Fiery March 
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Splash
  • Features
  • Videos
  • Long Read
  • Games
  • Epaper
  • More
    • COVID-19
    • Bangladesh
    • Infograph
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Thoughts
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Subscribe
    • Archive
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
    • Supplement
  • বাংলা
Fiery March 

Thoughts

Jackie Kabir
26 March, 2021, 10:30 am
Last modified: 26 March, 2021, 10:38 am

Related News

  • Concert to celebrate 50 yrs of Bangladesh independence in NY on Friday
  • How to prove genocide, the most serious war crime?
  • Biden says Russia committing genocide in Ukraine
  • Dnet, where workers can be mothers and more
  • 'This is genocide,' Ukraine's President Zelenskiy tells CBS

Fiery March 

March of 1971 was a historical month for the nation of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people. By delving into the depth of the history, we take a look at why. 

Jackie Kabir
26 March, 2021, 10:30 am
Last modified: 26 March, 2021, 10:38 am
Jackie Kabir. TBS Illustration.
Jackie Kabir. TBS Illustration.

March is an eventful month for Bangladesh. It was in this month Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave the speech that inspired millions of Bengalis to fight for a country of their own. His speech has been included in the world register as a heritage document by UNESCO in 2017. 

Bangabandhu's 7 March speech created the foundation on which we declared ourselves independent. It was on the 26 of March of 1971  when Bangladesh began its War of Liberation. There were many reasons why Bengalis wanted their freedom from the atrocious ruling military regime and many authors, historians and analysts have examined our war from many aspects and penned volumes.

This piece tries to take a look at a few of those valuable records of history. Maidul Hasan's Muldhara Ekattor (1986) published by UPL points out that the main reasons for the war were the differences in the way of life, culture and geography of the two Pakistans. The people of the eastern wing of Pakistan had a different language and a different history than the west. Secondly, the two wings were 1400 miles of landmass apart and the leaders were unable to develop any strategy that would keep the peoples of the two wings together. And thirdly, the oppression of the west from the very beginning of Pakistan's creation. So much so that at one point in time, it became inevitable to break free from Pakistan. 

Historian and social analyst Afsan Chowdhury has stated in a recent essay in Pakistan ki adou kono rastro chilo (1948-1971)? in  Kaler Kheya (12 March 2021) that the birth of Pakistan by Mohammad Ali Jinnah was, in fact, faulty from the beginning. Had it been not that, then the state of Pakistan would have lasted many more years than just 24. On the other hand, the Pakistan of Yahia Khan continues to live on today for more than 50 years. 

This part of the South Asian subcontinent has always been less developed even before the time of the partition in 1947. The zamindars were given power and titles to rule a certain part of the country. They earned a lot of money from the poor people who lived in their territory. They were mostly Hindus and lived in the city of Kolkata, whereas most people residing here were Muslim peasants with little or no land of their own. 

When Pakistan was formed, the leaders of the country treated the people of erstwhile East Pakistan as lesser humans. Our language was ignored and it was proclaimed that Urdu would become the state language of Pakistan even though 56% of the country spoke Bangla. Hence followed the uprising of 1952 where upholders of the Bangla language gave their lives demanding Bangla to be the state language. 

After that, there were a series of such uprisings - in 1969, 1970 and finally in 1971. 

When India and Pakistan were divided into two countries, East Bengal became a part of Pakistan and was called East Pakistan.  The west and east Pakistan were together based on religion. Other than that, the people of the two wings had shared nothing. Muslims living here had a culture that was shared with Hindus for aeons. That gave them a new creed of being Bengali-Muslims. The Bengali identity came to light. 

Years ago, scholar-politician Maulana Abul Kalam Azad wrote that Muslims all over the world have only one identity: that they are Muslims. That was 30 years before the birth of Pakistan. Maulana Azad didn't know that a separate country for the Muslims would be formed. So, when East Bengal became East Pakistan, the people were unhappy with the treatment they received from the west. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman won a landslide victory in the general election of '70. But the ruling government was not willing to allow his party to form the government. So the people started revolting.

As I was saying that March is an eventful month for us, Bengalis were already on the road to independence. On 2 March, student activists had already flown the flag of independent Bangladesh with a map of Bangladesh in gold inside the red circle at the University of Dhaka.  In the book Ami Sirajul Alam Khan by Shamshuddin Peyara, it is written that 22 members took part in making the flag and later it was handed over to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by ASM Abdur Rob. The manifesto of Independence was read out on 2 March by the General Secretary of Chatro League  Shahjahan Siraj.  Amar sonar Bangla/Ami tomai bhalobhashi was also chosen as the national anthem by Sirajul Alam Khan on the same night. 

People killed during the black night of 25 March. Photo: Collected
People killed during the black night of 25 March. Photo: Collected

On 7 March, Bangabandhu gave a clarion call to the people of East Pakistan to put up a non-cooperation movement against the Pakistani government and to fight them with whatever weapons they had. The ruling party planned a blueprint for destroying the nation by running a killing mission called Operation Searchlight on 25 March. The army killed unarmed people and it went on for 33 hours non stop. Rajarbagh, Pilkhana, Chattogram, Cumilla and Jashore cantonments were ambushed and many were killed. 

