resolution, 20.No extension of the tenure of the Legislative Assembly on any pretext, 21.To hold by-election within three months to a vacant seat in the Legislature from the day it falls vacant.
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 discrimination had been increasing gradually. As a result, a wide gap was in the relation between East and West Pakistan.
I. Socio-Cultural Disparity
Bengali was the mother tongue of about 54 percent of the people of Pakistan. On the other hand, Urdu was the mother tongue of only 6 percent people of the whole of Pakistan (Census-1951). Thus Bengali, in spite of being the language of the majority of the people of Pakistan, was ignored by the Pakistani ruling clique as a state language which was a substantial discrimination against the people of East Pakistan. On the other hand, East Pakistan also deprived from getting reasonable facilities in various social sectors.
SL. No
1 2 3 4
Areas
Total Population Number of Doctor Rural Health Complex Urban Social Development Centre
West Pakistan
5.50 Crore 12,400 325 81
East Pakistan
7.50 Crore 7,600 88 52
Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 In protest against these discriminatory policies of West Pakistan, the people of East Pakistan raised the demands for their rights of self-determination and autonomy. At this, the West Pakistani ruling clique forgot the principles of democracy and perused a policy of suppressing the just demands of the people of East Pakistan. They did not even hesitate to term Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other patriotic leaders of this region as traitors.
SL. No
1 2 3 4 5 6
Areas
Central Civil Jobs Foreign Jobs Army Navy (Technical) Navy (Non-Technical) Air Force (Pilot)
West Pakistan
84% 85% 95% 81% 91% 91%
East Pakistan
16% 15% 5% 19% 9% 9%
[Source: M.A. Rahim et. al., Bangladesher Itihas, P. 479] In the army, 95 percent posts were held by the West Pakistanis and East Pakistan had a share of only 5 percent. There was discrimination in other branches as well. Highest expenditure in Pakistan was in the Defense Sector. Initially, the allocation in this sector was 25 percent; subsequently it was raised to 60 percent. East Pakistan never enjoyed any such benefit from it. Militarily, East Pakistan was much neglected and remained unprotected. During the Indo-Pak War of 1965 everyone clearly realized this truth. In administrative arena, within 1966, 77% 1st class jobs belonged to the west Pakistani whereas only 23% filled up by the East Pakistani, On the other hand, 74% for 2nd Class, 73% for 3rd Class and 70% for 4th Class jobs went to west Pakistan while remaining were for East Pakistan.
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SL. No
1 2 3 4 5 6
Areas
Foreign Currency for Development Foreign Aid without USA USA Aid Pakistan Industrial Corporation House Building Industrial Bank
West Pakistan
80% 96% 56% 53% 88% 76%
East Pakistan
20% 04% 34% 42% 12% 24%
[Source: M.A. Rahim et. al., Bangladesher Itihas, P. 480] About two thirds of the foreign exchange of Pakistan was earned by selling the jute of East Pakistan. But the jute farmers could never get the fair price for their products. On various pretexts the foreign exchange was also spent in West Pakistan. Most of the foreign loans and economic assistance were spent for the Development of West Pakistan, Even in industry, East Pakistan was backward. The small number of industrial units, including the jute mills located in East Pakistan, was mostly owned by the West Pakistani capitalists. In the field of textile industry also, East Pakistan was dependent on West Pakistan.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 6. The federal states should have the authority to form regional armed forces or militia or Para-militia forces to protect the territories.
