Session#3 : Lecture#1

Topic 5: Liberation War in 1971

Department of Sociology
East West University
Date: 6 December 2020, Sunday
 Topic 5 (1):
Proclamation of Independence
and Mujibnagar Government
 Glimpse from History
 The history of the emergence of Bangladesh has
witnessed many significant events after 1947 –
• British colonial rule had ended
• Formation of East Pakistan, as one of the wings of
the state of Pakistan
• Language Movement of 1952
• Military regime since 1958 till the independence
(that played a notorious role in history)
• Six-point programme in 1966
• Mass upsurge of 1969
• General Election of 1970 (Resulting Awami League
of East Pakistan to win with landslide victory)
 Background
 In 1971 –
• Early February: National assembly meeting was
called on 3 March by President Yahya
• 15 February: Bhutto put condition to change the
6-point programme
• 1 March: President Yahya postponed the
National assembly meeting. Knowing this, there
were turmoil, sporadic processions, and tensions.
Then he invited leaders of political parties to a
Round Table Conference in Dhaka on March 10
 Background
 In 1971 –
• 7 March: Bangabandhu addressed a huge pro-
independence rally in Dhaka & delivered his
historic speech in the Racecourse ground to provide
the message of the struggle for an independent state.
• His concluding words, “The struggle this time is the
struggle for emancipation - the struggle this time is
the struggle for independence,” electrified the
moment for the mass people. He also put some
preconditions to join the National Assembly session
rescheduled for 25 March.
 Background
 In 1971 –
• By 22 March: The concept of a united Pakistan had
dwindled followed by drafting two separate sets of a
probable constitution for the two wings
• Reports began to emanate of power being
transferred through a presidential proclamation,
with central government remaining in power.
• Awami League submitted a draft final proposals
regarding a transfer of power to Yahya Khan team.
• There was conscious troop movements from West to
East Pakistan
 Background
 In 1971 –
• 25 March: Throughout the day, rumors flew around of
imminent military action against the Awami League,
indeed against the population
• “Operation Searchlight” began
• Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested
from his home & taken to custody
• Mass murders, bombing, fire burning took place in
Dhaka including the main cities
• 26 March (early hours): Message from Bangabandhu
was passed on to Chittagong Awami League leader MA
Hannan
• 27 March: Announcement of the declaration of
independence was made by Major Zia
 Background
26 March (early hours): Message from Bangabandhu to
Awami League leader MA Hannan in Chittagong

“This may be my last message, from today

Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the
people of Bangladesh wherever you might be
and with whatever you have, to resist the army
of occupation to the last. Your fight must go on
until the last soldier of the Pakistan occupation
army is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh
and final victory is achieved.”
 Background

26 March (early hours):

Message from
Bangabandhu to
Awami League leader
MA Hannan in
Chittagong

Installation at the
Liberation War
Museum
 Background
27 March: Announcement of the declaration of
independence from Kalurghat Betra Kendra, Chittagong
“This is Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra. I, Major Ziaur
Rahman, at the directive of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman, hereby declare that the independent People’s
Republic of Bangladesh has been established. In the name
of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I call upon all Bangalees to
rise against the attack by the west Pakistan army. We shall
fight to the last to free our motherland. By the grace of
Allah, victory would be ours. Joy Bangla.”

*This broadcast was picked by a Japanese ship anchored in

Chittagong port & transmitted to Radio Australia.
 Proclamation of Independence
 In the month of April in 1971 –
• 4 April: Pakistani ambassador to USA Agha Hilaly
commented on 25 March mass killing
• 6 April: The US Consul General - Archer K. Blood sent
a telegram to the Department of State about the
‘operation searchlight’. It is known as ‘Blood Telegram’
• 8 April: A Telegram was sent from the Embassy in
Pakistan to the Department of State
• 10 April: Many elected MNAs & MPAs assembled in
Kolkata & formed a Constituent Assembly in exile &
drafted the Proclamation of Independence
• 11 April: Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, as the Prime Minister,
broadcast a Radio address
 ‘Blood Telegram’
US Consul General - Archer K. Blood
 ‘Blood Telegram’
…“Our government has failed to
denounce atrocities. Our government has
failed to take forceful measures to protect its
citizens while at the same time bending over
backwards to placate the West Pakistan
dominated government and to lessen any
deservedly negative international public
relations impact against them.”
- US Consul General Archer K. Blood to
Department of State about ‘operation searchlight’
 Mujibnagar Government
 In the month of April in 1971 –
• During next days, Liberation forces were organized;
General M.A.G. Osmani was made the Chief in
Command. Full-scale war was there.
• 17 April: The Proclamation endorsed Bangabandhu’s
declaration of independence made on 26 March 1971 on
the face of Pakistan government’s military crackdown.
• A formally Constituent Assembly came into being at
Baidyanathtala (renamed Mujibnagar after the
proclamation, a border area in present Meherpur district
of Kushtia)
• Hence it is known as Mujibnagar Government.
Proclamation of
Independence
 Mujibnagar Government
Administrator of Mujibnagar Government
Established April 10, 1971
April 17, 1971 in Mujibnagar
Oath Taking Ceremony
(Baiddyanathtala), Meherpur, Kushtia
President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Vice President and Acting
Syed Nazrul Islam
President
Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed
Finance, Commerce and
M. Mansur Ali
Industry Minister
Home, Agriculture, Relief and
A. H. M. Kamruzzaman
Rehabilitation Minister
Foreign Minister Khondoker Mushtaq Ahmed
 Mujibnagar Government: Key personnel
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

A.H.M.
Syed Nazrul Islam Tajuddin Ahmad M Mansur Ali Kamaruzzaman
Mujibnagar Government: Administration
 Thank You
MANZUMA AHSAN
Lecturer, Department of Sociology
East West University
Email: manzuma.ahsan@gmail.com