Emergence of Bangladesh:

‘Bengali’ Nationalism, identity,

and circumstances, 1947-71

Aynul Islam
Associate Professor
 Conceptual: Questions

• Why was the emergence of

Bangladesh inevitable?
• What was the political basis of the
emergence of Bangladesh?
• What was the sprit of the liberation
war?
 How did evolve?
• Cultural autonomy assertion 1947-52:
The Language Movement and quest
for ‘Bengali identity’
• Political autonomy assertion 1948-58:
The United Front 1954, Ayub Khan’s
rise to power and characteristics of
his rule (political repression, basic
democracy, Islamisation)
• Politico-economic autonomy assertion,
1958-1968: The Six-Point Movement
• Autonomy or Independence, 1968-70:
The Agartala Case 1968, the mass-
upsurge of 1969 and 11 point
movement
• Towards Independence, 1970-71: The
Elections of 1970, Freedom Struggle
1971
PART I

Cultural autonomy assertion 1947-52

- The Language Movement and quest

for Bengali identity
• The Language Movement 1952
catalysed the assertion of Bengali
national identity in Pakistan, and
became a forerunner to Bengali
nationalist movements, including
the 6-point movement and
subsequently the Bangladesh
Liberation War in 1971….
• After the partition of India in 1947,
Bengali-speaking peoples in East
Bengal made up 44 million of the
newly-formed Pakistan's 69 million
people
• In 1947, a key resolution at a national
education summit in Karachi
advocated Urdu as the sole state
language, and its exclusive use in the
media and in schools
 Agitations of 1948
• Students of the University of
Dhaka and other colleges of the
city organised a general strike
for 11 March 1948 to protest the
omission of Bengali from official
use, including coins, stamps and
recruitment tests for the navy.
• In the height of civic unrest, Governor-General
of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah arrived in
Dhaka on 19 March 1948.
• On 21 March, at a civic reception at
Racecourse Ground, he claimed that the
language issue was designed by a "fifth
column" to divide Pakistani Muslims. Jinnah
further declared that "Urdu, and only Urdu"
embodied the spirit of Muslim nations and
would remain as the state language, labelling
those who disagreed with his views as
"Enemies of Pakistan".
• Jinnah delivered a similar speech at Curzon
Hall of the University of Dhaka on 24 March. At
both meetings, Jinnah was interrupted by large
segments of the audience.
• He later called a meeting of a state language
committee of action, and overruled the
contract that was signed by Khawaja
Nazimuddin with the student leaders. Before
Jinnah left Dhaka on 28 March, he delivered a
speech on radio reasserting his "Urdu-only"
policy.
 Events of 1952
• The Urdu-Bengali controversy was reignited
when Jinnah's successor, governor-general
Khawaja Nazimuddin, staunchly defended the
"Urdu-only" policy in a speech on 27 January
1952.
• On 31 January, the Shorbodolio Kendrio
Rashtrobhasha Songram Porishod (All-Party
Central Language Action Committee) was
formed in a meeting at the Bar Library Hall of
the University of Dhaka, chaired by Maulana
Bhashani.
• Bengali language in Arabic script: The central
government's proposal of writing the Bengali
language in Arabic script was vehemently
opposed at the meeting. The action
committee called for an all out protest on 21
February, including strikes and rallies.
• Students of the University of Dhaka and other
institutions gathered on the university
premises on 4 February and warned the
government to withdraw its proposal to write
Bengali in Arabic script, and insisted on the
recognition of Bengali.
 21 February
• At nine o'clock in the morning, students
began gathering on the University of
Dhaka premises in defiance of Section
144.
• The police arrested several students for
violating section 144 as they attempted
to leave. …police opened fire and killed a
number of students, including Abdus
Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat
and Abdul Jabbar.
• At the assembly, six legislators including
Manoranjan Dhar, Boshontokumar Das,
Shamsuddin Ahmed and Dhirendranath
Datta requested that chief minister Nurul
Amin visit wounded students in hospital and
that the assembly be adjourned as a sign of
mourning.
• This motion was supported by some of the
treasury bench members including Maulana
Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish, Shorfuddin
Ahmed, Shamsuddin Ahmed Khondokar and
Mosihuddin Ahmed. However Nurul Amin
 22 February
• Disorder spread across the province as large
processions ignored section 144 and
condemned the actions of the police.
• More than 30,000 people congregated at
Curzon Hall in Dhaka. During the continued
protests, police actions led to the death of
four more people.
• This prompted officers and clerks from
different organizations, including colleges,
banks and the radio station, to boycott offices
and join the procession.
Continued unrest
• Through the night of 23 February,
students of Dhaka Medical College
worked on the construction of a
Shaheed Smritistombho, or Monument
of Martyrs.
• Completed at dawn on 24 February, the
monument had a handwritten note
attached to it with the words "Shaheed
Smritistombho”.
Events after 1952
• The Shorbodolio Kendrio Rashtrobhasha
Kormi Porishod, with support from the
Awami League, decided to commemorate
21 February as Shohid Dibosh (Martyrs'
Day).
• On the first anniversary of the protests,
people across East Pakistan wore black
badges in solidarity with the victims.
Most offices, banks and educational
institutions were closed to observe the
occasion.
• Student groups made agreements
with college and police officials to
preserve law and order. More than
100,000 people assembled at a
public meeting held in Armanitola
in Dhaka, where community
leaders called for the immediate
release of Maulana Bhashani and
other political prisoners…
• …anyone who wanted Bengali to become
an official language would be considered
an "enemy of the state."
• Bengali students and civilians disobeyed
the restrictions to celebrate the
anniversary of the protests.
• Demonstrations broke out on the night of
21 February 1954 with various halls of the
University of Dhaka raising black flags in
mourning.
PART II

