Twenty six March, the Independence Day of Bangladesh is an ineffable history of Banladeshis as a unique nation, which on 1971 enabled them to protest against the condescending Pakistan Army of J.A Bhutto and declare their country as an independent one. The nation lost in despair when their poular leader Sheikh Mujib was delayed to have the power to govern the country after a big win in General Election of 1970. After the massive attack beginning from the early hours of 26 March, 1971, the undisputed leader of East Pakistan declared independence and told the countrymen to fight against the barbarian Pak Army.

Background

On 1947 subcontinent was divided by the British which led to an unstable situation in both the countries. Specially in Pakistan, the power of governance was in the hand of the West Pakistan leaders. The East Pakistanis were deprived of linguisic, economic, cultural and political rights. The journey of the independece of Bangladesh started long before 1971 through a consequent series of blood shedded incident. The first attack was on the mother tongue of the East Pakistanis. Most of the people of this region was Bangalees and their mother tongue was Bangla. The West Pakistan based government tried to make Urdu as national language forcefully without considering the majority people’s mother tongue Bangla. But the valiant Bangalees protested against this propaganda and was successful to put their mother tongue on the high place. This was the starting of the movement for regional autonomy which gradually turned into the movement of independence.

Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman got the majortity in the General Election of 1970. But the west Pakistan Army Rulers denied to accept the result of the electoral verdict which created unstable situation in East Pakistan. Sheikh Mujib called for general strike claiming the West Pakistan Rulers’ decision as dictatorship violating the rules of democracy. Many poeople were gunned down by Pakistani Army while they were observing general strike in dhaka in response to Sheikh Mujibs call. Throughout the month of March, peole’s protest, general strike, rally went on. On the other hand, Yahiya khan tried to pass the time trying so called negotiation with Sheikh Mujib. They did not take the rightful demand of the East Pakistanis seriously rather they planned to have millitary action against the politically and culturally deprived people.

The Pak Army started their Killing from 11 pm of 25 March. Their plan was to nip the revolt in the bud. At that night they started killing the students and teachers of Dhaka University and literally made the city burning, leaving almost 7000 people killed. Within the week, almost half of the people of Dhaka fled and 30000 were killed. Incessant bullets, thousand drops of blood, tears of distresses, shattered glass were all around the place after the sudden millitary attack of West Pakistan in the early hours of 26 March 1971. Sheikh Mujib was imprisoned at the night of 25 March. The long wanted autonomy turned into the movement of independence which was declared from the newly established Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendro.

Diffetrent mass media around the world focused on this heinous killings of Pak Army which was recognised as the worst genocide ever in the history of human race later. The headline of the Daily Telegraph was ‘Jinnah’s dream of unity dissolves in blood’ stating the end of the dream of the unity between two peoples of Pakistan separated by 1000 hostile miles of India and tenuously linked by solitary thread of religion. The editorial of The Daily Telegraph mentioned it as ‘Pakistan’s Civil War’ describing the long feared civil war in the world’s largest and deeply divided Muslim nation. The headline of The Age Australia was ‘Dacca breaks with Pakistan’ stating the declaration of independence of East Pakistan itself of the Central Government in Karachi. The editorial of the Sunday Telegraph said, “It is hard for the western minds to absorb the full dreadfullness of the civil war in East Pakistan. As with Biafra, as even with Vietnam, the drama is almost too painful and at the same time too remote to be fully comprehended. Once again, it seems that the latter part of the 20th century has fallen upon one of the poorest and most vulnerable of peoples.”

In the early hours of 26 March Pakistan Army Took the control of Dacca Betar Kendro and renamed it as ‘Radio Pakistan Dacca’. They used this radio centre to announce martial laws. On the other hand, a small radio station started broadcasting from Kalurghat of Chittagong. They tried to encourage the people of the coutry to fight against the Pak Army through during the Liberation War which lasted for nine months.

‘United we stand divided we fall’ taking this into the deep of the heart all the Bangladeshis fought valiantly against the Pak Army for long nine months and finally got the freedom on 16 december 1971.

How the day is observed

The people of Bangladesh celebrates this day in a befitting manner. People gets up from their bed early in the morning hearing the sound of bombing of guns. People from different level of the society, government officials, socio-cultural persons place floral wreaths at the National Memorial Monument at Savar. It is really great to see the peole waiting with patience in long queue to place floral wreath remembering those who were killed by the hyenas of Pak Army. The nonchallant people gets inspiration to dedicate their life for the welfare of the country which obviously dims down within a few whines of time.

The National defense soldiers take part in a march past at National Parade Ground at old airport road where the President of the country takes salute from the soldiers. The Prime Minister, cabinet ministers, officials from defese also make their presence. Prime Minister and President of the country hold a party for diefferent level of people to greet them on this occasion. High Commissioner of different countries also attend the party to greet the Prime Minister and President.

There are two major political groups in Bangladesh. They practise different way of politics and have different political beliefs which also have divided the mass people in two groups. These political parties observe the day in different way. Awami League, a major political group in Bangladesh believs that Sheikh Mujib declared the independence of the country. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, another large political group believes that Ziaur Rahman announced the declaration of the independence of Bangladesh. Both the parties organize rally, discussion session, milad mahfil etc on the eve of this day and practise their beliefs among the mass people and try to confuse them so that they can never be united to revolt against their ill tricks which they play on them to have power and money for the thousand of decades that are impending.

There are also many cultural organizations in Bangladesh who organize cultural programs, rally, street drama, musical concert, poem recitation program at the places like Fine Arts Faculty (University of Dhaka), T.S.C (University of Dhaka), Rabindro Sarobor (Dhanmandi) etc. The mass people goes to Dhaka University and other places to pass the day in a festive mood enjoying music, drama, food etc. People of the other parts of the country also celebrates the day in their own way. Though it is always doubtful whether the people really observe this day in remembrance and with the spirit of that great day or not, it certainly makes bridges between the spirit of independence day and the future generations. May Independence Day always be the spirit of prosperity of our nation.