March is a month full of joy and sorrow. On one side, the Bangalee people gathered the courage and might to fight for their independence while on the other hand, the Pakistani military junta carried out a mass genocide. Today is the day when the flag of Bangladesh was hoisted at Dhaka University for the time in the history of Bangladesh.
The flag consisting of a green background resembling the lush green land of Bangladesh with a red circle which symbolised the rising sun was in secret being planned by the leaders of the sixties. Later on, on March 2, Dhaka University Students’ Union VP ASM Abdur Rab hoisted the flag.
Following the flag hoisting the students and general people witnessed history in the making that resembled the sense of solidarity and unification that was in the hearts and souls of all Bangalee people at that time. However, it was during that time when a noncooperation movement led by Awami League began in Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) against the oppressors of Pakistan.
The entire country was brought to a standstill with one call from the leader of people, Father of National Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. All the shops closed. Thousands of freedom-seeking people started gathering in front of Hotel Purbani in Dhaka's Motijheel. Bangabandhu was sitting in the meeting of the Awami League parliamentary party there. Meanwhile, students of schools and colleges and universities rushed to the central Shaheed Minar with a procession.
In the afternoon on March 2, the Pakistani flag was pulled down and the new flag was hoisted at Dhaka University and on the Secretariat premises. The Pakistani rulers imposed a curfew in Dhaka at night. General people defied the curfew and came out of their houses and brought out processions. The military opened fire on them killing many civilians.
Bangabandhu condemned the Pakistani rulers for their brutal misuse of power and called for the noncooperation movement by calling nationwide hartal from 6:00am-2:00pm. This was only the beginning of a long-awaited battle to come. Later on March 26, 1971, when Bangabandhu declared the independence he flew the flag at his residence.