Political autonomy assertion 1948-58:

- The United Front 1954

- Ayub Khan’s rise to power and
characteristics of his rule- political
repression, basic democracy,
Islamisation
 The United Front 1954

- The provincial
election of the east
on 8 to 11 March
1954 was a big
shock for the
Pakistani ruling
elite
• Alliance of United front

- Awami Muslim League (Maulana

Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani)
- Krishak Sramik Party (A.K.F. Haqe)
- Nizam-e-Islam (Mawlana Athar Ali)
- Ganatantri Dal (Hazi Danesh)
 The political platform for the United Front
was based on a 21-point agenda-
• recognition of Bangla as a state language
• release of political prisoners
• transformation of the then official residence
(Burdwan House) of the chief minister of East
Bengal into Bangla Academy
• construction of Shaheed Minar at the site of
the police firing in 1952
• declaration of 21 February as a public holiday
• more autonomy for Dhaka and Rajshahi
universities
• introduction of economic and social
rights for industrial workers in keeping
with the principles of ILO
• nationalization of jute, guarantee of fair
prices for commodities, and public
support for cooperatives and cottage
industries.
- Implementing cooperative farming
- The relation between East Bengal and West
Pakistan be restructured on the basis of full
regional autonomy;
- Identified three subjects for the central
government, namely, defense, foreign affairs,
and currency,
- Pakistan's Naval Head Quarters be relocated to
and an arms manufacturing factory be built in
East Pakistan.
 Result
• The elections resulted in a landslide
victory for the United Front

- won 228 seats in a House of 309

(including nine reserved seats for
women).
- the Muslim League, the party in power
directly or indirectly ever since 1937,
managed to get only 7 seats.
• Of the total of 228 elected Front members,

- 143 belonged to Awami Muslim League,

- 48 to Krishak Sramaik Party
- 22 to Nezam-e-Islam
- 13 to Ganatantri Dal and
- 2 to Khilafat-e-Rabbani Party

• Of the non-Muslim seats, Congress got 25,

Scheduled Caste Federation 27, and the United
Front of the Minorities 13.
 Significance

• Bengali nationalism won this election

• Rises of a secularist political ideology
• Raises the demand for full autonomy in
East Bengal
• Rise of middle class people
• End the Muslim league government-
people are show read card Muslim
league.
Ayub Khan’s rise to power

• Political repression ‘East Bengal’

• Basic democracies-
• Islamisation-
 From Ayub's Diaries
" They are consciously Hinduising the
language and culture. Tagore has become
their god. Everything has been Bengalised,
even the plate numbers on vehicles are in
Bengali. A man from West Pakistan feels like
a foreigner in Dhaka. Consciously or
unconsciously, they are moving towards
separation and exposing themselves to
absorption by Hinduism."
PART III

Politico-economic autonomy
assertion, 1958-1968: The Six-Point
Movement
Historical Six Points Movement

