HIS 103: Emergence of Bangladesh

Six-Point Programme, 1966:

Magna Carta of the Bengalis
September 9, 2020
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Background:
 The historic Six-Point Programme (movement) or the Six-Point Formula has been widely credited as
the “Charter of Freedom" (Magna Carta) in Bangladesh's struggle for self-determination from
West Pakistan's domination.
 Indeed, the six-point movement in 1966 was the turning point in our quest for independence.
 The Awami League Council meeting (6th Council) at Dhaka in February, 1966 proved to be a famous
platform where Six Point Formula for autonomy of East Pakistan was adopted.
 In the same meeting, Sheikh Mujib was also elected as the President of the Awami League. It was
presented publically in February 5-6, 1966 in Lahore before an ‘all political parties (opposition)
meeting.’
 The main proponent of the Six Point Formula was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
 A segment of the people are of the view that the six points were the joint production of
intellectuals including the economics professors of Dhaka University with the help of some Bengali
CSP officers – Ruhul Quddus, Shamsur Rahman Khan, Ahmed Fazlur Rahman etc.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Background (cont.):
 The government-controlled press, initially somewhat surprisingly, provided prominent
coverage to the Six Points Programme. The government was quick to appreciate and
exploit the situation.
 By highlighting that a strong nationalist trend represented by Sheikh Mujib through his
Six Points Programme had emerged among the Bengalis, the government sought not only
to discredit the Punjabi opposition leaders as much for their failure to forge a united
East-West opposition front as for ‘betraying’ the Punjabi interest by associating with
Sheikh Mujib, whose Six Points presented a great threat to that interest.
 The government in this way aimed once again to restore unity among the ‘western’ and
Punjabi minority elite, which had become divided, and a section of which was seeking to
secure its interest through an opposition role.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Background (cont.):
 The Six Points formula for regional autonomy was set out in a written statement, which was to be
placed before the Lahore conference.
 It was published under the title ‘Six Points Formula – Our Right to Live’ on 23 March 1966.
 It was presented as a statement of ‘basic principles for a firm solution of the country’s inter-wing
political and economic problems’.
 It was emphasized that these demands are ‘no new points invented afresh by me or any
individual, but are, in reality, long-standing demands of the people.’
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
 Point 1:
The Constitution should provide for a federation of Pakistan, in its true sense, on the basis of the
Lahore Resolution, and a parliamentary form of government with the supremacy of legislature which
would be directly elected on the basis of universal adult franchise.
 Analysis:
 Point 1 expressed the basic demand for a parliamentary form of government to which almost
everyone was committed.
 It acquired special significance in the context of the fact that, in 1966, Ayub was governing under a
Constitution that provided for an al-powerful president in a ‘presidential’ form of government.
 The demand for a federation ‘on the basis of the Lahore Resolution’ underlined the important point
that the Resolution had contemplated – that the Muslim majority provinces would be constituted
into ‘sovereign, autonomous states’.
 The resolution, thus, provided the basis for the claim that the constituent units of ‘Pakistan’, as
envisaged by that resolution, would be sovereign.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
 Point 2:
Federal government shall deal with only two subjects, Defence and Foreign Affairs, and all other
subjects shall vest in the federating states.
 Analysis:
Point 2 provided for a two-subject, and if currency were to be included as a three-subject center.
 The antecedents to this demand were there in the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946, which
proposed a three-subject center entrusted only with defence, foreign affairs, and
communications.
 The grand national assemble of democratic forces, which met in Dhaka in early 1950, also
proposed a federation called the United States of Pakistan, I which the Centre would only deal
with three subjects: defence, foreign affairs, and communications.
 Thus, the second point in the Sic Point formula was a reiteration of what had been adopted as
one of the basic points relating to the Constitution, viz. distribution of powers between the
Centre and the provinces under a federal Constitution.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Point 3:
Either of the two following measures (should be adopted) with regard to currency:
A. Two Separate but freely convertible currencies for the two wings may be
introduced , or
B. One currency for the whole country may be maintained. In this case, effective
constitutional provisions are to be made to stop flight of capital from East to West
Pakistan. A separate fiscal and monetary policy to be adopted fro East Pakistan.
Point 4:
