Individual Assignment

HIS 103
SECTION: 22

Submitted to-
Dr. Shaheen Afroze (SAz1)

Associate Professor (Adjunct)

Department of History Philosophy

North South University

Submitted by-

Name ID
M. Nasif Amin 1911739630
Topic: “Discuss the Six Point Movement and its impact on the struggle for
independence of the Bengalis in 1971”.
Six Point Movement was a movement which occurred when Bangladesh was the part of
Pakistan. This Six Point Movement was occurred at East Pakistan in 1966. The main subject of
this Six Point Movement was to understand the six demands which was bring by Bengali
political parties in 1966 and to finish up occlusion of East Pakistan by the rulers of West
Pakistan. This six-point demand is also recognized as “Charter of freedom”, which means this
six-point demand was the struggle of Bangladesh’s to become independent from the domination
Pakistan.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman launched this Six Point Movement in 1966. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
went to Lahore on 4 February 1966. He putted this six-point demand of the East Pakistani people
in front of the committee. He also said that include his proposal in the main subject of the
conference. But his proposal was discarded. This Six Point Movement was designed for getting
provincial autonomy. The Awami League and East Pakistan Students’ League motivated the
general public for getting self-government and autonomy. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had offered
for “maximum autonomy” and also started a mass movement for gathering public’s support for
the six-point program. For determining the six points, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman started intra-party
measures. When Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed elected as president and general
secretary then Awami League newly formed, at that time the proposal of six-point program was
approved by the council session. This six-point program was very enthusiasm among the people
of East Pakistan which was understatement and this was noted by Dr. Talukder Maniruzzaman.
Instead of dealing peacefully with the neglected people of East Pakistan the West Pakistani rulers
took decision to put down the Bengalese’ and motive was to search maximum provincial
autonomy by using the colonial type of oppressive methods and process.
The Pakistani government was against the policy and also six-point demands of Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman and his followers. And that’s why Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested so many times
in 1966 when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was moving many districts. Once Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman got bail he moved to another place for public meetings. The most famous newspaper
“The Daily Ittefaq” of East Pakistan was closed and its editor Tofazzal Hossain was arrested and
put in jail. Still the police force could not able to the march of the Six Point Movement. Dr. M.
Rasiduzzaman summarized the importance of this six-point program. The Awami League
demand for regional autonomy in March 1966, when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated the six-
point program. But the Pakistani central government announced that this six-point demand is for
the separation of Eastern part from the entire Pakistan and initiated a propaganda campaign
which was for to build strong central government. On June 7, 1966, a hartal held in East Pakistan
which was led by Awami League to include the demand in the six-point program. The central
government Pakistan also blamed “foreign interest” in the agitation which was led by the six-
pointers. About one year later many civil servants and military officers of East Pakistan were
arrested because they had plotted to detach the Eastern province of Pakistan by the help of India.
Then the “Agartala Conspiracy Case” was started against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 31 others.
The political leaders of West Pakistan were not agreed to help Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for
maximum provincial autonomy which came from the six-point formula. After the defect of forty-
two years, the Non-Awami League representative of East Pakistan did not approve the six-point
demand in the conference which was held in February, 1966. In the all party conference this six-
point formula did not observe out of the “subject-matter committee”. Even this proposal of six-
point got an anterior attack from the experienced Pakistani political stalwarts and almost all
political party was focusing in establishment of pure democracy in Pakistan. Because of this six-
point demand Awami League split away and also this six-point demand made impossible for
East Pakistan to make alliance with West Pakistani political party. The Council Muslim League
denounced this six-point formula as this is confederation, the Jammat-i-islami declared that this
six-point formula is designed for separation, the Nizam-i-islami refused this six-point formula as
unilateral and the National Awami Party removed as this six-point formula did not play any
significant role to free the East Pakistan form West Pakistan ruler. But still Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman was not blackmailed by the detraction of his six-point plan.
In a press conference which was held in Lahore on 10th February, 1966 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
give importance on establishment of provincial autonomy. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stated a ‘six-