Bangabandhu was arrested on the same night but not before he had sent the message of independence across the country. 

The next day, Awami League leader Mr Hannan declared independence from Biplobi Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro in Kalurghat. On the next day, on 27 March, Major Zia, one of the sector commanders of our liberation also announced independence from the same place on behalf of Bangabandhu. 

In the meantime, thousands of people began fleeing the atrocities committed by the Pakistani army. First, they moved to the villages, then to the border and refugee camps in neighbouring India. The  Bengali members of the East Bengal Regiment and East Pakistan Rifles built up resistance with the locals forming the Mukti Bahini. 

The members of Mukti Bahini were trained by the Indian army and were provided with the ammunition to fight with. This led to the meeting of all the commanders of the Liberation War with the commander-in-chief General Ataul Ghani Osmani at Telipara Tea Garden on 4 April. 
Later the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro went on air in Kolkata. The idea of the formation of the first government in Mujibnagar was also formulated after most of our leaders reached Kolkata. 

That was the month of March in 1971. 

March is, you see, indeed, very significant for us. I should also mention that the leader of our war of liberation was born on 17 March, in Tungipara, who later became the Father of the Nation.


Jackie Kabir is a writer and translator.
 

Top News / 50 Years of Freedom

Independence / 50 Years of Independence / Thoughts / genocide

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Infographic: TBS
    On China lockdown, Cox’s Bazar rail project set to miss 2023 deadline
  • Imran Khan says 'no blockade can stop' Azadi March as govt cracks down on PTI workers
    Imran Khan says 'no blockade can stop' Azadi March as govt cracks down on PTI workers
  • A currency trader counts Pakistani rupee notes as he prepares an exchange of dollars in Islamabad, Pakistan December 11, 2017. REUTERS/Caren Firouz/Files
    Default threat reaches Pakistan as political crisis deepens

MOST VIEWED

  • Illustration: TBS
    Anti-Discrimination Bill 2022: Understanding the state of marginalisation is crucial
  • Ruth Pollard. Sketch: TBS
    Sri Lanka is a small preview of a global default crisis
  • Your pilot may have had suicidal thoughts. And that’s ok: David Fickling
    Your pilot may have had suicidal thoughts. And that’s ok: David Fickling
  • Librarians are teachers, not clerks or booksellers
    Librarians are teachers, not clerks or booksellers
  • Philippine presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, delivers a speech during a campaign rally in Lipa, Batangas province, Philippines. Photo: Reuters
    The echoes of America’s hypocrisy abroad
  • Infographic: TBS
    What really drives our low tax-to-GDP ratio! 

Related News

  • Concert to celebrate 50 yrs of Bangladesh independence in NY on Friday
  • How to prove genocide, the most serious war crime?
  • Biden says Russia committing genocide in Ukraine
  • Dnet, where workers can be mothers and more
  • 'This is genocide,' Ukraine's President Zelenskiy tells CBS

Features

Psycure has received various awards for their extraordinary contributions to promoting Sustainable Development Goals. Photo: Courtesy

Psycure: Meet the organisation serving the underserved university students (and beyond) with mental healthcare 

5h | Panorama
Underlying problems such as school dropouts need to be addressed first before taking a legal route to stop child labour. Photo: Reuters

‘Child labour in a country like Bangladesh is primarily a development issue, not so much of enforcement’

7h | Panorama
The balcony railings of the Boro Sardar Bari in Sonargaon. Made of cast iron, these railings feature vertical posts with intricate designs on top. Photo: Noor-A-Alam

The evolution of railing and grille designs

1d | Habitat
A Russian army service member fires a howitzer during drills at the Kuzminsky range in the southern Rostov region, Russia January 26, 2022. REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov/File Photo

3 months of Ukraine war : Miscalculations, resistance and redirected focus

1d | Analysis

More Videos from TBS

Soaring commodity prices put pressure on budget

Soaring commodity prices put pressure on budget

1h | Videos
The alarming effects of the global food crisis

The alarming effects of the global food crisis

4h | Videos
Mangoes from Satkhira going to Iraq

Mangoes from Satkhira going to Iraq

6h | Videos
The dream of building home on moon

The dream of building home on moon

6h | Videos

Most Read

1
Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge
Bangladesh

Tk100 for bike, Tk2,400 for bus to cross Padma Bridge

2
A packet of US five-dollar bills is inspected at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Gary Cameron
Banking

Dollar hits Tk100 mark in open market

3
Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi
Bangladesh

Bangladesh at risk of losing ownership of Banglar Samriddhi

4
BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies
Stocks

BSEC launches probe against Abul Khayer Hero and allies

5
The reception is a volumetric box-shaped room that has two glass walls on both the front and back ends and the other two walls are adorned with interior plants, wood and aluminium screens. Photo: Noor-A-Alam
Habitat

The United House: Living and working inside nature

6
Illustration: TBS
Banking

Let taka slide

The Business Standard
Top
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Sports
  • About Us
  • Bangladesh
  • International
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Economy
  • Sitemap
  • RSS

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net

Copyright © 2022 THE BUSINESS STANDARD All rights reserved. Technical Partner: RSI Lab