Outcomes of Six-Point:
The oppressed and exploited people of East Pakistan welcomed this Six-Point Programme as their Magna Carta or the Charter of Freedom. As a result, the popularity of the Six-Point Programme increased day by day. The government became frightened at the popularity of the Six-Point demand and falsely termed the Six-Point demand as an anti-state Movement. After this, the Government took recourse to repressive policy to check the Six-Point movement and arrested Sheikh Mujib along with many other leaders and workers of the Awami League on 8 May 1966. There was widespread resentment in Dhaka and throughout the province against these arrests. The Awami League, at first observed a day of protest. Thereafter, on 7 June 1966 a general hartal was called throughout the province for the release of the political prisoners. The government imposed section 144 to prevent this hartal. But the people observed the hartal spontaneously, ignoring the government ban and brought out a procession. The police fired upon the processionists. Eleven people including young Manu Miah were killed and hundreds of people were injured as a result of this firing. This act of atrocity was strongly condemned in the Provincial Assembly.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 with whatever you have in handRemember, we have given a lot of blood, a lot more blood we shall give if need be, but we shall liberate the people of this country, Insha Allah [i.e., if Allah blessed]..The struggle this time is the struggle for our emancipation; the struggle this time is the struggle for independence." Meanwhile, President Yahya Khan and other leaders from West Pakistan came to Dhaka on 15 March to start a dialogue with Sheikh Mujib and his party. The dialogue began on the following day and continued intermittently down to 25 March morning. During the period, non-cooperation and hartals continued relentlessly. Students and leaders of various political parties had been declaring independence from March 2 and the spree continued down to 25 March. While holding talks, the Pakistani military junta was bringing more troops to Bangladesh and at the same time killing innocent civilians all over the country. This clearly showed that they were totally insincere about handing over power to the elected representatives of Bangladesh. No sooner the talks failed, the genocide began at mid-night of 25 March 1971, and the Pakistan army launched its brutal crackdown in Dhaka with operation Search Light. Sheikh Mujib was arrested and kept confined at Dhaka Cantonment until he was lifted to West Pakistan for facing trial for sedition and inciting insurrection and before that time; with a written document he declared the independence of Bangladesh. That was the historical background of the liberation war of Bangladesh.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 fitted jeeps and trucks loaded with troops groaned on the streets of Dhaka City at midnight of 25 March. Several hundred people chanted the slogan Joi Bangla which lasted for about 15 minutes. But soon guns silenced them. The army moved into the city before scheduled time and started the GENOCIDE. The military forces killed everybody in sight on the footpath and destroyed everything on their way. The tanks roared through the streets of Dhaka blasting indiscriminately at the people and official and residential buildings. They gunned down clusters of settlements and set fire on them. Scores of artillery bursts were pounded, while the tanks rumbled into the city roaring the main streets. The student halls of residence at Dhaka University were raided and numerous students residing there were brutally killed and maimed. They also killed many teachers of Dhaka University. The Hindu concentrated areas of old Dhaka were particularly targeted. They started killing the people, burnt their houses, looted their valuables and raped their women. The genocide that was perpetrated on the unarmed people was flashed in the world press. On 26 March Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was taken prisoner by the Pakistan army. At about the same time, Major
ZIAUR RAHMAN
announced
Bangladesh's independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujib from Kalurghat radio station at Chittagong on 27th March1971. There were spontaneous uprisings throughout Bangladesh following the call of independence. These uprisings were participated by government officials, political activists, students, workers, peasants, professionals and members of the public. After initial resistance, many freedom fighters crossed over into Indian Territory to have safe sanctuary, due mainly to the enemy's overwhelming superiority of trained soldiers and modern weapons. The scattered and temporarily retreating rudimentary liberation forces were soon brought under a unified command.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 On 4 April, the senior officers of the liberation army assembled at the headquarters of 2nd East Bengal at Teliapara , a semi hilly area covered by tea gardens where Colonel MAG Osmany, Lieutenant Colonel Abdur Rob, Lieutenant Colonel Salahuddin Mohammad Reja, Major Kazi Nuruzzaman, Major KHALED MOSHARRAF, Major Nurul Islam, Major Shafat Jamil, Major Mainul Hossain Chowdhury and others were present. In this meeting four senior commanders were entrusted with the responsibility of operational areas. Sylhet-Brahmanbaria area was placed under the command of Major Shafiullah. Major Comilla-Noakhali Rahman. area was given area to was Major placed Khaled under Mosharraf while Chittagong-Chittagong Hill Tracts was given to Ziaur Kushtia-Jessore command of Major Abu Osman Chowdhury. In the meeting the organizational concept of the freedom fighter forces and the command structure were chalked out. Colonel MAG Osmany was to command the liberation forces, later named as MUKTI BAHINI. An exile government called the People's Republic of Bangladesh alias
MUJIBNAGAR GOVERNMENT
April. On the next day Tajuddin Ahmed announced the names of three more regional commanders. Captain Newazish for Rangpur region, Major Najmul Haque for Dinajpur-Rajshahi-Pabna and Major Jalil for Barisal-Patuakhali region. All these regions were later named as sectors. All of Bangladesh was divided into eleven such sectors and different sub-sectors for operational purposes during the Sector Commander's conference held from 10 to 17 July 1971.
