Time Line Of Bangladesh 1947 - 1970
Prelude to Independence
1947-1970
| The history of Bangladesh is a history of reversal of what was achieved through the blood of millions of martyrs and a regression back to the blood soaked days of East Pakistan. Painfully and systematically the process of reversal and regression has been carried out by forces both within Bangladesh and without in unabashed betrayal of the blood of the martyrs. -- Raqta |
Pakistan is formed by division of India comprising of two wings under the leadership of the Muslim League. The western wing consisted of Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier Province and Baluchistan and it become West Pakistan and East Bengal became East Pakistan. Karachi in West Pakistan became the capital of Pakistan. Mohammad Ali Jinnah was Governor General and Liaquat Ali Khan was the Prime Minister of Pakistan. 1
Hundreds of thousands of people were killed in sectarian violence and
military clashes, as Hindus fled to India and Muslims to Pakistan -- though
large minorities remained in each country. 6
East Pakistan virtually became a colony of the West Pakistan. 1
The original Lahore proposal was to have two separate states on two sides of India. These were Pakistan on the west and on the East a state comprising Bengal and Assam (Both were once the same country. Both speak Bangla. Originally there were 5 Bengali states... Bengal is just one of them.) But then this was reversed crudely by Mohammad Ali Jinnah. He said that the "Two States" in the original proposal was a printing error. All but two Bengali leaders were silent. The General Secretary of Muslim League, Abul Hashem was one of the two were not silent. 21
The West Pakistanis regarded the Bangla (Bengali) culture as Hindu and Unislamic and so inferior. So they wanted to change the culture and heritage of East Pakistan and "Pakistanize" the population. Instantly the Language Movement was born as angry University students took to the streets demanding Bangla as a state language as well as Urdu. 1
Maulana Abul Hamid Khan Bhasani*, who was elected President of the Muslim League in April 1944 3 and to the national assembly in 1946 also from the Muslim League, was the first to demand the right of speaking in Bangla (Bengali). 2
* He is known as the Majlum Neta (Leader of the Oppressed)
Sheikh Mujib who was the General Secretary of the central students' union of Calcutta Islamia College in 1946, formed the East Pakistan Muslim Students' League. Renamed it Bangladesh Muslim Students' League in November at the council in Narayanganj. 3
Communist Party of East Pakistan (CPEP) was formed from the underground Communist party of India right after the partition of India. The ban on the Communist Party was removed in 1942 but was re-imposed in Pakistan in 1954. In 1943 the Communist Party had carried out relief efforts to help the poor people during the famine. They had also protested against the Hindu-Muslim riots instigated by the Muslim League in 1946 and had organised an anti-riot force to stop the riots. They stood by the poor farmers and workers and were also the leaders of the famous Tebhaga (Moni Singh), Nanka and Tanka movements. 3
The CPEP emerged publicly during A. K. Fazlul Huq's time in office. 3
The All Party State Language Movement Committee observes a nationwide general strike and held rallies and demonstrated.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, then a student was arrested in a student demonstration in front of the Secretariat. He was released later in June 1949. Maulana Bhasani went to receive him from Dhaka Central. 1
Pakistan's Governor General Mohammad Ali Jinnah declared right after the partition in Dhaka that Urdu (spoken by 4%) and Urdu alone would be the only state language for Pakistan disregarding Bangla (Bengali) spoken by more than 50%. 1
The Bengalis did not agree. He again restated that Urdu will be the only state language at Curzon Hall, Dhaka University during the convocation ceremony. The students chanted "No!" 21
Maulana Bhasani left the Muslim League to form the Awami Muslim League. 2
Bashani became the president and Shamsul Huq became the General Secretary. Mujib while in prison became the Joint Secretary. 3
www.state.gov gives a ridiculously wrong information on this piece of history where it says: "Sheikh Mujibur Rahman--known widely as "Mujib"--in 1949 formed the Awami League (AL). (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3452.htm)" Mujib was the Joint Secretary of the party.
Bhasani held the first meeting of Awami League at the Armanitola ground.