point charter of survival’ program for making East Pakistan self-dependent. Moreover, in that
press conference Sheikh Mujibur Rahman stated that this six-point demand is not to harm the
general people of West Pakistan, the six-point demand was designed to get “provincial
autonomy” for East Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also said clearly this six-point plan to get
“maximum” provincial autonomy for the people of East Pakistan. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
pointed out that the All- Party Conference was not useful. When Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
returned to Dhaka on 11th February, 1966, he gave purification on his six-point formula in the
press conference. He said that the proposal which was passed by the All-Party Conference that
proposal was rejected by the East Pakistan Awami League. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also said
that it was impossible for him to betray and deprive the people of East Pakistan. On the other
hand, he gave importance on the acceptance and implementation of the six-point demand, which
would make stable relation between East and West Pakistan. The real intention West Pakistani
rulers to make “strong central government” which was come in front of everyone by the help of
six-point plan. In many meetings Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said repeatedly that the main demand
of the people of Pakistan is to establish “strong Pakistan” not “strong central government”. The
West Pakistani rulers also applied many strategies to put down the six-point movement. The
provincial autonomy plan which initiated based on six-point demand, that was expressed by
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the conference of the opposition political parties in February,1966.
Ayub Khan defamed this six-point formula as separatist. Moreover, Ayub Khan defamed not
only the message but also messenger of the six-point program. In the final session which was
held in Dhaka on 21st March, 1966, in that session the self-declared president of Pakistan
denounced the six-point plan in harsh way. Ayub khan claimed that because of this six-point plan
Bengali Muslims would fall under the domination of caste Hindus of West Bengal. Ayub khan
compared this prevailing situation of Pakistan with volatile situation of USA which was occurred
in 1860 just before the appearance of civil war. Ayub Khan said that Pakistan would face civil
war if this volatile situation happens. Monem khan who was notorious governor of Pakistan said
that as long as he was governor of East Pakistan he saw that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman remains in
chain. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who was the foreign minister of Pakistan challenged Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman on a public debate which held at Paltan Maidan in Dhaka and challenge was on the
power and powerlessness of the six-point formula. Tajuddin Ahmed and other 2 leaders of
Awami league accept this challenge for the sake of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. But Zulfiqar Ali
Bhutto did not show up.
When in 1966 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other Awami league leaders were in jail, that did not
minimize the support of six-point demand. The policy of concealment of forms of political
freedom and disagree voices were unsuccessful to stop the march of the long period of effects of
the six –point movement. The government many prevention strategies and violence against the
organizer of six-point movement motivated the people of East Pakistan much to support the six-
point movement. The six-point movement had impact on the political development of Pakistan.
Even, the success of the six-point movement prompted the lofty Ayub khan’s arbitrary regime to
attach him in the Agartala Conspiracy case. This six-point program impact on the 11-point
charter of the 1969 mass movement of the students. This 11-point program was a widened
version of the Awami league six-point formula. The Awami league’s main strength is in this six-
point movement which had achieved popularity in 1966.This six-point program had also fall
great impact on the Pakistan politics and it changed the pattern of Pakistan politics. This six-
point formula was charming to the Bengali nationalist and this six-point formula reflects radical
demand of East Pakistan autonomy. The six-point movement invited the widespread exertion in
the East Pakistan. And this six-point movement was the foundation of support of the Awami
League in East Pakistan. Maulana Bhasani who was the founder of Awami League demanded
provincial autonomy for East Pakistan. This demand became in concreate shape when Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman launches the “Six-point movement”, 1966.
On the other hand, if six-point movement did not occur then there would be chance that Agartala
Conspiracy case would hatch against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Moreover, if there would no
Agartala Conspiracy case then the student mass-movement would not occur in 1969. So, six-
point Movement, Agartala Conspiracy Case and Student mass-movement of 1969 all these have
great impact on the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. In 1970s general election the Awami
League got landslide victory. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the leader of the East
Pakistan had struggled much for independence of Bangladesh. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who
launched the “Six Point Movement” had played significant role in achieving the independence of
Bangladesh in 1971.