The Bengali nation is forever dauntless and valiant. Throughout the ages they have been vocal against injustice. Although unequal in strength, they never bowed before the British.
The misrule of the Pakistani exploiters, the oppressed Bengalis have strongly protested against the injustice. They have established their right to mother tongue through the movement of '52. Gradually, the freedom movement has moved forward with firm steps.
In the continuation of this struggle, the seeds of eternally liberating Bengal were sown with the six-point demand of 1966. The six-point demand was raised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who is the cornerstone of the freedom movement of the Bengali nation. Six-point demand is the “charter of liberation".
The Bengali nation, which has been a victim of injustice and discrimination for a long time, got a new direction through the "Six Point Demand" proposal. At the meeting of the walking committee of the Awami League on 21 February 1966, the program of the movement was adopted with the aim of realizing the six-point proposal and demand.
The Awami League moved towards a constitutional
movement demanding the implementation of the
6 points and the release of Awami League leaders
and activists including Bangabandhu
After that, at the meeting of the walking committee of the Awami League on 16 March, the programme of the movement was adopted with the aim of realizing the six-point proposal and demand.
A pamphlet with analysis of Bangabandhu and Tajuddin Ahmed was published. Later, a pamphlet entitled "Our Demand for Survival: Six-Point Program" was distributed in the council session of the Awami League on March 16. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman visited various districts of East Pakistan to promote the '6-point programme.
The ruling party was unable to stop him and arrested him on May 9, 1966 during a six-point campaign; but the leader Bangabandhu's arrest could not defeat the Bengalis.
The Awami League moved towards a constitutional movement demanding the implementation of the 6 points and the release of Awami League leaders and activists including Bangabandhu. On June 7, 1966, at the call of Bangabandhu, a strike was observed all over the country demanding implementation of the six points. June 7 is therefore the ‘Six Point Day’.
Bangabandhu asserted in six points, “My dear countrymen, I have presented the six-point demand for the survival of the people of East Pakistan for the consideration of the countrymen and the ruling party. Instead of quietly criticizing it, the brokers of vested interests have started slandering me.
The countrymen are well acquainted with this look and abuse of the enemies of the people. In the past, whenever the simple and just demands of the people of East Pakistan have been raised, these brokers have been making such a fuss.
Demands for making our mother tongue the state language, the ruling party has always discovered the conspiracy of destruction of Islam and Pakistan amidst the demands of East Pakistan People's Liberation on 21-point demand, joint electoral system, demand for easy and low cost education for students, demand for making Bengali the medium of instruction etc.”
“In my proposed six-point demand, they are similarly imposing the misfortune of splitting Pakistan in two. I have no doubt that my proposed six-point demand echoes the sentiments of the five and a half crore exploited and deprived children of Adam in East Pakistan. In the writings of the newspapers, in the news and in the accounts of the meeting committees, in the statements of well-wishers of all classes, I see the response of the whole country - it has given me courage and strength. After all, the Awami League, the national body of the people of East Pakistan, has approved my six-point demand.
“As a result, the six-point demand has become the national demand of the people of East Pakistan today. In this situation, I believe that the people will not be confused by the propaganda of vested interests.
But I also know that the enemies of the people have infinite power, they have a lot of wealth, they have endless tools, they have ten faces, and they have hundreds of voices. They are polymorphic. They are in the government party in the name of faith, unity and solidarity. Again, they are in the opposition for the sake of Islam and democracy.
But they are all united in the face of the enmity of the people of East Pakistan. They will try to confuse the people with various tricks. He has already started trying. They have already come out to serve the people of East Pakistan.”
“I have no doubt that my rights-conscious countrymen will not be confused by their thousands of efforts. However, it is the duty of all democrats, especially the Awami League workers, to spread among the people the significance and necessity of the 6-point demand. Hopefully, all of them will immediately spread across the country with the 6-point interpretation.
For the convenience of the working brothers and for the purpose of making it easy to understand for the people of the country, I have published this booklet with simple and concise explanations and arguments of each of the 6 points.
The Awami League will also publish more pamphlets and pamphlets on the subject. Hopefully, all democrats in general, especially Awami League workers, along with the educated East Pakistanis, will use these booklets.”
Wadia Ayshi is a student at the Department Of English, University Of Dhaka