Power of taxation and revenue collection shall vest in the federating units and federal
center shall have no such power. The federation shall have a share in the state taxes for
meeting their requires expenditure. The consolidated federal fund shall come out of a
levy of a certain percentage of all state taxes.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Point 5:
1) There shall be two separate accounts for the foreign exchange earnings of the
two wings;
2) The earnings of East Pakistan shall be under the control of East Pakistan
government, and that of West Pakistan under the control of the West Pakistan
government.
3) The foreign exchange requirement of the federal government shall be met by the
two wings either equally or in a ration to be fixed;
4) Indigenous products shall move free of duty between the two wings;
5) The Constitution shall empower the unit governments to establish trade and
commercial relations and set up trade missions in, and enter into, agreements
with foreign countries.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Analysis of Point 3, 4 & 5:
 Point 3, 4, and 5 were aimed at securing for the region – for the Bangalis – control over their
own resources and the powers of managing the economy.
 The sense that East Bengal, despite being the majority province, had not received a ‘fair-
deal’ had been acutely felt since the earliest period of Pakistan.
 Initially, there was a feeling being discriminated against in the allocation of federal funds, in
the allocation of foreign exchange, and in the matter of recruitment to public services by the
central government.
 Later, the growing inequality was found and presented in the writing of Bangali economists.
 Federal control over economic management was perceived to be the principal instrument
through which a substantial transfer of resources had taken place from the eastern to the
western wing. The main thrust of the Six Point scheme, was, therefore, to regionalize
economic management.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Point 6:
The federating provinces shall be able to raise para-militia or para-military forces for their
own defenses. Ammunition manufacturing units as well as the Naval headquarter should be
located in the East Pakistan.
Analysis:
East Pakistan must have equal share in the defence service of Pakistan. There must be
adequate military establishment in East Pakistan.
Ayub’s Reaction:
 General Ayub’s reaction to the Six Points Programme was to threaten repression with the
use of force. He labelled Bangabandhu, the sole proponent of the Formula as the ‘Number
One Enemy of Pakistan.’
 He labelled the Programme a scheme for secession and declared that he would respond to
it ‘with the language of weapons’.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Reaction of the Opposition Parties other than Awami League:
 The mainstream opposition parties in Pakistan were not even willing to
discuss the merits or demerits of the proposed six-point demand for ensuring
greater provincial autonomy for the eastern province of Pakistan.
 It was, however, really awful to recall that the non-Awami League delegates
from the then East Pakistan did not endorse the six-point demand initially.
 Instead of endorsing or discussing the six-point formula, the self-declared
champions of restoration of democracy in the then Pakistan had deliberately
launched a hateful propaganda campaign against Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the
chief sponsor and proponent of the six-point formula.
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Professor Rounaq Jahan in her famous book Pakistan: failure in
national integration (1972) nicely summarized the hostile reactions of
other political parties to the six-point formula:
"The six-point demand not only split the Awami League but also made it difficult for
the East Pakistan wing to form an alliance with any other West Pakistan-based
party. The CML (Council of Muslim League) decried the six points as a demand for
confederation, not federation; the Jama'at-i-Islami branded it as a separatist
design; the Nizam-i-Islam rejected it as a unilateral, dictatorial move on Mujib's
part; and the NAP (National Awami Party) dismissed it on the grounds that it was
parochial and did not include any measures to free East Pakistan from imperialists
agents."
 Six-Point Programme, 1966
Consequences:
 The Awami League leadership, sensing the mood of the Bengalis, decide to propagate the Six
Points Programme amongst the people, and travelled around the country, explaining the points
in detail. This inspired a mass movement to grow in its support.
 On 18 April 1966, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was arrested, and placed in detention (He was
arrested eight times in the first three months of the declaration of the Six-Point Formula).
 On 7 June 1966, a special protest day was observed in support of the Six Points movement.
Ayub’s government moved to suppress it with force.
 The demonstrations in Dhaka, Tongi and Narayangonj were fired upon, claiming 13 lives.
 Large-scale arrests followed and the daily Ittefaq, the newspaper was then the main voice of the
Bengalis, was closed down, its editor arrested, and its press forfeited.

 Six-Point Formula was the ‘Birth Certificate of Bangladesh Written in Advance.’