Mujibnagar Government
On 10 April 1971, the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh was formed through a
PROCLAMATION OF INDEPENDENCE
issued
from
Mujibnagar. It confirmed the declaration of independence made earlier. Bangabandhu SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN, who was then interned in Pakistan, was elected President, SYED NAZRUL ISLAM Vice President and TAJUDDIN AHMED Prime Minister. In the absence of the President, the Vice President was empowered to exercise the powers, duties and responsibilities of the President. The
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 Bangladesh Government held a formal inauguration ceremony at the mango grove of village Baidyanathtala (renamed Mujibnagar) under the present Meherpur district on 17 April 1971. A few platoons of the then EPR and freedom fighters were deployed for presenting the Guard of Honour. The ceremony started at 11 am. When Syed Nazrul Islam hoisted the flag, a small group sang the NATIONAL ANTHEM Amar Sonar Bangla (My Golden Bangla) in a chorus. Syed Nazrul Islam announced the formation of a sovereign government of Bangladesh and introduced the ministers to the audience. The Acting President then delivered his speech. After that, Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed spoke at a press conference. Facts of the Mujibnagar Government President Vice President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (interned in Pakistani jail) Syed Nazrul Islam (Served as the Acting President in the absence of Prime Minister Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law Finance Minister Minister for Home Affairs, Relief and Rehabilitation Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Chief of Staff Departmental Chiefs General Mohammad Ataul Ghani Osmany Major General Abdur Rab Abdul Mannan (Press, Information, Radio and Film); Professor Yusuf Ali (Relief and Rehabilitation); Matiur Rahman (Commerce); Barrister Amirul Islam (Volunteer Corps) On 27 March, Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi expressed full support of her government to the freedom struggle of the Bengalis. Indian M Mansur Ali AHM Qamaruzzaman the President). Tajuddin Ahmed. Khondakar Mostaq Ahmad
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 Border Security Force (BSF) opened Bangladesh-India border to allow the tortured and panic stricken Bengalis to have safe shelter in India. The governments of West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura established refugee camps along the border. These camps became ready ground for recruitment of the freedom fighters. The students, peasants, workers and political activists joined the Mukti Bahini with high spirit to liberate Bangladesh from the Pakistan army. They were given training on tactics and the use of arms and explosives. Besides Mukti Bahini, many other bahinis were organized inside
Bangladesh at different places to fight Pakistan Army. These Bahinis included Kader Bahini of Tangail, Latif Mirza Bahini of Sirajganj, Akbar Hossain Bahini of Jhinaidah, Hemayet Bahini of Faridpur, Quddus Molla and Gafur Bahini of Barisal, Afsar Bahini of Mymensingh and Aftab Bahini of Mymensingh. Another Bahini named as Mujib Bahini was organised in India with the active assistance of Major General Oban of the Indian army an expert on guerilla warfare. Mujib Bahini was trained at Dehradun. Student League leaders SHEIKH FAZLUL HAQ MANI, Tofael Ahmed, Abdur Razzak and Sirajul Alam Khan were organisers of this Bahini. Mukti Bahini consisted of the regular and the irregular forces. The regulars were later called 'Niomita Bahini' (regular force) and the irregulars were called 'Gono Bahini' (people's Force). The regulars included East Bengal Regiment and EPR troops. The irregular forces, which after initial training joined different sectors, consisted of the students, peasants, workers and political activists.Irregular forces were inducted inside Bangladesh territory to adopt guerilla warfare against the enemy. The regular forces were engaged in fighting in conventional way. The first conventional brigade named as 'Z' Force was created in July. Major Ziaur Rahman was appointed commander of this brigade and the brigade was named as 'Z' Force after the first letter of his name. This brigade consisted of 1, 3 and 8 East Bengal. Bangladesh Air Force, which was organized by Air Commodore A K Khondaker, was created in Dimapur of Nagaland on 28 September.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 Squadron Leader Sultan Mahmud, Flight Lieutenant Badrul Alam, Captain Khaleq, Sattar, Shahabuddin, Mukit, Akram and Sharfuddin and 67 airmen initially joined the Bangladesh Air Force, which had only few Dakota, Auter type air plane and Aluvet helicopters. Similarly, Bangladesh Navy was also established with the naval troops deserted from the Pakistan Navy. On 9 November 1971, the first naval fleet 'Bangabandhu Naubohar' consisting of six small ships was inaugurated. The command structure of the Bangladesh Forces was fully organized with the regular brigades, sector troops and guerilla forces, the Bangladesh Air force and the Navy. The Mukti Bahini had fought many successful battles in putting up initial resistance. At the international level, the United States and the People's Republic of China considered the crisis as an internal affair of Pakistan. On the other hand, India, Soviet Union and her allies and general masses in Japan, and Western countries stood solidly behind Bangladesh. In order to gain strategic advantage vis-a-vis Sino-US-Pakistan axis, Indo-Soviet Friendship Treaty was signed on 9 August 1971. It provided a new dimension to the War of Liberation.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 army became a matter of time. International efforts for a cease-fire before Bangladesh is fully liberated failed due to Soviet veto in the United Nations Security Council. A fleet of helicopters landed on the tarmac of Dhaka airport at about 4 p.m. with Lieutenant General Aurora and his staff. Group Captain AK Khandaker, Deputy Chief of Staff, Bangladesh Forces represented the Mukti Bahini. Lieutenant General AAK Niazi received Lieutenant General Aurora. The instrument of surrender was signed by Lieutenant Jagit Sing Aurora and Lieutenant General Niazi at the RAMNA RACECOURSE (now Suhrawardy Uddyan) at one minute past 5 p.m. on 16 December 1971.
