The historic Mass Upsurge Day was observed on Friday across the country paying deep homage to the martyrs including Matiur Rahman, who were killed on this day, when the people waged a countrywide movement against the autocratic regime of Ayub Khan in 1969.
Different political parties, student organizations and socio- cultural bodies held seminars and discussions to observe the day upholding its spirit, which infused more momentum in the ongoing movement up to the War of Liberation in 1971. On this day 45 years ago, Matiur Rahman, a student of Class nine of the Nabakumer Institution, was killed in Dhaka city as police opened fire on agitating demonstrators. As Matiur’s martyrdom heightened agitation against the Ayub regime, the then government was compelled to release Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other political leaders from jail and withdraw the controversial Agartala conspiracy case.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday gave separate messages on the eve of the day. In her message, the Prime Minister termed the 1969 Mass Upsurge a significant milestone in the history of Bangladesh’s struggle for independence.
She said the country achieved its long cherished independence by going through with the language movement of 1952, six-point and 11-point movements in 1966, the 1969 Mass Upsurge and the Liberation War in 1971.
The Prime Minister recalled with gratitude the immense contributions of Shaheed Motiur Rahman and other martyrs and prayed for the eternal peace of their departed souls.
She paid rich tribute to the memory of the martyrs of 1969 mass-upsurge and also all other democratic movements for their supreme sacrifice for the country’s Independence and democracy. Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote held a discussion to mark the day, saying the martyrdom of Matiur and others would remain as a source of inspiration for the countrymen in all democratic struggles from age to age.
Participants in the discussion held at its Gulshan office said that the nation had to undergo oppression and torture time and again in their movement to achieve the goals of historic 6-point charter of demands declared by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 11-point movement by the then Chhatra Sangram Parishad.
They also said the greatest Bengali of all times, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declared the 6-point demand in 1966 to free the Bengali nation from exploitation, deprivation and colonial rule of Pakistan. ‘The nation achieved its long- cherished Independence through a bloody War of Liberation by coming across 1952 language movement, 6-point and 11-point movement in 1966 and the 1969 mass upsurge’. With Advocate Tarana Halim in the chair, the discussion was participated, among others, by Syed Hasan Imam, ATM Shamsuzzaman, Falguni Hamid, Pijush Bandapadhay and Dr Enamul Haque. Marking the day, Muktir Mancha and Natun Dhara Bangladesh held discussions respectively at Sarok Deep of TSC in Dhaka University and Elephant Road while National Awami Party (NAP) held a human chain and rally in front of Jatiya Press Club. Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) held a discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the capital. BNF chief SM Abul Kalam Azad demanded an immediate announcement declaring March 7 a national day.
Calling for bringing an end to disparities at all spheres of national life and establishing rule of law, the speakers demanded quick implementation of the verdict in war crime cases for their worst inhuman activities during the War of Liberation.