In February 1966, in a Conference in Lahore

for
restoration of democracy, Bangabandhu
Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman declared the historic six
points
demands calling for:
Point I: a Federation based on the Lahore
Resolution

the Government shall be parliamentary in

form, at the center and in the provinces,
governed by a directly elected legislature
chosen on the basis of population by
universal adult franchise
Point II: central government dealt only
with defense and foreign affairs

the central government shall be

responsible only for defense and
foreign affairs and, under certain
conditions
Point III:
either two separate currencies for the
two wings or same currency for both
wings with provision that flight of
capital is prevented and each wing
maintain separate revenue accounts,
• Point IV:

the units be given the authority to levy taxes

and to collect revenue,
Point V: separate foreign exchange
accounts for both the wings, and
• Point VI: setting up a para-military force for
East Bengal
 Consequences/Evaluation
• Firstly, it challenged the political and
economic monopoly of West Pakistan.
• Secondly, the East Pakistan’s export
earnings would no longer be exploited
and manipulated for the growth of the
industrialization of West Pakistan.
• Thirdly, foreign aid would no longer be
monopolized for West Pakistan only.
• Fourthly, the East Pakistan would no
longer remain an inferior and sub-
ordinate market for West Pakistani
products.
• Fifthly, the end of Economic priorities
determined for the advantage of West
Pakistan only.
Six Point Programme proved to be a ray of
hope for almost all the sections of Bengali
society-

The emerging industrialists and

businessmen found in the Six-Point
formula relaxation of intense competition
and short cut route to prosperity.
The labor and peasants found in the
formula some chances of incoming change
• The Six-Point formula itself helped
inspiring and consolidating the
nationalist forces and soon became
the vehicle of Bengali nationalist
movement…
• The Six-Point program as the magna
carta of ending economic and socio-
political exploitation….launched a
mass campaign in East Pakistan to
achieve the demands. The military
regime took a attitude of
confrontation and placed Mujib under
detention.
PART IV: Autonomy or Independence, 1968-70

- The Agartala Case 1968

- The mass- upsurge of 1969 and 11 point
movement
 Agartala Case 1968
• The case was filed in early 1968 and
implicated Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
others in conspiring with India against the
stability of Pakistan.
• The case is officially called State vs.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and others, but
is popularly known as Agartala
Shoŗojontro Mamla (Agartala conspiracy
case)….
Aftermath
• Angry protesters formed an action committee
• This popular hostility forced Ayub Khan to
withdraw the case
• The case and the resulting uprising was a
major factor in the fall of Ayub Khan's
government
• It was seen as one of the major events
leading to Bengali Nationalism and Liberation
war
Mass Upsurge of 1969

- It was in line with the six points

movement and against the military
dictatorship of Ayub Khan.
- Another vanguard of the anti-Ayub Mass
Movement was the 'All Party Students
Committee of Action‘ on the basis of an
11-point program.
- All these directed to the fall of
Ayub’s regime.

- It was during the mass movement

of 1969 that Bengali nationalism
reached its highest point.
• In December 1969, Sheikh Mujib
declared “henceforth the Eastern region
of Pakistan will be known as Bangladesh
instead of East Pakistan”
• 1969 mass uprising was preamble to
Liberation War
• "The mass upsurge of 1969 played a vital
role in preparing the nation for the
Liberation War in 1971. The sixties were a
golden decade of the country when
nationalism grew up among the
people. The decade was a turning point
of our history,” (Prof Dr Anisuzzaman,
2016)
The Cyclone 1970

- The Worst Natural Disaster

- Total fatalities: 500,000
- Damage: $86.4 million
(1970 USD)
- November 3, 1970 –
November 13, 1970
 General Election of 1970
- Power Transfer following the mass
agitation against the Ayub Khan
regime…to Yayha Khan…
- The Yayha Khan regime did not have a
strong base because it came to power…
- The promulgation of "Legal Framework
Order" (LFO) for the purpose of Pakistan's
first general elections. According to this
LPO, the seats of the National Assembly…
• The LFO also dissolved the "One Unit"
scheme of West Pakistan
• Pakistan would be a democratic country
and the complete name of the country
would be Islamic Republic of Pakistan
• October 1970/December 1970
Result of the elections- Centre
& Provinces
• Towards Independence, 1970-71: The
Freedom Struggle 1971

7-26 March 1971:

The negotiation
and Declaration
◼Armed Conflict between West
Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East
Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
◼Lasted about 9 months – March 26,
1971 until December 16, 1971
◼India declared war on West
Pakistan after the Pakistani air force
(PAF) struck Indian airfields in
northern India
7 March Speech 1971: “The World
Heritage”

- “Political Significance”
- “The masterpiece of oratory”
- “The Symphony of Independence”
- Declaration of Independence (?)
The Victory

• On December 16th, 1971, Dhaka fell to the Mitro

Bahini, the elite forces of the Mukti Bahini and the
Indian army. An “Instrument of Surrender” was
signed by the defeated Pakistani General Niazi and
by the Indian commander General Aurora at 16:31
Indian Standard Time. This is how Bangladesh
became liberated and independent. December
16th is recognized as the Victory Day in
Bangladesh, while March 26 is recognized as the
Independence Day. With sovereignty, Bangladesh
is progressing in all aspects.