11th March
16th February
11th March
October
30th January
31st January
4th February
20th February
In the afternoon the government announced the imposition Section 144 on the 21st of February in the Ramna area (Dhaka University and the Press Club fall in this area). 21
In the evening the Awami League and the All Party State Language Movement Committee met to discuss the section 144 and whether to go ahead with the announced programs. Of the 17 members of the council 11 decided not to break the law and cancel the programs. The two communist members abstained from giving any opinion while 4 (3 students and one young man) declared their opinion to carry on. When the president of the committee, veteran leader Abul Hashem (one of the only two leaders to protest when Jinnah blatantly reversed Lahore proposal of the two separate states) was going to make a statement of not breaking the section 144 taking into account the the vote, Abdul Matin stepped in timely. Abdul Matin asked him not to make a decision but to place the two options before the general students and allow them to decide at a rally the next day since it was the students who had declared the program on the 4th of February. This did not please the committee and Abul Hashem said that if the students opted to break the imposed rule, then the committee would end. 21
At the historic rally in front of the Medical College Hospital (historic Amtala) at the University of Dhaka the decision was left to the students after two speakers from the committee placed their opposing views. The 10-12 thousand students overwhelmingly chose to carry on despite the section 144. A historic decision was made without the consent of the national leaders, again proving that it is not leaders but the people who matter.
Students battled police for three hours. They braved teargas and police baton charges. At the end the students decided to march to the East Bengal Ain Porishodh office as was the original plan and obtain their signatures. 21 Realizing this the government forces opened fire on the students gathered at the University killing many including Borkot, Salam, Rafiq, Jabbar. Unfortunately the names of the others have eluded historians till today. 1 Over a hundred were injured. 21
On February 2000, this day became the International Mother Language Day. (United Nations)
Students met Abdul Matin that evening asking him to organise a memorial prayer for the students killed that day. Abdul Matin placed the idea in a written form before the All Party State Language Movement Committee but they simply refused to sign it. So Abdul Matin signed it himself thus keeping the movement alive (unlike the language movement at Barak Valley in Assam to make Bangla their state language which died with the 12 martyrs of that movement in 1961). That evening leaflets to this regard were distributed through all the mosques in the city. 21
22nd February
After the memorial, a huge procession was brought out. When the procession reached Curzon Hall/High Court area, police and military opened fire. The procession scattered but soon joined up with another procession coming from the Old Dhaka. The procession proceeded through TopKhana and headed towards NobabPur. Smaller processions joined them. 21
At BongShal the police fired on the demonstrators again. Once again they scattered but only to regroup and smaller processions amalgamated to form another large procession. At RothKhola, again they were fired upon. They regrouped after being scattered and in a large procession marched through the English Road. At this point a massive crowd came running from the opposite direction obviously fleeing police attack. The processionists ran back with the crowd towards RothKhola where they met thousands of jubilant people watching Daily Morning News office going up in flames. They cut the fire brigade's hoses so that the fire could not be put out. Abdul Matin recalls that from SadarGhat to the Victoria Park (now called Bahadur Shah Park -- interestingly the name of one occupier was removed in favour of another) was filled with a sea of people.21
By afternoon the police and army were removed and the people had won. Their refusal to bow down secured the defeat of a frightened government. They had established Bangla as a state language. Abdul Matin, Maulana Bhasani, Oli Ahad, Kazi Golam Mahmud and others had also shaped Bengali nationalism through this successful movement. 21
Nationwide people took to the streets to mark the first Shaheed (Martyr) Day. People led by national leaders like Maulana Bhasani walked barefooted to the monument at the University of Dhaka. 1
At the University of Rajshahi, Dr. Shamsuzzoha led a procession. Later in 1969 when the West Pakistanis killed him, the mass upsurge intensified. 1
Maulana Abul Hamid Khan Bhasani, A. k. Fazlul Huq and Hussain S. Shurwardi's form a united front called the United Front. They won 215 of 309 seats in the Provincial Legislative Assembly -- an absolute majority. Sheikh Mujib became the youngest cabinet member. 1
However, differences emerged between Bhasani and the other two leaders almost at once over the formation of the government and running of the state. 2
Awami League leaders attended the historic Afro-Asian Conference at Kagmari. Bhasani called a council session of the Awami League leaders there. It was attended a large number of intellectuals and political leaders. He said that if Pakistan did not stop its discrimination 2 and if East Bangla (Bengal) was not given total autonomy, then East Bangla would leave Pakistan.1 Bhasani first expressed his dreams of an Independent East Pakistan (Bangla). 2
A picture taken then shows Bhasani in the centre flanked by Mujib and Shurwardi (the PM of Pakistan). At Kagmari due to irreconcilable differences in ideologies Awami League was split.1
He also severely opposed the Shurwardi led Pakistani government's signing of the treaties, SEATO and CENTO. Maulana Bhasani left with no choice left his party to form the National Awami Party paving the way for Sheikh Mujib to be catapulted to the centre. 2 By 1970, with the grassroots level massive organization of Bhasani, Awami League, behind him, Mujib suddenly found himself to be the central leader of the Bengalis.
