Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque and Nasir Iddin :
It goes without saying that liberation war started since the postponement of the date of National Assembly. Soon after the completion of general election held in December 7, 1970 President Yahya Khan announced that the national assembly would be held at Dhaka on 1st March, 1971. In fact the decision to postpone national assembly generated much heat as the people became extremely agitated with a violent demonstration. Imbued with Bengali nationalism the whole nation stood united under the charismatic leadership of Bangabondhu to face eventuality. He created an extra-momentum of mass mobilisation with spontaneous support of public officials, technocrats, intellectuals, peasants and industrial labour. The military bureaucracy nexus of Pakistan was exposed to the antagonism of vernacular elite as it committed acts of vengeance one after another to relegate the majority to a state of powerlessness. It denied Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the seat of power despite his party’s landslide victory in 1970’s parliamentary election. Yahya Khan seemed to be puppet acting like a hypocrite at the instigation of the behind the scene manicure. Absolutely ill motivated he staged dialogue drama with the ‘charade of negotiation’ mobilising military forces surreptitiously for the barbarous strike. The danger was imminent.
Bangabondhu with his aids and colleagues masterminded the strategic plan and the need of the hour. His plan was a two-way traffic-negotiation efforts and preparation for the armed struggle as he uttered “hope for the best, prepare for the wrost.” However, Yahya Khan authorised a military crackdown before boarding a plane to Karachi secretly in the evening of 25 March 1971.
Putting off National Assembly session to be held at Dacca on 3rd March 1971 incited violent mass reactions. Public opinion was extremely agitated. The news (Ist March 1971) came as a bolt from the blue. Sheikh Mijibur Rahman reacted immediate organising a parliamentary party meeting at Hotel Purbani. While talking to the pressmen he said, “Only for the sake of a minority party’s disagreement the democratic process of constitution making has obstructed and the National Assembly session has been postponed sin die.” He issued directives to the people such as : observance of Hartal in a peaceful manner from 3rd March to the 6th March from 6 A.M to 2 P.M., observing 3rd March as a day of national mourning, all Bangalee staff serving in radio, T.V. were asked to refuse to cooperate if the authority failed to cover the statements of the struggling leaders and their version of events, addressing a mass rally on 7th March to issue further directives for continuing struggle in a peaceful and disciplined manner.
On 23rd March Sheikh Mujib rejected the invitation of Yahya Khan to attend the meeting of the leaders of the parliamentary groups in the National Assembly in the wake of widespread killing of unarmed civilians in some important places (Bangladesh Documents vol. I, 1999)
While Bangabondhu demanded withdrawal of Martial law to harness the process of transition to democracy notification issued by the Cabinet Division on 6th March, 1971 to appoint Tikka Khan as the Governor of East Pakistan and replacing extremely gentleman vice Admiral S.M. Ahsan was a great provocation.
At the public meeting on March 7, 1971 the Racecourse maidan attended by million to listen the historic speech Bangabondhu thundered : Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram sadhinatar sangram (our struggle this time is the struggle for emancipation, the struggle is the struggle for independence). This was the clarion call of Bangabondhu. He categorically made it clear that he would attend the assembly if 4 points demand was accepted. The 4 points were: ‘the withdrawal of Martial law’, returning of army to barracks, ‘inquiry into the killings and transfer of power to the elected representatives. In the speech he called upon the people to turn every home into fortresses.
Mujib issued 10 point directives to the people in the full sewing Civil Disobedience Movement on March 7, 1971. The points were : no tax to continue, all govt., semi-govt. and autonomous bodies and judicial institutions to observe hartal; appropriate exemption to be announced from time to time, the transports like mail, air to continue to function but not be to used for mobilising forces, Banglaees working in electronic and print media should not co-operate otherwise if complete version of the statement of the leaders is not given, only local and inter-district telephone communication be continued, all educational institutions to remain closed, Banks not effect remittances to the western wing either through the State Bank or otherwise, black flag be hoisted on all buildings, every days hartal be withdrawn in all other places but complete or partial hartal may be declared at any moment depending on the situation and Sangram Parishad’ be organised in each union, mahallah, thana, subdivision and district under the leadership of the local Awami league units (Ibid, 1999).
From March 10 leaders of minority party groups visited East Pakistan to meet Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They exchanged views with him saluting Bhutto’s provocative attitude.
Mujib in an announcement (15th March) expected his determination to continue Non-Cooperation Movement with ‘fresh action programme’ in 3rd week of March.
In a statement given by Mujibur Rahman on 18 March, he rejected the inquiry commission set up by ML Administrator as it would serve no purpose.
At crucial of the Non Cooperation Movement Dacca talk between Bangabondhu and Yahya progressed on March 19.
All efforts failing and unnecessary delay in political solution Yahya imposed military solution. In the fateful night of 25 March the soldiers started going on rampage killing unarmed civilians at Dhaka with unprecedented brutality.