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Sector 8: In April 1971, the operational area of the sector comprised the
districts of Kushtia, Jessore, Khulna, Barisal, Faridpur and Patuakhali . At the end of May the sector was reconstituted and comprised the districts of Kusthia, Jessore and Khulna districts, Satkhira sub-division, and the northern part of Faridpur district. The sector commander was Major Abu Osman Chowdhury, later replaced by Major MA Manzur. The headquarters of the sector was at Benapole. About ten thousand freedom fighters fought in this sector. The seven sub-sectors of the sector and their commanders were: Boyra (Captain Khondakar Nazmul Huda); Hakimpur (Captain Shafiq Ullah); Bhomra (Captain Salahuddin later replaced by Captain Shahabuddin); Lalbazar (Captain AR Azam Chowdhury); Banpur (Captain Mostafizur Rahman); Benapole (Captain Abdul Halim, later replaced by Captain Tawfiq-eElahi Chowdhury); and Shikarpur (Captain Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, later replaced by Lieutenant Jahangir).
Sector 10: This sector was constituted with the naval commandos. Eight
Bengali officers of Pakistan Navy trained in France were the pioneers in
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 forming this force. These officers were Ghazi Mohammad Rahmatullah (Chief Petty Officer), Syed Mosharraf Hossain (Petty Officer), Amin Ullah Sheikh (Petty Officer); Ahsan Ullah (M E-1), AW Chowdhury (RO-1), Badiul Alam (ME1), AR Miah (EN-1), Abedur Rahman (Steward-1). These eight officers were given special training on the river Jamuna near Delhi under the auspices of the Indian Navy. The force was later commanded by Indian commander MN Sumanta.
Victory Day: Bijoy Dibash commemorates the day in 1971 (16 December)
when ninety thousand troops of the Pakistan occupation army surrendered to the allied forces of Bangladesh and India at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. The day is observed with due solemnity and nationalistic fervour. The first ray of the morning is heralded with a 31 gun-salute. In capital Dhaka, there is usually a ceremonial military parade in which all uniformed services are represented. Hundreds of thousands of people gather at the National Parade Square to watch this parade. Floral wreaths are laid at the Jatiya Smriti Saudha (National Memorial Monument) at Savar near Dhaka in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country.
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Historical Background of Bangladesh Lecture: 14-16 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. What was the background of Language Movement? Discuss the various phases of Language Movement. What was the first phage of Language Movement? What was the second phage of Language Movement? What was the last phage of Language Movement? What were outcomes or achievements of Language Movement? Discuss the latest achievements of Language Movement? What was the Twenty One Point Programme? Write down all points of it. What was the Significance of the Twenty One Point Programme? Discuss various discriminations against East Pakistan. What was the historical background of Six Point Movement? What was Six Point Programme and what were they? Explain the outcomes/significance of Six Point Programme. Six point Programme was Charter of Freedom-explain this statement. What was the historical background of the liberation war of Bangladesh? Discuss the various phases of liberation war of Bangladesh. Discuss the role of various forces during the liberation war of Bangladesh. Write short note on followings: a) Operation Search Light b) Mujibnagar Government c) Victory Day
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