Under the Martial Law, Shurwardi was arrested on January 30th, but in the face of severe student agitation he was released on the 16th of September. 1
After this Shurwardi and Sheikh Mujib toured to countryside giving Mujib a greater exposure. Under Shurwardi's patronage and with his superb ability to rouse crowds Mujib built himself as a leader. 1
Sheikh Mujib submitted the famous 6 point demand from the Awami League to protect Bangalee interests at the historic Paltan Maydan. The demands included autonomy (self rule). The movement gains momentum. 1
A complete general strike was held in the East Pakistan to press home the 6 point demand. Hundreds were injured in police firing and hundreds were arrested. 1
Communist students of the East Pakistan Chhatra Union (now Bangladesh Chhatra Union) also agitated for making education more accessible to the masses. 1
Section 144 (no public gatherings allowed) was imposed and the demonstrations were in defiance of it. Sheikh Mujib was also arrested. 1
Moni Singh and Farhad formed the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) from the EPCP with a pro-USSR stance. 3
CPB (ML) (AKA CPEP earlier) was formed with a pro-Beijing stance by Toha. 3
Moni Singh, legendary leader of the Cultivators' Movement (Tebagha Movement) in the greater Mymensingh-Netrakona area, after two decades of underground politics was arrested creating a sensation. He was the nephew of the Susang King of Mymensingh and was a leader against imperialism, feudalism and communalism. 3
A general strike is observed. A 24 hour curfew is clamped on the city and the army was deployed to control the people. However, students and thousands of people took to the streets in defiance of the curfew. In police firing Matiur, a student of class 9 of the Nabakumar Institute was killed. 1
Outraged students and people burned the offices of two government newspapers because of their anti-people role. They were The Morning News and Dainik Pakistan. They also ransacked office of the daily Paigam owned by Governor Monem Khan. 1
Many were killed in the mass upsurge of 1969. They included Asad, Matiur, Anwar, Rostom, Dr. Shamsuzzoha and Sergeant Zahrul Huq. Defying the section 144, Bhasani also held a massive prayer at the Baitul Mokurram Mosque (national mosque of Bangladesh) for the martyrs. Bhasani also led the movement to free Sheikh Mujib from prison. 1
The NSF a small pro-government student organization, funded by the government also attacked demonstrators under police protection. (The same can be seen today, 2002... pro-government student gangsters firing at demonstrators shoulder to shoulder with police and paramilitary) 1
A mammoth public rally was held at the Dhaka Race Course ground (now Shuhrwardi Udyan, a park.*) to welcome Mujib. Here he was given the title Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal). 1
* The park is now closed down and there is construction going on there. This was started by the Sheikh Hasina government (1996-2001). (As reported by national dailies)
Bhasani, Mujib and Maulana Tarkabagish visited the Shaheed Minar (Martyr's Memorial Monument) after Mujib's release. The memory of the martyrs had fueled the movement for Bangladesh since 1952. 1
The year is pockmarked by frequent general strikes, and popular demonstrations. The year also sees the beginning of Sheikh Mujib's campaign as the leader of Awami League for the upcoming elections. 1
Bhasani's NAP boycotted the elections. Anwar Zahid an informer of the Pakistani Intelligence within NAP (then joint secretary) left the party. He became a spy for the Pakistanis during the war. Two decades later he became a minister in Ershad's government. 3
Awami League under Sheikh Mujib wins 288 out of 313 seats. (167 out of 169 in East Bengal). 167 was necessary for absolute majority. This election created the myth of Mujib already a national figure. The West Pakistanis had not counted on this tremendous turnout.1
www.state.gov gives wrong information here, when it says AL won all the seats (http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3452.htm). They won most of the seats.
www.state.gov gives wrong information when it says that most of the refugees in India were mostly Hindus (As fighting grew between the army and the Bengali mukti bahini ("freedom fighters"), an estimated 10 million Bengalis, mainly Hindus, sought refuge in the Indian states of Assam and West Bengal.) The percentages of the religions there represented the percentages in the national population as per official records. Moreover, it totally ignores the deaths of 3 million civilians at the hands of the Pakistani army between march and december.
